I was just looking around and found the project idea generator so I decided to use it lmao I got "Create a story about a tired friend moving to a new town" and my hyperactive brain took over from there lol The music isn't related to the story at all it just sounds nice <3 yea it's not that good sorry lmao anyways here *throws* ----- The rain took over about a month ago. You didn't know if it was normal for it to rain so much here but you never complained, rainy weather was your favorite. You moved to this small, sleepy town a couple days ago when your friend found an apartment for you near his own home here. Ever since you were kids, you both dreamed of opening a small bookshop and now it seemed that dream was coming true. After finishing college, everyone seemed to expect you to get a new shiny job at a university or a big company. You were tired of all the stress and pressure. Austin sent you a picture of the bookstore he had inherited from his grandfather a few months ago saying "guess what we have now?? :)". You had been ecstatic and scrambled to move there as soon as possible. He invited you to meet him at the store a couple days after you had moved in. Austin had left it untouched because he wanted to discover it's secrets with you. You had forgotten your umbrella that day and you were shivering as you stood outside the bookstore waiting for him. - You hear someone call your name and you turn to see Austin walking across the street with a huge smile plastered on his face. He jogs over and fishes the key out of his pocket and holds it up. "You ready?" You nod. He inserts the key and turns until you both hear a soft *click* and the door swings open. Austin takes a step inside and gasps, stepping aside to let you join him. You are hit with the smell of old books and stale coffee. You can see small objects and boxes joining the books on the shelves and about a dozen globes sitting on top of the shelves. You look up and see small hanging trinkets and what looks to be a shark's skeleton hanging in the middle of the room. As you and Austin make your way to the counter in the back, you find oddities of all sorts littering the ground and shelves. You pick up a book on a stool and flip through the pages, relishing the musty smell of the paper. You look up and see Austin watching you. "What?" you sign after you put the book down. He simply shrugs and smiles before moving on to inspect the beaten up wood counter. He calls you over and you join him at the counter while he fumbles with a latch on the side of the counter. A small drawer pops out when he gets the latch off and you can see it's filled with coins and marbles and small wrapped candies. Austin reaches in and picks out a few candies. "I used to go behind my grandpa's back and stash all my candies and quarters in here. I'm sure he knew I was doing it but he never mentioned it and never emptied the drawer out. Gosh how I miss him-" his voice cracks and you reach out and pull him into a hug. He hugs you back and quietly cries on your shoulder for a little while. A sound from a corner of the store brings you both back to the scene. "What was that?" Austin wipes his eyes with his sleeve. There it was again. A sort of mewling. You motion for Austin to stay put while you creep toward the noise. You turn a corner in the maze of shelves and- There! A small bundle of fur was snuggled in a cardboard box, eyes sleepily peering up at you. You stand up and motion for Austin to come over. "Aww a kitten!" Austin crouches to marvel at it. "I wonder what it's doing here" You slowly reach into the box and to your surprise, the cat rubs it's soft brown head against your fist. You crawl nearer and slowly lift it out of the box. It starts purring and Austin laughs "I think it likes you!" You smile and hold it in your arms. "Hold on, I have a ham sandwich in my bag let me go grab it" He stands up and comes back with the sandwich. You both take turns feeding the cat, who seemed to be famished because it gobbled up the sandwich within minutes. It then curls up in your lap and falls asleep. "Oh dear" Austin chuckles "Well I guess you aren't moving for a while" "I don't mind, you can continue looking around" you sign. "No no, I can wait. Here let me go find something soft. I thought I saw some pillows over there-" And that's how you both end up falling asleep in the bookshop, the rain softly pattering on the windows. - Audio: I exist I exist I exist - flatsound
