I'd just started at the sports shop, my first job since getting back from a year of travelling. It wasn't one of those chain stores on the high street; this place had character, tucked away off a quieter street. Geoff, the owner, was chilled, older. He'd been a professional footballer back in the day and let us wear whatever team shirt we wanted, giving us a huge discount on kit. It felt more like a clubhouse than a shop.
Thursday nights were late closing, and usually dead quiet. That night, around half seven, he walked in.
Older guy. Rugged. Confident. The kind of build you could tell used to be athletic, still carried the shape of it in his shoulders and chest. Salt-and-pepper beard. Fitted jeans. Eyes that locked with mine just a moment longer than casual.
"Hey," he said, "heard you've got the new Man U kits in."
I nodded. "Only just came in this morning. We haven't even hung them up yet."
"You got XL? Maybe XXL?" he asked, voice low, a bit rough around the edges.
"I'll grab both," I said, already turning toward the back. "You can try 'em on, see what fits best." He gave me a slow, deliberate smile. "Sounds perfect."
I grabbed both sizes and led him to the changing area, pointing him to the last cubicle at the end of the corridor. He thanked me, disappearing behind the curtain.
A few minutes passed. Then five.
I wandered back to check on him. As I neared the end of the hallway, I noticed the curtain wasn't pulled all the way shut. There was just enough of a gap.
And what I saw made me freeze.