Loud knocks at the door followed by screaming of what sounded like an angry man in his mid 50's rung through his ears. Reverberating, unbearable honks of rage. It seemed he had overstayed his visit yet again, this being the ninth time this year. A traveling jester, some would call him. Not always was he rewarded by cash, but sometimes tomato's, other times eggs.
His eyes slowly, and lazily opened. A short sigh escaped his mouth without much meaning, just that it was around that time of the month. Rent, even in this ran down apartment where you could probably poke the walls and they'd break. Some how, he was even below that to pay enough every month.
"I'll be right there.. don't worry."
Well, he wasn't really. It was an attempt to stall time, it usually kept the round bellied man silent for a little while after he yelled to "hurry it up!" or something along the line of that. He picked into his ears, obviously searching for any dust that had accumulated over the days, before reaching to his side with his hazed eyes and grabbing his phone. His fingers moved fast on the screen, almost absurdly as if he had this number memorized and ready everytime. He bent low, whispering into the microphone as the other side picked up.
"Hello, is this thing on? I can't really here you.."
A gruff voice came from the other side.
"Yo, you piece of shit. Call again and I'm going to kill you."
He however, responded with no panic in his voice.
"Hey man, you do remember how I saved your life a few years ago right from that car? Don't forget it, I really risked my body there! Anyways, I'm short like a few hundred for something again, be a good man and help a brother out."
Just silence for a few seconds, ignoring the treading steps of the landlord right outside.
Then, the voice continued.
"You can't keep doing this forever, Cornelius. I can only help you so much. Block me, because I won't be helping you anymore from now on."
The number hung up, and when he tried to message, he was already blocked. It would be an understatement to say that his mouth had dislocated from his jaw, before reality set in as his door was taken off it's hinges. The old man had entered, rounder than he previously saw a month ago.
"Yeah bro I don't know."
He pounced, gripping his throat until he squirmed and foamed from the mouth.
This feeling of suffocation was setting his body aflame.