Stun Guns R Us. Zap em dead, the sign read.
The sales clerk, Tim Roberts, 16 years old, is also the creator of the fine stun guns he sells.
But would people really buy a stun gun from a stun gun specialty store? There are stalls that sell multiple self defense weapons at a bazaar. He sighs.
The bell rings:
A man, probably around 30, came in with a weapons catalog.
"Welcome to Stun Guns R Us where you can be sure that anyone hit with these things stay down."
He looks up from the catalog.
"I'll take one of those." He points to a classic looking stun gun.
"For you or someone else?" He asks.
"Little sister. Hey, do your Stun Guns take custom bats?"
"Uhh, sure, I guess" It sounded more like a question.
After the man left, the store was once again empty. Empty.
Tim sighed.
The clock ticked 7. Just about time to close up.
"Sold one stun gun today. That's a start." Tim sighed.
Just as he was about to flip the sign to closed, a teenager with his younger sister came by.
"I'm sorry, are you closing?" asked the boy. Tim smiled and let the two browse. The girl was spunky and eyed every stun gun in the area.
"Heather, stop running around! I'm only getting you one. And please pick something cheap." He pats his wallet as if he didn't want to part with his money.
"Aw, don't be such a killjoy, Ian" she stares at a box like stun gun. "I'm not going to waste your money... Mostly."
She picks out a 2 million volts stun gun with the long handle design.
Tim felt sorry for Ian and gave them a 10% discount that may hurt his business but certainly relieved Ian.
The next day, a bulky man with a specific picture came in.
"My name's Mr. White." His bulk couldn't hide the shiftiness in his eyes. He hands the picture to Tim. He knew what it was. One of the most expensive model with a Voltage of 6 million Volts. It's enough to knock a big man down for at least 8 minutes. Tim didn't want to question his customer's intentions. Client courtesy and all.
"Do you want me to wrap it?" Tim was abrupt with the question, but it Christmas was just around the corner. Mr. White turned back and smiled.
"Sure."
The man leaves with the boxed Stun Gun. Cassie White was written on the card. Tim just assumed that it was his daughter.
22 Years later, things have gotten weird outside the city. People's mouths contorted to a huge smile that the now 38 year old Tim couldn't understand. One man suddenly burst in through the door. Tim armed himself with the strongest Stun Gun he could find and hid under the counter.
"Peekabo-" Tim screamed and the Giggle could not even finish his intended attack. Smoke rose from the Man's chest and he convulsed to the floor. The Stun Gun was hot and the probes let loose thin, white steam. It was a a 10 Million Volt Stun Gun.
"Hello?" The voice sounded scared and concerned.
Tim peeked up. A black haired young man with green eyes. He was definitely not smiling.
He raised the Stun Gun and activated it. He didn't know if he'll take it as a sign to go away or as a sign to come over. He chose the latter.
"I'm not... One of them." The boy quickly defended himself. "My friend was killed and I had to kill those things to find somewhere safe." He eyed the fallen Giggle at Tim's side and then placed his finger on his neck.
"Give me a Stun Gun." Tim didn't even bother looking at the labels and just grabbed one from the counter display.
"I'm Ernest by the way." He smacked the Giggle with the Stun Gun and tased him at the neck for about 5 minutes. The Giggle convulsed at first, but then stopped breathing all together. Ernest hands the Stun Gun back, but Tim lets him have it. He hands him a box of batteries for the Stun Gun.
For most of the next 4 years, Tim managed to survive off of his Stun Guns and supplies he could scavenge off of the nearby buildings or the supplies that survivors share when they drop by. Ernest sometimes visits to even make things easier for him. The last month of that sixth year, Ernest, on crutches, dropped by to tell him that the chaos was over. That his brother and his friend had destroyed the source of all the madness.
Tim lived his life in relative peace and continued on to create Stun Guns.
But it didn't last. About another 8 years later, a communist democracy was created. Tim managed to escape the City of Echo and came to the Ink Lines, where he'd create Stun Guns or give parts to the Candy Gadget Maker, Declan or his partner, Rena.
"I'm interested in these things. They look so...Cute." Rena holds up the one Tim hands him. She activates it and 'Oohhs' at the blue sparks. Tim silently laughs as he looks back on his days he first started the Stun Gun business. A naive and eager 16 year old. Ready to zap em dead. It was for his sister, who loved Stun Guns as well. Tim wonders if she's still alive and well all these days. But for the past few years, Stun Guns have become his personal passion.
He cannot turn back anymore. Not from this. Never from this.
"My name's Mr. White." His bulk couldn't hide the shiftiness in his eyes. He hands the picture to Tim. He knew what it was. One of the most expensive model with a Voltage of 6 million Volts. It's enough to knock a big man down for at least 8 minutes. Tim didn't want to question his customer's intentions. Client courtesy and all.
"Do you want me to wrap it?" Tim was abrupt with the question, but it Christmas was just around the corner. Mr. White turned back and smiled.
"Sure."
The man leaves with the boxed Stun Gun. Cassie White was written on the card. Tim just assumed that it was his daughter.
22 Years later, things have gotten weird outside the city. People's mouths contorted to a huge smile that the now 38 year old Tim couldn't understand. One man suddenly burst in through the door. Tim armed himself with the strongest Stun Gun he could find and hid under the counter.
"Peekabo-" Tim screamed and the Giggle could not even finish his intended attack. Smoke rose from the Man's chest and he convulsed to the floor. The Stun Gun was hot and the probes let loose thin, white steam. It was a a 10 Million Volt Stun Gun.
"Hello?" The voice sounded scared and concerned.
Tim peeked up. A black haired young man with green eyes. He was definitely not smiling.
He raised the Stun Gun and activated it. He didn't know if he'll take it as a sign to go away or as a sign to come over. He chose the latter.
"I'm not... One of them." The boy quickly defended himself. "My friend was killed and I had to kill those things to find somewhere safe." He eyed the fallen Giggle at Tim's side and then placed his finger on his neck.
"Give me a Stun Gun." Tim didn't even bother looking at the labels and just grabbed one from the counter display.
"I'm Ernest by the way." He smacked the Giggle with the Stun Gun and tased him at the neck for about 5 minutes. The Giggle convulsed at first, but then stopped breathing all together. Ernest hands the Stun Gun back, but Tim lets him have it. He hands him a box of batteries for the Stun Gun.
For most of the next 4 years, Tim managed to survive off of his Stun Guns and supplies he could scavenge off of the nearby buildings or the supplies that survivors share when they drop by. Ernest sometimes visits to even make things easier for him. The last month of that sixth year, Ernest, on crutches, dropped by to tell him that the chaos was over. That his brother and his friend had destroyed the source of all the madness.
Tim lived his life in relative peace and continued on to create Stun Guns.
But it didn't last. About another 8 years later, a communist democracy was created. Tim managed to escape the City of Echo and came to the Ink Lines, where he'd create Stun Guns or give parts to the Candy Gadget Maker, Declan or his partner, Rena.
"I'm interested in these things. They look so...Cute." Rena holds up the one Tim hands him. She activates it and 'Oohhs' at the blue sparks. Tim silently laughs as he looks back on his days he first started the Stun Gun business. A naive and eager 16 year old. Ready to zap em dead. It was for his sister, who loved Stun Guns as well. Tim wonders if she's still alive and well all these days. But for the past few years, Stun Guns have become his personal passion.
He cannot turn back anymore. Not from this. Never from this.
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