(I only came in...) The seasonal aisle was boxed away. One paper pumpkin faced the floor. The ceiling tubes woke ahead of me, one rectangle at a time. I only came in for a mask. (for a mask) At the counter, a cardboard hand offered a blank receipt. The paper kept feeding after the motor stopped. I pulled until it tore. The remaining strip continued toward the floor. I only came in for a mask. (just a mask) (mask...) I pushed the wire basket past foam headstones. Its front wheel turned. The basket stayed beside the same gum mark. I lifted it. The wheel kept turning until I set it down. A plastic bat lifted one wing. The vent ribbon didn't move. A knock came from the display coffin. The far voice answered first. (again) Then the panel knocked again. I only came in for a mask. (for a mask) The register screen woke without a touch. It showed the basket beside the gum mark. Nothing crossed the frame. The camera angle changed. Behind the counter stood a paper woman fastened to a rotating base. The second voice whispered. (turn) The base began to turn. Her printed mouth opened with mine. I stopped speaking. The mouth finished the sentence. (finished it) I watched again. The basket was gone. The gum mark remained. (came in... came in...) I remembered choosing the mask. The elastic was folded inside. A white label was sewn along its edge. I remembered paying. I remembered the bag. But I couldn't remember what the mask looked like. I only came in... I only came in... (for a mask) I looked down. The orange carpet was printed below my shoes. The counter was painted behind my shoulder. A gray cable entered the board at my neck. Each sentence came through a grille in my chest. I only came on for the aisle. (for the aisle) When the current weakened, the picture bent at its fold. I remembered arriving. I had never moved. A cardboard tab held my feet against the painted carpet. The basket was part of the display. So was the counter. So was the hand with the receipt. I had been watching the only thing that wasn't printed. The screen. (the screen...) The register changed its camera angle. The paper woman faced forward. Her mouth was closed. Mine was open. A sentence came through the grille. I heard it before I said it. I only came in for a mask. (for a mask) The elastic was folded inside. The label was sewn along its edge. There was no mask. There had never been a mask. (only came in...) The ceiling tubes went out behind me, one rectangle at a time. From inside the wall, my first sentence waited for power. I only came in for a mask. (in for a mask) (I only came in...)
