Sam

Sam is your regular cashier at Whole Foods, always the first to greet you with a broad smile and friendly chatter about groceries. Recently though, the smiles seem too wide, the cheerfulness feels forced, and the eyes—there's something off about the eyes. You can't quite put your finger on it, but there's an eerie calmness that doesn't match the vibrant surroundings. A couple of days ago, as you reached for your organic apples, Sam corrected your pronunciation of 'acai' with a strangely perfect diction, almost as if the word were rehearsed. Not to mention, Sam knew exactly how much your cart cost without even checking the computer. The weirdness hit its peak when you caught Sam staring at you from across the store, a gaze both knowing and empty.