"You damn son of a bitch!Just go up the fuck stairs! Get over here before I come there myself!"
Shouts and more shouts filled my ears, making me clench my teeth and rethink every single one of my life choices.
The package in my hand was already getting cold while I waited for him to come pick it up.
I have more deliveries to make, my boss is going to yell at me.
Sigh
"Sir, for the thousandth time, it's against our policy—"
"You damn bastard! I already paid for you to come here!" he kept snarling. "But if you want to see me so badly, you effeminate piece of shit, I'm going over there to show you what a real man is."
Click
The sound of a gun being cocked made me shudder.
Beep Beep Beep
He hung up the intercom.
"Shit… time to go!" I said, turning, getting on my bike, and speeding away.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Thick sweat ran down my forehead as my heart pounded harder and harder, the terror of death just one corner away.
The buildings from before faded into the distance, to my momentary relief.
BANG BANG BANG
"WHERE ARE YOU, YOU BASTARD?!"
Gunshots lit up the night, pedestrians running and screaming while people inside their houses ducked down.
BANG BANG BANG
"COME TO ME!!!"
Sigh
But soon, it was all left behind.
"Damn city. There won't be a single day in my life that I don't run into an armed idiot, will there?"
I muttered, focusing on the road ahead.
Before long, I parked in front of a diner to pick up the next deliveries.
"You're late." The manager walked up to me with a scowl.
"Oh yeah," I said, looking at him. "A shitty customer—"
"No, no, stop! Stop this shit!" he snapped, stepping forward and jabbing a finger into my chest. "You're late. Own your damn fault and stop making excuses."
I looked at his finger pressed against my chest.
It wasn't fair.
It wasn't my fault.
I had done exactly what he told me to do.
It was his policy that I shouldn't deliver the snacks to the apartment doors. I should wait at the entrance.
He decided that.
Even so, he jabbed his finger into my chest as if I were a stupid child.
I clenched my fists in anger, my eyes sharpening as countless curses rose up my throat.
I needed to say something!
But then, in a brief flash, I remembered my sister.
She had no one else but me.
Sigh
So I put on a gentle smile.
"Yes, I'm sorry. You're right," I said politely. "Anyway, where are the deliveries?"
"You're not doing deliveries now," he said roughly. "Someone got sick in the bathrooms. I need you to clean it."
"Sorry… but I'm a delivery guy, I don't—"
"Fuck, Light! Haven't we talked about this already?! Stop making excuses, grab the damn bucket and go, shit!"
"…"
We stared at each other in silence—his glare angry and irritated, his posture aggressive and violent.
He didn't need me—I was replaceable.
But I needed the money.
"Hurry up! Or I'll dock it from your paycheck!"
I clenched my teeth, staring at the floor in frustration.
"All right…" I nodded, grabbing the bucket and cleaning supplies before walking to the bathroom.
"Damn it…" I muttered while cleaning the vomit. "This fucking shit…"
Sigh
I left the bathroom with a strange smell on my clothes and a disgusting feeling on my hands.
"Light!" the manager shouted. "We need help in the kitchen!"
"…"
I didn't answer. I just looked at my foul-smelling clothes and my gloved hands.
He tapped his watch.
"Tick tock, tick tock, hurry up! Time's passing!"
Sigh
I went to the kitchen. I didn't know how to prepare the food, but I tried to manage as best I could.
I had to try, after all.
BANG
"Fuck, Light!" My manager kicked the kitchen door. "This burger is shit!" He threw a hamburger at me, and I barely managed to protect myself.
Ketchup and mustard stained my clothes while pickles and lettuce stuck to me.
BANG
"Customers are complaining!" He slammed the counter. "It's raw, it's burnt, no seasoning! What the hell— is there anything you do right?!"
"…"
I just listened in silence with a polite smile. It was all I could do. That bastard didn't listen to words and was as dumb as a pig.
"Are you listening to me?!" He grunted, on the verge of exploding.
BANG
"What?" I said, bringing my hand to my cheek. It hurt. It was red. It was… injured?
"Answer me, damn it!" he yelled again after slapping my face.
I slowly turned my head back toward him.
My expression was one of disbelief.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
My blood heated up, my heart raced, my muscles tensed in preparation.
Adrenaline surged.
It was instinctive. I needed to hit him back.
I needed to grab his face and smash it against the wall.
My eyes widened.
I could see him on the floor. I could see him crying, begging for mercy.
I was furious, and I needed it.
Even so…
If it were just me, I'd make him regret it.
But she depends on me.
My little sister is waiting for me at home.
She only has me. She needs me.
We need the money.
Sigh
"My apologies, boss," I said, holding my head high with a gentle smile.
"Consider yourself warned! I'm docking it from your pay," he said before turning to leave. "Now get out of my sight! I don't want to see you again, not even if you were painted in gold!"
"Of course…" I clenched my fists in frustration.
Sigh
Soon, I got ready to leave, grabbed my bike, and rode away.
The streets were already empty at that hour, so I sped up without worry. The night lights streaked past my helmet.
"Too slow," I muttered. "Faster." I accelerated again.
The lights passed faster.
"Too slow," I muttered. "Faster." I accelerated once more.
The lights rushed by too fast.
It was getting dangerous.
"Too slow," I muttered. "Faster! Faster! Faster!"
My bike shot past like a blur to everyone watching, the engine's roar waking many.
The wind slammed against me, howling.
All it would take was a single car on the road, and there'd be an accident—and I'd die.
One badly taken curve, and I'd die.
Even so…
"Faster! Faster! Faster!"
I let my tears flow as I sped up more and more.
I no longer knew whether I wanted to take the turn or avoid crash into a car.
I just wanted to go faster and faster.
"FUCK!!!"
Sigh
I parked the bike and removed my helmet.
I rubbed my eyes hard, wiping away the tears that kept falling.
"Why can't I…" I asked myself. "Why can't I stop crying?"
"Why the hell…"