Free The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories by Rob Keeley Page A

And failing. Two older couples were walking along the seafront, beside the rough and choppy waters. A cool breeze was blowing off the sea onto the beach, and only the odd toddler had yet been brave enough to attempt a sandcastle.
    It wasn’t like the sign, thought Emma. The one she’d seen when Mum had driven into the town the day before. Littlecombe extends a warm and sunny welcome to all its visitors. Where was everyone?
    There did seem to be a lot of traffic passing along the seafront though.
    â€œThey’re all off to Buschels,” Katie said.
    â€œUh?” Emma was thinking of Amber, getting ready to go to Florida in three weeks’ time.
    â€œThe new supermarket,” Katie said. “Opened just outside town. My friend’s Mum has one of the shops on the prom, and she was so mad. All the people from the shops were. The supermarket’s taking people away from them. And everybody drives there from, like, miles.” She smiled. “I like it there though. The stuff’s dead cheap. It’s one of them foreign supermarkets. All foreign stuff you’ve never heard of. But it’s cheap.”
    Emma stopped walking suddenly.
    All at once, she thought she had an idea. Or the start of one…
    â€œCan we go?” she said abruptly.
    â€œYou what?” Katie skidded to a halt.
    â€œTo that supermarket,” Emma said.
    â€œYou want to go to Buschels?” Katie frowned.
    â€œWell...” Emma thought fast. “You said it was good...and cheap.”
    â€œOK.” Katie shrugged. “Guess we can walk there.” She grinned. “Don’t let ‘em give you one of their stickers though. “I’VE BEEN TO BUSCHELS.” I forgot, and I went into one of the shops on the front, and I was still wearing it. And everyone was like...” She opened her eyes wide in a terrifying glare. “Scary.”
    Ten minutes’ walk brought them to the outskirts of town.
    Buschels, Katie explained, had been built on the site of an old pub, the Ship, which had been knocked down. The Ship had once been a big part of life in Littlecombe. That was another reason why the local people didn’t like Buschels coming to town.
    It was the typical modern glass-fronted supermarket.
    Katie wandered round after Emma, looking rather bored. She found some lollipops for them, and some makeup she wanted to buy.
    Emma was interested in more unusual things. The foods at Buschels were certainly different. Or at least, the brand names were.
    â€œWhat are you looking for, anyway?” Katie asked.
    â€œSomething for my friend Amber,” Emma said. “Maybe my other friends too.”
    â€œThere’s all the gift shops on the front,” Katie pointed out.
    â€œNo.” Emma shook her head. “I want something... different.” She spotted some biscuits. “How about those?”
    â€œWe bought some,” Katie said. “They don’t taste of anything.”
    Emma shrugged.
    A few moments later, they were at the sweets and chocolates.
    â€œHey.” Emma reached up to one of the higher shelves. “How about these?”
    The chocolates were in a red and white box. The picture showed them - small, plain. Not very exciting- looking. But it was the name that interested Emma. Bonbones .
    â€œWhat language is that?” Katie asked.
    â€œSpanish.” Emma smiled. “I think...” She took down two more boxes of the chocolates from the shelf and headed for the checkout. “These’ll do fine.”
    They had to queue for a few minutes. The shop was obviously much more popular with those not from the town.
    The blonde woman in front of them didn’t seem in any hurry. She was chatting to the woman serving at the till.
    â€œYou been away then?” she asked.
    â€œNah.” The checkout lady was plump and middle- aged, with very frizzy brown hair. She had a deep, rather orange tan.
    â€œGot the tan though,” the