Chapter 3: Burst Pipe

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The next day, Coal placed dots on several items in the store, showing that they were on sale. Once that was done, he walked over to the door to the shop, ready to let the customers in.

"Deep breath..." he told himself, adjusting the red pin on his apron. "Calm as a candle."

Coal opened the doors to the shop, and several customers flowed in.

"Morning! Welcome to The Fireplace." He greeted.

He took a deep breath, before going to help the customers.

He stopped by a woman trying to take a can from the bottom of the stack.

"Woah! They're all the same. Just take one from the top. Happy shopping."

...

Coal stood at the register as a customer dumped a bunch of red dots on the counter.

"So many red dots for sale." He commented.

Coal looked at him like he was crazy.

...

"Are these fragile?" A fire lady asked, dumping a bunch in her basket, some of them breaking.

"No, wait! Aargh!"

...

"You have to pay before you eat." Coal told someone who was about to eat a log.

...

Coal was managing the register when he was being swarmed by customers.

"What's your return policy?"

"Does this come in a large?"

"My dad broke this."

"Deep breath, make connection. Deep breath, make connection." Coal repeated.

It wasn't working. His flames were turning purple and he was on the verge of losing his temper.

He covered his mouth with his hands and ran out from the counter.

"Be back in five minutes!" He called to the customers.

He entered the back of the store and went down a set of stairs to the basement where he let out a loud yell. Flames exploded from his body, setting a few things on fire.

Coal panted, trying to calm himself down, when he heard a strange rattling noise. He turned to a pipe that was in the basement, and saw it shaking.

It suddenly burst, spraying water at Coal's face, extinguishing one of his eyes. He jumped to higher ground as more water poured in the room.

Coal quickly jumped across boxes and used his heat to close up the hole in the pipe, but the floor was already flooded.

"No, no, no. Stupid temper. Not today." Coal muttered as he grabbed some sticks and ate them to regain the rest of his face.

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