It's always the bubbles

Image by Braedon McLeod, Unsplash

It's always the bubbles

Yeah Write Weekly Challenge #491

Prompts: A cheese maker with trypophobia; playing a video game.

Zach walks down one aisle of his shop towards the door, past cheddars and goudas. He’s almost at the door when a customer comes in. He returns to the counter. The customer wants 250 grams of Swiss cheese. He plucks the wheel from the cabinet, his energy starting to fade, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. He cuts the portion, shivering slightly, and completes the transaction. The customer leaves. Zach then locks up and walks towards home, eyes alert. The traffic is too heavy for him to cross the road so he must pass the fruit and vegetable shop. The proprietor is cutting a kiwifruit for a customer; the black dots in the flesh make Zach’s skin crawl. In front of him, another customer turns around, holding a custard apple. The bumps on the skin induce sweating and nausea and his health takes a dangerous dip. He turns and runs back to his shop. His health and energy thus increased, he moves towards the door as a customer enters. The customer wants roquefort. Zach returns to the counter. Suffering only minor shuddering and a slight reduction in health, he serves, and then walks out behind, the customer. It is late afternoon. Zach must get home before dark. Expending precious energy, he runs past the greengrocers and confronts a large photo of a loaf of cut sourdough at the bakery. Suffering palpitations, he leaps to the curb. He still has to negotiate the botanical gardens. He enters the gardens and recoils slightly at the dappled shade on the path. He has to hurry. His health is declining. Also, the dark interior of the gardens is sapping his energy. He rounds a path and runs face first into a eucalyptus branch. The leprous bumps on the leaves cause him to panic. And he still has to go through the playground. His speed has slowed down now and he will have to be vigilant where the kids are concerned. Exiting the gardens, he gains some energy from the sunlight but its power is fading. The children are ahead. Most are occupied on the equipment and do not notice him. He tries to quicken his pace. From behind the cubby house a child appears, blowing bubbles. His nausea increasing, Zach tries to rush past her. She follows him. Bubbles of all sizes stream from her wand. He can’t go any faster. She is almost level with him. The irregular sized bubbles take their toll. His health and energy collapse.

“Shit! It’s always the bubbles!” Ben slams the controller down in annoyance.

“Ben, honey. Dinner’s ready.”