Anatolius was quiet the entire ride. As if by some invisible courtesy, Colm sunk into his seat and remained still. When the stopped at the wake, the other man said he’d bring something for Colm to take home, and then left, carrying the drunkard with him.

“Where do you live?” The driver asked. “I’ll take you there.”

Anatolius was smoking on the hood of the car. “I’ll do it,” he said. “Go check up on your girlfriend. Shouldn’t be too long of a trip.”

Now it was only Anatolius and Colm. It was only when he found himself in the road again, that Anatolius at him through the rearview mirror. “Aren’t you lucky,” he said. “Getting all that food. Frankly, I’m kind of jealous. You gonna tell me where you live?”

Colm was quiet.

There was a ring, then. Anatolius picked up the call, talking to someone. It was a brief respite that Colm enjoyed. But there was cursing and shouting and mocking, and then it was quiet again. “I hate this son of a gun,” Anatolius said. “He calls me, I go over. I call you, you wag your tail and stick out your tongue for treats.” He smiled. “Not fair, is it?”

“Where are we going?” Colm asked.

“You can talk, that’s a surprise. To the school of course, so consider tomorrow’s appointment moved in advance.”

And they did go there. Anatolius stopped at the front gate, greeted by a guard who watched them with an open flashlight.

“We’re the old man’s cleaners.”

The guard called through his radio, listened, and then rolled the gate open. “No funny business.”

“Relax, tough guy. You’re not sporting any cybernets to keep me on edge.”

“You’re a bullet’s away, Anatolius.”

He was laughing. “I’d like to see you try.”

“And your friend there?”

“He’s gonna beat the living shit out of you.”

“Open the window. Open it.”

As the window opened, Colm retreated to the other side. The two laughed. Anatolius took all the food given to Colm and tossed them to the guard. “Courtesy from my brothers.”

The guard put all the food at his post.

Anatolius drove inside, taking out his electric cigarette and smoking. After a quiet moment, he turned to the rearview mirror. “You deserve what you get, Colm.”

Colm bit his lip.

“What’s that?” Anatolius spun.

“Nothing.”

“You said something.”

Colm shrugged, and looked out of the window.

“Get off the car and take your bike with you. The old man will know you’re here. Now fuck off.”

And then Colm was standing outside, with his bike, as he watched the car drive away. He felt nothing while he stared up at the sky, wondering if this would ever end, knowing the answer that it wouldn’t. Because he’d still be living in Luna, ten years from now, and so will Anatolius, unless someone puts a bullet through his head and tear out his eyeballs and cripple him.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“You’re a sorry sight,” a hoarse voice—an old man came out of the abandoned building. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, highlighting his muscles and making him a tough old dude, maybe around in his sixties. “I was listening. You from outside the city?”

“I live here.”

“With a voice that soft? I’m surprised you’re still alive. But simple. I like it enough. The name’s Viktor, but call me sir.”

“I’m Colm. Just tell me what to do and I’ll take over.”

“You got no steel in you.”

Colm smiled thinly. “What am I supposed to do? I’ve got three mouths to feed. I don’t have the luxury to challenge his ego.”

He sniffed. “Fair enough. Come. Cold outside. The building here still has functioning heating system. You don’t want to get sick on your first day. He paying you?”

“I wish.”

He hadn’t ever been to this building, although sometimes, when the wind was cool and the sun was behind the clouds, he’d stand still in the middle of the field staring here.

There were no classrooms. It looked more like a facility, with empty, uneven rooms and large number indicators painted at every door.

Cleaning was simple enough. Viktor gave him a large cloth and ordered him to wipe everything first, but no touching the special equipment. Wipe the windows, mop the floors and all that. Colm liked the monotony of it, and quickly he got into a routine.

The old man named Viktor spoke up. “You need money?” he asked.

“Yeah.” He said, carefully, “I was job hunting tonight until Anatolius caught me.”

“For your children? Young father?”

“Luckily no.” He told the old man about his siblings.

“Simple enough,” he said. “I like simple people. Easier to work with. Anatolius, his head’s few screws loose.”

“I’d rather think he got them screwed so tight it’s bleeding his brain.”

“You work for me, Colm. I deal with Anatolius, you work for me. Five hundred a day, you get a room here in this facility to sleep. Think about it.”

Colm knew his answer already, and he was ecstatic about it. “Thank you,” he said.

The old man stretched out a hand. Colm shook it.

The hand was rough and strong, which made Colm wonder who the hell this old man was.

Sometime around five in the morning, Pavetta called asking him where was. Colm told her about the job, being five hundred creds a job, and he’d have to sleep here, which was worth it.

Pavetta listened, and when Colm was done, she said, “Can I work there too?”

“No. Robert can’t take care of the twins by himself. He’ll need you. And I’m not sure the old man will want another worker. For now.”

“For now,” she said. “I guess I should bring you your clothes on the way?”

“You catch fast. My smart, sweet sister, I’ll give you ice cream.”

“You better!”

When Colm went back to work, the old man stopped him. He told Colm they were done for the night.

“We’ve only cleaned the fourth and third.”

“I’ve seen enough. Come with me.”

Colm followed him downstairs. And down, until they reached the first floor. He thought they were done, but the old man took him down further to the basement.

He flicked open the lights. And a large expanse of an open white room blinked into existence. “This is the cafeteria,” he said. Then he pointed at the rooms with numbers on them. “Pick your lucky number. It will be your room.”

It was a no-brainer. Colm had no lucky number, so he chose the symbol of ZERO. The old man gave him the key, and then he opened it. There wasn’t any bed, not really. There was a wardrobe though, with skintight black suits. And as he swung the door open, he saw a black equipment taking up half the room, from floors to walls.

“That’s—“

“A VR equipment,” the old man. “You are not the first to be here. You will not be the last either.” He walked over to the controls and turned it on. There was a whirring sound from the machine. “Wear a suit and step inside.”

Colm did, reluctantly. The suit was tight, but it quickly adjusted to his frame, and he felt like he was walking with a stiff body.

“You know about Omni-VR, yes?”

Colm fished out his wallet, and took out his credit. He stepped inside. “Can I?” The old gave a nod, so Colm flashed his credit to the scanner, which recognized him. The screen over his head confirmed his details.

“People can earn credits here,” Colm commented. “From hundreds to millions. How the hell did this million-dollar equipment under an abandoned school building?”

“Because this didn’t use to be a school. But that is irrelevant. You can use this equipment to earn extra credit,” the old man said. “Under one condition.”

“Name it.”

“You’ll only be able to use it once we clean floors one to four. And I will see to it that you do your work properly.”

“Done.”

The old man pressed a button, and he said, “Good. Start running.”