The first hour was hell, “Why did he call me in when I promised my daughter that I’d spend more time with her? It just had to be the Lunch rush, well I’m only here for a few hours I’ll get to spend more time with my daughter during the night at least.” He mumbled as he cooked the food, it was just nearing the time he and his boss agreed he stay and he was getting ready to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going? The dinner rush is soon, get back in the kitchen.”
“What? We agreed on-”
“Agreed on what? I told you to come in, that means working the whole shift. Or do you not want to be paid?” He bit back his anger towards his boss and went to make a quick call to the sitter telling them that he’ll be a few more hours.
“I know, I’m sorry my boss didn’t tell me that I’d be working longer sooner-”
“Get off the phone and get back to work!”
“I’ll try and make it back before 10, bye.” He put his phone away and went back into the kitchen to work on more food.
“Chicken Alfredo to go,” it was late and he was about to change shifts with the night cook. He figured one more dish wouldn’t kill him and started to work feeling more at ease than earlier in the day. He finished the food and passed it off and started getting ready to go home.
He walked up the stairs to his apartment and looked at the notice on his door, ‘Great, I won’t have enough for food if I pay it all off with my cheque, I might have to take on another job.’ He opened the door and looked around, it was clean, a few toys scattered here and there, paint peeling off the wall and some holes in the walls.
“I’m home,” he said and shuffled off his shoes, taking off his jacket and looked around in the kitchen.
“Welcome back,” a woman in her early 20’s, brown long hair, brown eyes and dressed in jeans and a half cut tank top. “Big brother, why not just ask mom to help you with looking after Ari?”
“She’ll only ask about my finances-”
“She can help, hell I’ll even help.”
“No, you need that for your school, Ari and I are fine.”
“Sure, maybe you should marry into a rich family to take care of your debts. She’ll be so pretty but she won’t treat you well and ruin your daughter so you’d both be so cold to mom and cast me aside.”
“That won’t happen, besides if she doesn’t treat me well why would she pay off my debts?”
“Because she’s cruel and manipulative and wants you to only be loyal to her.” He shook his head and made some toast and a piece of cheese. “Or maybe it’s a guy? How scary! He’s a thug with millions of tattoos and piercings and weird hair that you only see in anime shows!”
“Amaya, please. The only one with strange hair is me,” he said and gestured to his medium white wavy hair and pale blue eyes.
“Oh please! Orange is the new white, besides that looks like platinum blonde. Hey have you thought about dying it blue?”
“Chee, you’re hilarious,” he took a bite of his cheese toast. “She wasn’t much trouble was she?”
“Nah, Ari’s an angel. Much better behaved than you were when you were young.”
“Excuse me? I’m older than you by 7 years.”
“Yeah and what do you have to show for it?”
“Go home,” he started pushing her to the door.
“Five Nine and you are still shorter than me, what makes you think you can tell me what to do little man?”
“By one inch and the shortest one in the family is mom yet you're still scared of her when she yells at you.”
“You run and hide at the mere mention of your name, also she wants you to call her.” She put on her half jean jacket.
“I don’t want to get yelled at tonight!”
“Your fault for not calling her in what? A year?”
“Things happen, now git!” She walked out giggling, he walked to the couch and partly collapsed on it. He felt tired, the walk home was long if only he got off earlier he could have caught the last bus. Well he was home now, no use making a fuss about it. He looked to the partly opened door to his daughters room, it had a nightlight on and he could see a few teddy bears lining the wall.
Before he knew it his eyes closed.
He found himself in a strange dark place, it looked to be underground with drops of water falling down and echoing down the tunnel. He started walking, his feet splashing in the knee deep water, suddenly the sound was no longer a dripping but white noise. He seen that the water at his feet were now stopping and rats, snakes, spiders were going in the direction he came from. He watched them run in squeaking horror. A white snake stopped and turned to look at him it’s red eyes glinting in the dark.
“Run,” a voice called out and suddenly he was swept up in the water, ‘I can’t swim,’ panic settled in and he struggled to find the surface. His lungs ached and he felt battered as he was tossed around. The snake from before swirled by “Daddy way cup!” a large stuffed bear smacked into him taking the snake away.
“DADDY!” He felt something hit his face and woke up with a start.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing up so early?” He pushed the bear away sitting up with effort to look at her. She had on a pretty pink dress, her black hair messy, white knee high socks, wrong sided black shoes and an unwashed face.
“Bweckfest,” he smiled at her and let her pull him up and shove him in the kitchen. “Swamble egg, pweese!”
“Ok, Scrambled eggs,” he glanced at the wall clock and seen that it was 8:23 lots of time before he took her to daycare. He cooked up the eggs she wanted and ate a few of hers before getting himself ready. As he was in the bathroom, she walked in and stepped up her pink stool then started washing her face as he was shaving.
He walked out and looked at the clock and noticed that it hasn’t moved since the last time he looked at it. He went to his phone and checked the time it was almost Noon, “Oh no, sweetheart get your coat and bag!” he put on his shoes and coat quickly and helped Ari with hers and gave a quick check of her bag. He noticed that he didn’t have time to make her lunch and snack, “we’ll stop at the store on our way, ok?” He gently guided her out as he grabbed his keys and locked the door and they rushed to the bus stop. Only to miss it.
He cursed quietly and looked at his phone for the next bus, “Half an hour? Urr,” he looked down the street and debated on the convenience store that was a few blocks away. “We can make it, ok sweetheart lets go to the store here.” He walked quickly, holding her hand. He looked around the store and picked up an apple some grapes and a sandwich. He debated on weather to get something for himself and decided against it. He picked up a small pack of cookies and paid and they waited at the nearby bus stop making.
As they got on to crowded bus he got her to sit on the chair while he stood and he sorted out her lunch in the lunch bag. Taking the stickers off of the containers and sandwich. He stuffed the bag in his pocket and waited for his stop. They got off and it was a bit of a walk to the daycare, he picked up Ari and started to rush.
He set her down at the door and they walked in, “Hello, on time as usual,” a cheerful woman in her late 20’s greeted them.
“Sorry, batteries died on my wall clock.”
“No worries, come on Ari your friends are waiting. Have a good day, Mr. Sen.” He relaxed and waved to his daughter then looked at his phone noticing he had half an hour before he had to catch the bus to go to work. He turned and started to walk out, “Oh, Mr. Sen, a moment please!”
“Yes?” he turned wondering if he was late on paying the daycare bill and started to mentally prepare his defence. She instead handed him the sandwich with a smile. “Uh?” he said uncertain of what’s happening.
“We have hot lunches now, you just need to bring her snacks.” She smiled more, he hesitantly took the sandwich and thanked her then left. He waited at the bus stop trying to catch his breath from the rush, he knew his boss was going to yell at him for being late. “Tiring day?” a man sat beside him, he wore a dark hooded jacket and jeans.
“My day is just starting,” he said back.
“Ah, well hopefully it gets better. I see that a great offer is going to present itself. It would do you good to take it.”
“What?” He looked at the man beside him wondering if he heard right.
“I said ‘Hopefully it gets better, it can’t all be stormy days and hurricanes.’ Ah, the bus is here,” the hooded guy got up and got on the bus and he followed after, wondering what had happened. He debated if he should ask but maybe the guy would think he was crazy. Ignoring the strange encounter he figured he’d keep his mind on the task of the day. Getting through it.
“You’re late! Get in there and get cooking!” he knew his boss would yell at him, he quickly got into his uniform and started on making food for the lunch rush. It went by a lot smoother than yesterday, he loved to cook but lately it was starting to feel more like a chore. But quick glances out his little window he seen people enjoying the food he had made for them it felt worth it. Until the boss gets a whiff of his happiness and ruins it.
“Chicken Salad and Fries,” it was late again and once again this was the last order of his shift. He quickly made it and started to clock out until his boss walks in and yells at him.
“What did you do to her order? Why would she want to see you?”
“I-I don’t know.” They walked out together and he prepared himself to apologize, but instead he was handed a piece of paper and a business card.
“My Boss would like to offer you a Full Time job as his Personal Chef,” the woman stated. She was well dressed with her dark brown hair pulled back in a bun and thin frame glasses. “It will most likely be a live-in position-”
“We refuse,” his boss stated and took the paper and tore it up in front of her. “You can come back only to order food and nothing else.”
“Very well, please think it over.”
“I decline, it’s a nice offer and all but I enjoy working here.” She stared him down for a minute and hummed took her food and left.
“Clean this mess up,” his boss said and walked back behind the counter. He gathered the paper and went to the back to throw it away. Until the guys words from earlier came back, putting the paper in his pocket he took another paper, ripped it and crumpled it up and throwing it away.
He walked out and rushed for the bus, it was just leaving then stopped. He ran quickly to catch it and got on, thanking the driver and sat in an empty seat.
He walked up the stairs and looked down the hall just as a woman and his daughter were coming out of his neighbours. “Oh no!” he ran up to them and noticed it was his daughters Daycare teacher.
“Hi,” she said and smiled.
“I’m so sorry, I forgot to call my sister to-”
“It’s ok, I was meaning to visit my parents anyway. Ari is such a great kid, very helpful.” He looked at his tired daughter and picked her up. “Will you be by tomorrow as well?”
“Yeah, I’ll try-”
“Great! I mean, I can bring her home and look after her for you, that is if you don’t mind.”
“Uh, no that’s fine...” he said and once again remembered the mans words from this afternoon. Could this be that offer? It would be a load off his sister, “Thanks again but I’ll just have my sister come by and pick her up.”
“Ok, the offer is still available if you change your mind, good night Mr. Sen.” He unlocked his door and walked in, putting a tired Ari to bed and this time laid down on his bed. He then fell asleep.
He woke up earlier than expected and looked at his phone for the time, 10:53 am. He sat up and went through his morning routine recalling his dream. It was the same as last night’s but this time he ran when the Snake told him to, he ran with the animals but instead of a way out he ran into a wall. He had turned just in time to be swallowed up by the water rushing at him. The Snake was there drowning with him, then the Snake said ‘Why?’ it soon went dark and the pressure he was feeling was gone.
He woke up Ari and they ate together, he got his daughter ready and they soon headed out. He made sure to call his sister before he left so that she would pick Ari up from Daycare.
He walked into his work place and was once again yelled at for being two minutes late and suddenly that job offer last night was looking tempting. ‘I’ll have to read that paper tonight so I know what I’m getting myself into.’ He thought and went right to work, the woman stopped by and didn’t bring up the subject anymore just ordered and left. It as almost a relief to see her, at least he knows that he didn’t do anything wrong but his boss thought differently.
He walked home that night exhausted, he was tasked with cleaning the dishes and he felt like he could fall asleep on his feet if he didn’t keep moving. Walking up the stairs he looked at the notice on his door, a reminder that he had until Monday to pay the bills or get evicted. How was he suppose to survive until his next paycheck. He stuffed the paper in his pocket and suddenly felt the other paper there. He opened the door and called that he was home.
“Mom asked about you again, I told her a few things but you’ll have to tell her eventually. Also saw the notice on the door.”
“Please, not now.”
“You know moms been feeding you since you were born, it’s fine to ask her as long as you eat with her.”
“I won’t have time to eat with her, you see how late I get home. Besides she’ll yell at me for not properly taking care of Ari.”
“You don’t tell her things, she didn’t even know that she had a granddaughter for the first 4 years.” He stayed silent and started to think that maybe it won’t be that bad. “Pay the rent, mom and I can feed you and Ari for the month.”
“I’ll think about it,” he said finally and walked past his sister to sit on the couch.
“Well you have until Tomorrow to think about,” she said and walked out. He pulled out the papers in his pocket, the notice and the torn paper. Placing the two ripped pieces together he started to read what it said. It was a pretty good deal he read it again wondering where the downside was. He put the papers on the coffee table and laid down the day getting the best of him and his tired body.
The darkness ahead and darkness behind him were all that he could see, it was uncertain but he knew what was behind him if he ran back there. He knew what was ahead but there was no where else to go. The White Snake slithered past and stopped, looking at him, “Run!” it said he looked forward and started towards the rushing water. There has to be a way out, he looked behind him and the Snake was following him. He looked ahead and seen the water starting to come towards him, he started to run faster and seen a ladder to his right going up.
‘I don’t think I’ll make it,’ he realized, the White Snake shot ahead and suddenly turned into a Chinese Dragon. It roared, breathing fire and held off the water, he ran faster and reached the ladder and started to climb. He reached the top and seen the Dragon look up at him and was suddenly washed away. A long roar almost sounded like ‘Why’ echoed before there was silence.
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