I was startled awake when I heard the door to the laundromat close as it sounded like someone left.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes before realizing I still couldn't see, my eyes were truly dead and I would need to get them replaced.

I started making my way out of the building when I found something I hadn't notice last night, a large soft container with a flimsy paper sign on the front.

Likely the lost and found for clothes, I started digging through the items as my shirt was crusty, likely from the dried blood on it.

I found a shirt that was just about the right size, and surprisingly enough a kids jacket.

The jacket seemed to have patches on it so it was certainly used, but it had a nice liner so I wouldn't be to cold.

With both now on and my old shirt in the trash bin in the building, I left the building to see what I could do.

I walked a bit far from the laundromat keeping the series of buildings on my right, so I knew how to return.

I smelt the heavy smell of this worlds gas, so I was clearly outside of a gas station.

I made my way closer, listening out for cars as I got closer, and finally entered the gas station.

"Hello, I am looking for part time work, it doesn't need to be anything to important. I am a hard worker, but as you could probably tell, I am blind currently." I said to no one in general as I didn't know where or if someone was in here.

"To your left kid, and what makes you think I have anything a blind kid can do?"

"Well as long as it doesn't require my eyes, I should have no problem with it, and I am smart as well."

"Nothing like that really, in the evenings I have to clean the store before going, and I need to take out the trash which slows me down. So I can take the trash to the back door and the closest "dumpster" is close to 20 feet away. So I could let you do this for 100 eddies per bag per day. And mind you, these bags are heavy."

"Sounds good to me, are you busy currently, I would like you to walk me from the back door to the dumpster one time just so I know the way."

"Ahah, sure kid I can do that, its slow enough now. I will begin closing in about an hour so after the little walk, make sure to stay close by."

So with this, the man put his hand on my shoulder and directed me to follow the second isle to the end, and keep walking for about 5 feet until I got to the back door.

Once there, he opened the door and had me stand against the wall outside, and told me if I walked straight from there, I would be at the dumpster.

It was actually not as long a walk as I had thought and before the man could stop me, I had walked into the door to the dumpster.

He seemed to chuckle at seeing this but quickly rained himself in.

"Well you certainly haven't been blind long, I have seen a few blind people and you were walking like you could see the whole way, no worrying about bumping into anything. Well, we are here, You just open this door, go in, and open the smaller gate to the crusher, here I will show you."

He said as he took my hand and showed my how to open the first gate, and then guiding me in, he showed me where to slide the gate up on the Crusher as he called it.

"Ok, after tossing them in there, to your left on the wall is a big button away from the machine. Don't try to push the button from far away, it is placed there to ensure the person isn't close to the crusher, and the outside gate is to make sure no one is in here, so if you feel the gate open already Call out for anyone to make sure no one is in the crusher or working on it."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Ok, straight forward, do I ever have to worry about emptying it out when it is full?"

"Nah, every 5 bags in will trigger it to make a new cube and pump the old one out the back of it, outside the build so the trash trucks typically pick it up the next morning."

"Ok cool, I shouldn't have a problem with this."

"Ahah, We shall see kid. Ok, I will see you in an hour." He said while leading me out and closing both gates.

I wandered to the back door slower this time to try and count my steps, its was 18 steps, so the man was close on about how far it was.

I sat outside the back door waiting, just thinking.

I wonder how I will get paid, maybe I just have to ask for food for now until I can find a way to transfer money and everything.

I had lost track of thinking about the future and what I could do when the back door opened, and it sounded like the man stepped out.

"Good, you are still here, it will actually help to close the store. Here is the first two, I would advise to only take one at a time, these are heavy."

I nodded and stepped forward putting my hand out, and grabbing the first bag.

He wasn't lying, The bag was very heavy for me, but I slung it over my shoulder and started walking, already aligned to get to the Crusher.

The man didn't say anything as he saw me start walking, just went back inside.

I got to the outer gate and opened it, and slid the gate for the crusher up before heaving the bag up and into the chute and it slid into place.

So I stepped away and started to machine before leaving the little building, and closing the door behind me.

I made my way back to the back door and felt around for the bag, finding another there as well. Just as I was about to pick it up The man came back out.

"Don't try to go to fast, worse case scenario it takes a little longer"

"ok, and I just realized something. Since my eyes don't work. How will I get paid?"

"I can get a Credit Chip ready for you while you are finishing."

"Ok, great!" I said as Hefted the the second bag up over my shoulder.

As I started walking with the bag, I heard the man re-enter the gas station.

I got into a rhythm taking the bags to the crusher and going back.

I was at about 6 bags when I realized the last 2 were lighter, so I heaved them both and took them.

Upon getting back from delivering and crushing those two, the man was at the back door.

"Nice work, it wasn't much but it sped up the time it took me to close the shop today. Even with getting it added to a Credit chip, here you go kid."

I reached out my hand and he placed the chip in my hand.

"Since it really helped, I put 1000 eddies on it. Don't expect it next time though, 100 per bag from now on, just try to be here before we close and I can get started on the trash earlier. For now, have a nice night kid."

"Night?" "What time is it?"

"Kid, its dark out, Currently it shows as 10:10pm. Listen, I don't mind you staying in the small building with the Crusher, no one is meant to go in there, so it would be safe for you, just don't mess with the crusher other then crushing the bags and I don't mind. Ooh, and don't make a mess or you would clean it up."

"Ok, thank you, I did have a similar location nearby but its unlikely I could have stayed long term, and this way, you know I will be here. But do you know where I can get water and food near here?"

"We have some vending machines around the front, From the left to the Right it is Burritos, Energy Drinks and soda, I recommend #4 and Cigarettes'. You can get food inside during the day, I think I have something for you today. One moment"

I waited there honestly starving at this point. And I could smell it before he got back to me.

"I went ahead and microwaved it, but here is half the pizza I got for my diner, I either get this or the Chinese food normally, but are just 200 eddies so I don't mind sharing, just if you want half from now on, I can just take 100 of the eddies when I issue you the pay for the day. "

Smelling the pizza and my mouth watering I answer him "Sounds great to me, I would say just go ahead and get double for now and take 200 from me instead, I don't want to take your food. But I will accept the pizza today for sure!" I chuckled Holding out my hands.

He slowly set the paper-ish box in my hands, and I held it as I walked with my left hand on the gas station. Coming around to the front I got to the vending machines, getting to the second one.

I took out the chip and felt around for the slot, finding it, I didn't insert the chip yet. I felt around for the buttons and found 8 of them likely starting from the left I positioned my hand over the 4th button and inserted my chip into the slot before selecting it.

The machine vended the drink, It was a large 1 liter of something.

I grabbed it and the box with the pizza feeling my way back to the back of the store before putting my back to the spot and then walking forward to the little room with the crusher in it.

Thankfully I now had a roof, food and water. I was certainly much better off then I was yesterday.

I opened the bottle and found it had a classic cola flavor, so that plus the pizza was a good combo.

I sat there after eating, content. It wasn't the best smell, but honestly it was shelter, food and drink. Now I just needed to start saving money and find a reliable ripper doctor.

I may be able to surve without eyes, but I would be a lot more comfortable and reliable with working eyes.