There was a coup d'état at Discount Land — the clerks threw off their retail slaves' shackles and impaled the store manager on the lightup bargain pole.

Blood filling the boots of fleeing customers, the police were called but semi trucks rigged with high explosives and Chinese plastic-filled plush stuffed penguins and elephants had been wheeled into the parking lot to block all entrances.

Jimmy the Groper they put out front, in charge of the detonation buttons — smart money was on him tripping it all off anyway, even if the negotiation process worked out — he always looked like he'd blow something up. Nightmare Rosie took charge inside, burning everyone’s blue Discount Land vest in a bonfire under the "Toilet Paper" sign on aisle 12.

More Poetry