Flash Fiction Series - A Maniacal Morning

It was a baby blue dress shirt and dark casual jeans.

It was a long sleeved gold maxi dress with floral printed shawl.

It was coffee, it will all forever come down to plain ol' cup of jo. With extra sugar.

* * *

"Why does everything must be so hard!"

Suddenly, the girl in front of the counter shout out hysterically and pull out a knife. The poor barista looked like the living daylight has been sucked off him. For heaven's sake, they were out of soy milk in his shift and now a girl going berserk for not having her dairy free coffee. 

"Why don't everything goes to plan?"

She starts to wail and keep the knife aimed to the barista, staring shots into his eyes, begging for an answer he cannot give. I bet he will learn to be so damn quiet from now contradicting to his chirpy attitude asking nonsense as he usually does when I'm getting my caffeine fixed for the day. Who on earth speaks to a person who isn't well caffeinated? How barbaric! 

Well, on the other hand, rather strategically, people start to clear out of the cafe though I can see some start to record the scene from the safety of the glass panel. #typical. I wonder if the mall security has been called in.

She is just there in front of me but she seems fixed enough to the barista. I was going to make a run for it until the girl gets shocked from a camera flash and then quickly turn to her back - to me, with the freaking knife still aimed straight. 

Mental note: if I ever got out alive, killed that bastard who uses a flashlight in a well-lit surrounding.

I forgot to breathe and life seems so fragile. The knife is silvery shine and her hands are shaking so hard. Her dead shots are now well meant for me and now I am thinking the answer for the vague questions asked. 

Why ever things can go on like how we wanted it?

Something at me must have triggered her as her eyes turn dark and her expression seems utterly defeated. Like life meant less than nothing. 

"How cheerful you look. Gold dress and flowery shawl, life must be perfect for you isn't it?"

My lips locked but my eyes still trained on her. I didn't notice it before but apparently under her oversized sweatshirt were a pair of hospital gown and I'd recognise that putrid colour a thousand miles far. It was a specific hospital gown near here made especially to distinguish patient in the psychiatric ward. The ward have two separate doors, bolted, with freaking guards! How the heck that she escaped?

I looked over the outfit I chose for today, I didn't really realise the vibes it was sending. It was some routinE match that I always do.

That dress with that shawl. 

"No life is perfect. No one is perfect"

The girl stilled for a while shocked to hear an answer from me. 

"Oh pray tell, did your cat died? or your morning milk has gone bad?" answered the girl mockingly.

"My dad passed away last week, I realise that after all these years I started to hate my lifelong dream and now I am feeling so guilty because for wanting to get out of my life long career though my drive was to help you"
"What do you mean help me?! Why does everyone think they are qualified to help me!!??"
"I'm a pharmacist at the hospital you were admitted, specifically the ward you were admitted," I said as I gestured to her hospital gown.

That statement is shocking enough as she suddenly drops her knife and in a swift movement a baby blue dress shirt cross into my vision and the girl is hugged from behind with dark jeans kicking the knife into the far left of the cafe. A second later the mall's security comes in and she was handcuffed while I still stand there undisturbed. Utterly shocked.

"Hey pharmacist, hello??" a rough voice was heard and I notice a hand waved in front of me. 

"What pharmacist? Where's that girl? Who are you?" I said as I wake up from my trance.

"Take a breath" how can a rough voice sound so soothing right now?

I took few deep breaths and the memories pieces together. Come to think of it, that girl does look familiar. I was working in automatic for far too long. I tilt my head up to see the tall figure who just saved my life and turn to the side to watch the girl who has also saved my life in a way. 

I'll get back to you

"You've saved my life. I need to buy you a drink"

"Oh no, it's okay, the cafe already making free cups for us. I think it was something plain with extra sugar for you"

There was another barista making the drink and life seems to continue undisturbed.

"But there is one thing though"

"What?"

"You see, I'm a pharmacist too. I'm supposed to start my work today, mind showing me the way?"