Supermarket Streak

Clara instinctively backed away from the sight of her students coming through the door, until a moment later she felt something very cold press against her rear. She stuffed a hand into her mouth to suppress a yelp, before looking over her shoulder and realising she had backed against a freezer cabinet. If only she were on some sort of alien spaceship, she thought to herself, then she'd definitely find a secret passageway or something.

Her priority, she decided, had to be finding something to wear, or at least cover herself with. But this was only a small supermarket, four short aisles and only selling food, not clothes. They had a small display of flowers near the tills, she wondered if maybe she could find a large plant to cover herself with. There was also a rack of umbrellas, but unfortunately no raincoats.

"Did you see Miss Oswald?" Clara jumped and turned in horror towards the sound of the voice.

"No, not since she left class this morning." A second voice replied. Clara realised the students were almost right next to her, approaching fast. While she had been looking in vain for clothing, they had been heading towards the back of the shop. She checked the next aisle to her- pet food and cleaning products, the least likely one for her pupils to want to go down, and currently empty. She tiptoed into the aisle.

"Where do you reckon she disappears to?" The first student said.

"I dunno, but my mum's going to put in a complaint if she keeps skipping out halfway through lessons. You know Miss Edwards' class have already finished Pride and Prejudice?"

"What do you think, Sue?"

There was a pause, and Clara had a horrible feeling she had been spotted. She looked up and down her aisle, still no one there. But she could hear the students repeating their friend's name as if Sue were distracted by something, like a nude teacher...

Clara glanced up, and that's when she saw a curved mirror mounted on the ceiling, which showed her both her own naked body, and Sue staring slackjawed at the reflection.

"Hey, what's up?" The first pupil asked.

"It's Miss O." Sue replied, finally looking at her friends, "I just saw her in the mirror."

"What?"

"Come on." Sue grinned broadly and led the way into the pet food aisle. It was empty. "She was right here."

"What would she be doing in here?"

"Hiding."

"What?"

"She's got no clothes on."

"What?!"

Sue led her friends down the aisle. At the end she paused, then turned to a newspaper and magazine rack.

Clara was leaning nonchalantly against the side of the rack, a large newspaper opened out in front of her that she appeared to be casually reading.

"Oh, hello Sue, Tamara, Petra." Clara greeted them, trying to sound casual despite her red face.

"What are you doing here, Miss?"

"Me? Just catching up on the... Financial Times. What are you three doing?"

"It's lunch break."

"Oh, so it is. But you'd better be getting back soon, hadn't you?"

"Want to walk us back, Miss?" Sue smiled.

"Oh, I would, but I need to stop somewhere first." Clara replied.

"We don't mind waiting." Sue stepped closer, almost close enough to see over the top of Clara's newspaper, until the teacher pulled it protectively back towards her body.

"You'd get really bored, best you head back and I'll see you there."

"With clothes on?"

"Of... Of course with clothes on." Clara chuckled lamely, "what sort of... Er, what sort of question is that?"

"I don't think you've got any on now."

"What?"

"I saw you in the mirror, Miss. You're naked."

"I am not!"

"Then why are you holding that big newspaper?"

"I like to read it."

"If you're not naked, you won't mind us taking a look."

"I... That is... I think... Isn't it time you three got back to school?"

"Nope, still got half an hour left. And I don't think it'll take that long for you to finish the page you're on."

"It might, it's a very complicated newspaper."

"Excuse me, miss." This was a new voice. Clara turned to see the cashier standing next to her, "You can't stand here reading the paper, please either buy it or put it back."