The Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings - Lot 029 : Attention Shoppers

Episode Date: February 2, 2024

A trip to a big box store becomes a checkout line to terror.Attention Shoppers : Please Hide At The Back Of The StoreWritten by Blair DanielsNarrated by Allison CossittStarring Conan Freeman as The VoiceJade Shand as JacksonTrevor Shand as DanielLauren Shand as The WomanStephen Knowles as The Manhttps://www.reddit.com/r/blairdaniels/comments/11wa4pd/attention_shoppers_please_hide_at_the_back_of_the/Featuring Stephen Knowles as The Antique DealerTheme music by The Newton BrothersAdditional music by:CO.AG ([e-mail])The Abandoned // The Beast by Vivek AbhishekSUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/3qumnPHFollow on Facebook : https://bit.ly/33RWRtPFollow on Instagram : https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I know those familiar footsteps. Ha ha. Always nice to see you here, friend. Did you know that I see you here at the shop more than any of my other clients? In fact, today, I believe you just set an all-new record. And you know what they say? Every achievement deserves a reward. Wouldn't you know it?

I have something I set aside just for you. Just for this very occasion. Here you go. A stuffed toy rabbit. Go ahead. Give it a squeeze. Ha ha ha, ha. Look at that.

I think he likes you. Never mind the unsettling visage. I am sure he means well. Curious? Why don't you head to the checkout counter for this door-crashers special called Attention. shoppers. Before we begin, I want to point out some of the customers whose names have been etched in brass on this beautiful plaque I had made above the front desk. These are some of the

members of the inner circle of the antiquarium. We go by the Obsidian Covenant. Recent initiates include Alec S. Kenneth Bronze. Terra Castor Sanna. Wendy Daniel the Manial Nobellium Morning Star Justin Wine Nick Blessed and Stacey Thuiss

We are ever appreciative of your devotion to The Order Go to The Obsidian Covenant.com to receive the sacrament Now where were we Oh yes

Welcome to the Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings and Odd Goings On. Shoppers, please move to the back of the store immediately. I whispered to Daniel, don't they mean the front of the store? To pay for our stuff? It was 8.50 p.m. 10 minutes still closing time. We brought our two kids out on this late-night Walmart excursion in the hopes of burning off some energy. Instead, they just threw tantrums for new Legos and hot. wheels. It was a disaster, but apparently the disaster was just beginning.

Move to the back of the store immediately. This is not a drill. Glanced around, but the other shoppers were just as confused as I was, and an old lady looked up at the ceiling, scrunching her face. What the hell? A dark-haired woman asked her boyfriend, pushing a cart full of garden supplies. Did you hear? An older man said, leaning over his cart of bottled water and canned food. We're in a tornado watch. One touchdown in Sowerville. A tornado? It was definitely storming outside.

I'd seen the black clouds roll in from the east earlier, but it didn't look that bad. Do not stay out in the open. I repeat, do not stay out in the open. There was a pause. And then an explosion of sound as everyone began to mobilize. Carts rolling, panicked voices, feet slapping on the floor. No, no, no, no, no, this can't be happening. I hurried down the toy aisle, Tucker in my arms, and Daniel and Jackson following me.

Three zigzaggy turns, and then we were in the electronics area. I glanced at the TVs on the wall and pictured the four of us crushed underneath them. Stay away from windows and doors, and do not attempt to exit the store. Is this, is it safe here? Hold on, I'm trying to think. Big open areas are not good. I'm going to go checking back. See if there's a break room or something.

You used to hear with the kids. I'll be right back. I nodded. Arms shaking. I sat down on the ground between two shelves of video games. Tucker sucked on a bottle in my arms while Jackson began to giggle. Is a tornado going to hit the store? And everything will fly around real fast?

He asked with a big stupid grin on his face. I don't know. A tornado. a real-life tornado like you see in the movies, plowing through our town. It was so unfathomable. I mean, we were New York natives, transplanted here to Indiana only six months ago.

I'd never been in a tornado watching my entire life. Daniel jogged back into view. All right, everything's locked up. He's sad as he joined me on the floor. But listen, Fairview's a big town. The chances that'll hit this Walmart, I think we'll be okay.

I should never have brought us here. You didn't know. All right, none of us did. He wrapped his arms around me. They should have warned us. Like an emergency alert on our phones or a tornado siren or something. It's going to be fine. The voiceover had rang out again through the store.

Do not stay out in the open. Do not make yourself visible. That includes security cameras. Please move to a spot that is not visible to any cameras. What does that have? have to do with tornadoes. A feeling of unease.

In the pit of my stomach. I glanced up and I saw several black globes descending from the ceiling, hiding the cameras within. I guess we should listen to them and get out of sight. I grabbed Jackson's hand. Daniel picked up

Tucker and we jogged out into the center aisle. The store was an eerie sight. Abandon shopping carts and skew in the aisle full of everything from pies to batteries to plants. Footsteps echoed around the store from people unseen as they found their new hiding places. We dodged a shopping cart full of soda, ran through kitchen wares, and then stopped in the Easter decoration aisle. There was a camera in the central corridor, but as long as we stayed in the middle of the Easter aisle, we'd be invisible.

Four of us crouched on the floor next to some demented-looking Easter bunnies. I had a bag of colorful chocolate eggs, and I ripped it. opened. Here, candy, happy? I whispered, thrusting it into his hands. Then I leaped back against the metal shelves, panting. But I didn't have long to rest because a mechanical whine overhead and then the voice came through the speakers again. Away from aisles with food. If you have food with you, leave it and move to a new high hiding place. If you have any open wounds, cover them with clothing. That had nothing to do with keeping safe in a tornado.

We should make a run for it. Daniel whispered to me, starting to stand. But the tornado... That's the thing. Something is a tornado. Listen. Do you hear any wind, even? I listened. I heard it was silence.

Howling wind, no shaking ground, no projectiles clanging against the metal roof. Maybe... Maybe it's still coming? I know what they're saying doesn't make sense, but to go outside. We need... He grabbed Jackson's...

hand as he held Tucker in his arms. Daniel! But the next words from the intercom changed my mind. And place your hands on your head. Close your eyes and do not open them for any reason. Let's go.

I am so truly sorry for the intrusion. I'm just going to run to the back and grab a mop and catch up with you in a minute or two. Clean up in aisle 13. What a mess that was indeed. Let's jump back in and Soak up the rest of this story.

Shall we? Let's go. We broke into a sprint and ran down the central aisle. Cameras be damned. The front door appeared in front of us, a little black rectangle looming in the distance. As we got closer, I saw Daniel was right. There was a tree at the border of the parking lot under a street lamp, and it was perfectly still. We continued running, past the clothing area, past the snacks lined up at the checkout lines.

I ran towards the sliding glass doors as fast as my legs would carry me. Almost there. Almost there. Almost there. Almost. First didn't open. No. No, no, no.

Daniel slammed his body against the door. It rattled underneath him. I tried to squeeze my fingers into the gap between them to try and pull them apart. But they didn't budge. They locked us in. I want to go home. Tucker was beginning to fuss, too, making little. noises like he was about to start full on wailing. I turned around, and that's when I saw him.

A Walmart employee, he was sitting on the ground at the end of one of the checkout aisles facing away from us, wearing the familiar blue vest with a golden starburst. Hey, let us out! He didn't reply. Did you hear me? I don't care if there's a fucking tornado. Unlock the door and let us out! Again, he said nothing. But in the silence, I could hear something. A wet, the smacking sound. I stared at the man slightly hunched over, so facing away from me.

Was he eating something? The speaker overhead crackled to life. Attention. Please do not talk to any Walmart employees. My blood ran cold. The smacking sound stopped, and then... Slowly, the man began to stand. He placed his palms on the conveyor belt and pushed off.

And I could see that they were stained with blood. I backed away, but my legs felt like they were moving through a vat of honey. No, no, no, no. Fingers locked her on my arm and yanked. Okay, come on! I sprinted after him deeper into the store. Tucker stared at me over his shoulder, and Jackson ran as fast as his little feet would be.

take him. I was vaguely aware of the slap, slap, slap sound behind me, but I didn't dare look back. Daniel ran into the clothing area and I swayed, dodging circular racks of t-shirts and wooden displays of baby clothes. He skidded to his stop and ducked into the dressing room area. Get here! He whispered, motioning at one of the rooms. We piled inside and locked the door. You listen to me very carefully. You have to be absolutely silent. Do not say a word, okay? Jackson looked at me, then Daniel, then he nodded and sat down on the floor. I'm going to try and call 911.

Daniel whispered, transferring Tucker to me and pulling out his phone, he tapped the screen. Then frowned. What? We don't. I grabbed Jackson and pulled him away from the door. The four of us huddled in the corner. I held my breath. Under the gap of the dressing room door.

men's feet in black shoes they slowly took a step forward deeper into the dressing room holding Jackson make a sound let out a soft cry turn pointing at us no no no no no no no no no

Tucker let out another cry louder this time my nails dug into Daniel's hand no A hand appeared. It slowly pressed against the floor, stained with blood. And then his knees appeared as he lowered himself down to the gap.

They fit under? The gap wasn't small. It was like the stall door to a bathroom if he flattened himself against the floor. There's a chance he could fit under. I watched in horror as his stomach came into view. His blue Walmart vest is he left. lowered his body to the floor, then he pushed his arm under the gap and blindly swept it across the

floor as a feeling for us. This is it. We're going to die. And then, and then he lowered his head. His face was something horribly wrong with his face. He, he smiled up at us with a smile that was impossibly wide, Showing off blood, stirred teeth. His skin was so pale, it was nearly blue, and his eyes, they were milky white

without pupils or irises. I opened my mouth to scream. Attention shoppers. No, no, no! Please make your way to the front of the store and make your final purchases. We will be closing in ten minutes.

What? And then, before I could react, something unseen jerked man out of you. A strange dragging sound followed as if someone was dragging his body out of the dressing room area. I stared at the door, shaking as Tucker's cries ring in my ears. But he didn't come back. And within ten minutes, the usual hubbub of Walmart returned, voices, footsteps, shopping cartwheels rolling across the floor. Shaking, I... I finally got up and unlocked the door.

The store looked completely normal. People were lined up at the cash registers, placing their goods on the conveyor belts, employees were scanning tags, printing receipts. People walked towards the glass doors, and when they did, they slid open. As we slowly walked towards the exit, I spotted the older man who warned us about the tornado earlier.

What was that? I asked. able to keep my voice from shaking. He shrugged. I guess the tornado missed us. What a miracle, huh? Giving us a smile, he disappeared out the glass doors and into the night. Thank you for your patronage.

Hope you enjoyed your new relic as much as I've enjoyed passing along its sordid history. It does come with our usual warning, however. Absolutely no refunds, no exchanges. and we won't be held liable for anything that may or may not occur while the object is in your possession. If you've got an artifact with mysterious properties, perhaps it's accompanied by a history of bizarre and disturbing circumstances. Maybe you'd be interested in dropping it and its story by the shop to share with other customers. Please reach out to Antiquarium Shop. At gmail.com.

A member of our team will be in touch. Till next time, we'll be waiting for you whenever you close your eyes. In the space between sleep and dream. During regular business hours, of course, or by appointment, our best customer. The Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings. Lod Zero to Nine, attention shoppers. Written by Blair Daniels, narrated by Alison Cossett, starring Conan Freeman as the voice.

Jade Shand as Jackson. Trevor Shand as Daniel. Lauren Shand as the woman. Stephen Knowles as the man. Featuring Stephen Knowles as the antique dealer. Engineering production and sound design by Trevor Shand. Theme music by the Newton Brothers. Additional music by Vivek Abashek and Coag

The Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings is created and curated by Trevor and Lauren Shan. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at Antiquarium Pod. Call the Antiquarium at 646-481-717.