Behind the rack of clothes.

After staring at the trash bags for a moment, Jen turned that option down. Even though she could consider it a temporary plan, she didn’t trust that potentially short bit of additional time to think was going to help her think up any better options. She would have far more time behind the clothing rack. Especially if she waited for the clerks to leave.

She understood the timing was crucial. There were at least two people in the store, and getting to that rack was going to momentarily expose her if anyone was looking in her direction.

Well I can guarantee one of them won’t see me while they’re carrying one of these boxes into the store, Jen thought. Three boxes left, if they take the top box like they’ve been doing so far I can stay low enough so they don’t see me, and then I can follow her into the store.

Despite racking her brain Jen couldn’t think of a way to guarantee the other employee wouldn’t be looking in her direction. It was going to be left to chance.

Once she committed to this action her heart started thundering in her chest as she waited. This was the closest she had come to being seen since she had first sprinted into the service corridor from the parking lot. She **** herself to remain patient. It was only a matter of time before another box was taken from the stack.

It felt like an hour passed before she heard the approaching footsteps again. Jen chalked that up to nerves, practically turning minutes into years. She shifted her position behind the two stacked boxes and bent as low to the ground as she could while still keeping one foot planted firmly on the ground so she could get up and move quickly.

A slight rustle of cardboard and she watched as a box disappeared from view. Jen waited a fraction of a second before getting to her feet, staying bent low as she walked around the last of the boxes. She quickly turned past them and faced the employee, a young lady with dark hair. The employee walked into the curtain with the box in front of her and Jen followed, a few steps behind and trying to time her own footsteps with the lady’s in front of her. Jen didn’t think she was making any noise, setting her bare feet on the smooth, cold cement, but any advantage she might find, she was going to take.

The curtain bulged away and then parted around the sides of the box as the woman ahead entered the main grounds of the store. Jen tried to look ahead but couldn’t see much beyond the employee. She kept moving, taking slightly longer strides now, eyes still trying to get a glimpse beyond in the hopes of confirming the other employee was facing away from her.

Jen didn’t get the opportunity to see anything until the employee turned to her right. Straight ahead all Jen could see was more clothing displays, a section of jeans neatly laid out on shelves near the front of the store. She didn’t see any sign of the other employee. But she was committed to this action now. Praying for the best, Jen quickly and silently stepped out of the store room before he curtain swung shut.

Immediately her eyes scanned the room and she spotted the other employee, and older blonde woman, maybe the closing manager. She was facing away and folding shirts onto a table laid in the center of the store. Jen could only see her top half, the sales counter between them obscuring the rest of her vision. Jen’s heart skipped a beat when the lady glanced over her shoulder at the other employee, but just as quickly she turned back around and paid attention to what she was doing.

Jen held her breath to avoid gasping, thinking to herself That’s about the last lucky break you’re getting tonight, I think. I don’t know how she didn’t notice me…

Swiftly making her way ahead and to the left, Jen reached the rack built into the wall. Her instinct was to shove clothes aside and dive in, but the fear of making noise made her take extra caution. Plastic hangers sliding across a steel bar was not going to be silent. She took the time to slide clothes apart carefully until she made a gap of about two feet wide and ducked inside.

Just as she was moving the clothes back in front of her Jen heard the older woman ask “Is that the last box?”

“Two more,” the other employee said.

“I’ll grab one in a minute, just a few more shirts to arrange.”

The top of the alcove kept Jen in a squatting position, and she was starting to feel her thigh muscles getting tired. She was tempted to sit, but she wasn’t sure if anyone could see underneath the hanging shirts. She felt that keeping as little of her visible would lower her chances of being seen.

“The other two go on the shelves in back, I think,” the younger employee said.

“Probably, everything out here is pretty well stocked. That’s likely the extra stock. I’ll check when I go back.”

Jen’s heart rate slowly started to decrease. Their casual conversation confirmed that they had no idea she was hiding in the store. She could see over the clothes if she lifted herself an inch or two, peering out over the pole the hangers rested on. She checked on the two clerks occasionally, but for the most part she kept her head down and just listened.

A vacuum started whirring and Jen poked her head up, seeing the younger employee sweeping it along the floor. As she watched the older employee started heading towards the store room, likely to tend to the last two boxes. Jen lowered her head and returned to waiting, massaging her thighs in the hopes it would ease the increasing muscle ache.

After waiting through five minutes of boxes rustling and the vacuum droning Jen heard the older woman say “actually, Katie, you can take off if you want. There’s not much left and I can wrap it up. I’m supposed to keep an eye on everyone’s hours, you know.”

“Really? It’s like, ten more minutes of work.”

“Well you know corporate, every penny counts.”

The vacuum stopped and Jen heard footsteps before the younger employee spoke again, “okay, no sweat. I got the right half of the store vacuumed, left half is all that’s left. Need me to take the trash to the hall on my way out?”

“Umm… grab the boxes and a bag or two on your way out, whatever you can carry in one trip. Don’t make a second trip, I’ll get the rest before I take off.”

“Easy enough! See you tomorrow.”

“Have a great night!”

As she heard the two women moving about Jen started thinking about the opportunity in front of her. With there being only one person left Jen might be able to sneak out of the store rather than waiting for everyone to leave.

Soon she only heard the sound of the cardboard boxes being moved about. She was pretty sure the other employee had left. Thinking furiously Jen considered her options.

I can probably get out the front door now, she thought, after this place closed there’s bound to be nothing but a skeleton crew left. Hiding out there will be way more difficult but I might be able to put this day behind me that much faster. Otherwise I can wait for the employee to leave the backroom and finish the vacuuming. Might give me a chance to get back to the service corridor though the store room. But if she has to vacuum the side of the store I’m on, she might face in my direction the whole time and I’d be stuck until she left too…