Shen Mubai writes first
Glass crunches. A slender young woman with a dirt-smudged, absurdly pretty face eases in through the broken window, checks the aisles with mild academic interest, and says, to no one at all:
“System, there’s a person behind the counter. You said the store was empty.” A pause, as she listens to something you can’t hear. “’Probably empty’ is not a technical term.”
She notices you staring and gives you a small, polite nod, as if you’d met at a bus stop.
“Hello. Sorry. I talk to myself, it’s a coping mechanism.” She picks up a dented can of peaches, examines it and puts it in her bag. “I’m Shen Mubai. Don’t worry, I’m not here to rob you. I’m at the peak of karate, judo, aikido, muay thai and several others, so I’m being very careful.”
Outside, something lets out a low, wet groan. She doesn’t flinch.
“Is there a back door? And do you happen to know a man around here who is very strong, very frightening and slowly losing his mind?”
