There only seemed to be two employees in the shop, Jared (in Dana’s body) and the slightly older woman, in classic Goth attire, whom Jared quickly found out was the boss. Jared felt a bit awkward not knowing the woman’s name and bluffed her way through the first half hour before some parcels were delivered, addressed to “Ms Star Astrid” she guessed that this woman was “Star”. As there were no customers in the shop Jared was given the task of unpacking the new boxes. They contained various Goth styled clothes.
The shop was very quiet with only two customers coming in the first hour. One was just browsing and didn’t want help which was fine with Jaspar. The second girl, apparently knew Dana and wanted to see “The new patterned fishnets you were telling me about”. Of course, Jared had no idea what this girl was talking about.
Luckily Star must have been listening, as she took charge. “Hi Becky, Dana’s a bit out of it today. I’m guessing she had a big weekend. The items you’re looking for are over here” Becky ended up buying 3 different styled pairs of black fishnet stockings. When Becky had gone, Star addressed the girl she thought was Dana “You do seem out of it today Dana. Is something wrong? You didn’t even dress up today”
“Ah… Nothing… Just a busy weekend I suppose” Jared didn’t know what Star meant about dressing up. She had worn a tight black skirt and blouse, the sort of outfit Dana was usually seen in. What was wrong with the way she was dressed?
“You could do with a pair of these stockings yourself” Star passed Jared a pair of the fishnets. “Do your make-up while you are at it. You know I like you going the full goth. In one of those parcels there should be some new colours from ‘Alternative Lights’ Why don’t you try them out?”
Jared had seen the box Star was talking about, but she knew she had no chance of doing the sort of make-up job the real Dana could do on herself. She had to think up an excuse. “My hands are a bit shaky for some reason today. Maybe you could give me a makeover? Do whatever you like”
“I hope you didn’t over indulge in illegal drugs again Dana? You should know better” Star scolded her. The after a moments thought “I suppose the shop is pretty quite. Take a seat near the counter and I’ll work on you. I saw a picture in Devolution that was pretty inspiring”
Jared took a seat where Star had indicated and tried to stay still as Star painted her face. She started out by covering Jared’s face in a white cream. Then used purple and black make-up around Jared’s eyes. It took a lot longer than Jared expected, especially as Star was twice interrupted by customers. She also did not have a mirror so could not see what Star was doing. Star seemed impressed by her own work. “Looking good even if I say so myself” She then finished off Jared’s look by applying shiny purple lipstick to Jared.
“Are you finished? Can I have a look?”
“Not yet. I want to accessorise” Jared found long dangly earrings put into her pierced ears, then a silver collar taken from the window was put around her neck as a choker. The woman also did something to Jared’s hair tying it into pigtails of some sort. “That looks better” she finally said.
Jared was finally directed to head to the back room and “See what you think and put on the fishnets while you are in there”
She found a mirror and saw the goth girl in the reflection. She now had what appeared to be spider webs for her eye lashes. The effect was pretty dramatic. It was even more extreme Goth than Dana’s usual look.
When she returned to the front of the shop, now wearing fishnets (with crosses on them), Star had another piece of material in her hands. “Take off that shirt and put this top on. I think it will look great with your skirt and make-up”
Jared returned to the back room and worked out how to put on the long-sleeved lace top that Star had given her. It did complete the look. She now looked as if she had come straight from a Goth nightclub.
No sooner had Jared returned to the shop that they got busy. It seemed they were getting a lunchtime crowd. For the next two hours Jared was busy with customers. Amongst other items she sold plenty of the new stockings she was modelling and 4 tops from the same collection she was wearing. All the customers were admiring her look and asking how to get it.
It was 2pm by the time Jared was able to walk to a nearby McDonalds and buy herself lunch. The customers at McDonalds fell off their chairs as she walked in.
When she returned with her takeaway meal, intending to eat it in the back room. She stopped in her tracks. A new customer had walked into the shop. Someone she knew very well.