Our receipt machine at Spendless supermarket is a complete joke, like, it won't stop misbehaving. And the funniest and most amazing part is that it acts differently based on who's on shift.
Like, I'm sure it's possessed, and we won't stop making fun of it. There are times you find it printing out the same receipt twice; sometimes it brings out receipts with nothing written on them, and other times you see it dragging out long paper receipts as if... it's tiring.
So, I've been working there for some weeks, and I just got posted to the accounting department. I am now a cashier and was to take the evening shifts. So, I'd hear about the happenings in the cashier stand and all.
My shift started on a weekend, and I can't wait to see what the receipts for that evening will be like. The first woman who wanted to get something came; she paid in cash. Another person came; she did the same, and that was how it kept happening. I almost thought no one would make a transfer or pay with their ATM. Because at the supermarket where I work, we only print receipts for those that transfer or pay with their ATM; those that pay in cash are usually directed to somewhere else to collect a written receipt.
Then this woman came when I thought I wouldn't see the magic; she bought milk, custard, and cheese balls. Then she paid with her ATM; immediately her receipt came out. It was the normal size, it was well written, not faded, and it was all good. I was about to hand her the receipt when I noticed a caption written at the bottom part of it. It reads, "Go home now."
"I don't get..." I said to myself.
"What is the matter?" The woman asked.
"Oh, sorry, ma. There's an issue with the machine, I think. Do you really need the receipt?" I asked.
"Nah, it's alright; it's just for a friend I'm visiting." She replied, smiled, and walked away.
About an hour later, we heard that a house caught fire a few minutes walk from our supermarket. Later I got to know it was that same house the woman who came to get milk and custard was staying in...
Immediately, I remembered, "Go home now" and this woman had gone to a friend's place. I almost overthink it, but then I brushed it off and concluded it was just a coincidence.
Until Monday, which happens to be my next working day, I was on a permanent night/evening shift, and I'm happy since it allows me to do another job during the day.
The first customer that came by happened to be an elderly man. Maybe around his 80s, he looked so weak and tired. Obviously, he's going through a lot, and I can't help but wonder how such an old man will be running errands on his own...
He bought a few things and paid with his ATM. The receipt came out normally as well. I looked at it as if looking for something, and then I saw it at the top: the space that was supposed to contain the name of our supermarket has something else written there...
"Answer any unknown number."
I looked at him, he looked at me, then I handed him the receipt, and he went his way.
On my way home that night, I saw the man looking happy. I didn't even know he was the one staying at that particular house. It always looks as if nobody lives there. I just walked past, and then I overheard how some of his neighbors were discussing that his son, who traveled years ago, just called him today to check in on him and beg him, and he told him he's traveling over the following day to take him abroad.
This is not funny anymore, I thought to myself. I can't even say or describe how I was feeling—more like I'm scared.
I wished I could stop working at the supermarket because every customer's receipt carries something...a message. To an extent, I was the one asking and begging customers to pay in cash. Because receipts...huhm.
"Don't eat today."
"Apologize to him."
"Don't go out."
"Check your son's bag."
Do this, do that,... and a lot more were the various inscriptions on the receipts. And while some noticed it and laughed it off, some paid attention to it, and some didn't even check before trashing it. But then, before the end of the day, something always happened that was connected to the inscriptions on each receipt. And I couldn't even tell anybody.
One evening, there was a heavy rainfall, and we were already preparing to calculate and balance the day's sales when this young man rushed in. He grabbed a bottle of energy drinks, two biscuits, and two noodles.
He came over to my stand and handed me his ATM. I was rushing because I wanted to finish up my calculations on time and find my way home. Immediately his receipts came out, and I was about to hand them to him together with his ATM card when I saw something....
It read, "wait."
I didn't fully understand, but I withdrew my hands.
"I'm in haste. Please." The young man said.
I was just staring at him, couldn't say anything.
"At least give me my ATM card; I don't need the receipt." He added when I didn't respond.
"Can I delay you a little bit." I managed to say.
"Why?" He asked.
"Nothing much, just wait a little." I said.
*"I just told you I'm in haste," he said, sounding angry and irritated.
Without thinking twice, I held his hand down over the counter, and for a few seconds we just stared at each other. I didn't know what I was actually doing, and I'm sure he was also surprised at my action.
Suddenly, we heard a loud and deafening sound outside. People were shouting and screaming, and we all ran to the entrance of the supermarket gate.
Immediately we stepped outside the door, we knew what happened wasn't small at all. A petrol tanker had lost control and had run into other vehicles, and that was how the accident happened. Smoke and fire filled everywhere. The whole road was a mess...
The young man I had held down was right next to me. He looked at the scene of the accident, scanned the whole road, and directed his gaze back at me.
"You saw this before...?" he asked with his lips trembling.
I couldn't even answer; I was just shaking all over. I quickly rushed back in to make a phone call to the fire service station. Immediately after I hung up the call, the receipt machine made a sound and printed a slip out by itself. That was really unlike it.
I went near, picked it up, and guess who this new message is for... Me.
"It will be your turn soon."
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Images are AI generated.
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