A pair of apprehensive hazel eyes stared down at a taped-up cracked phone screen. The phone glowed in the dark like a small beacon of hope; at least the haggard young man prayed it to be so. An anxious beating heart thumped in John’s chest. He restlessly waited all day looking at his phone, but it was only a part of his worries.

His protesting stomach complained inside his abdomen with deep rumbling growls, threatening him like some gangster. It was overdue for the meal that was supposed to long have been served, but John was strapped for cash. He could not afford to provide the decent meal that was way past due.

John hesitatingly swiped down the top of the broken screen, refreshing the open tab displaying his email account. His gut churned, giving John an ominous feeling. He wasn't sure if it was just because he was hungry, but he desperately prayed that it was nothing bad and hoped for the best.

A new unread email popped up and shoved down the long list of rejections. His heart raced at the long-awaited reply. He could hear each loud anxious thump as blood rapidly pulsed in his veins. Taking in a gulp of air, John held his breath and opened the message.

The little glimmer of hope in the depths of John’s eyes immediately died.

“We regret to inform you… fuck,” John swore with a whispered grunt as his low voice cracked while he read the first line.

His hands trembled as he clenched his boney long fingers so tightly on the screen that the display warped with static and discolor. It was yet another notification rejecting his job application, adding to the already-too-many long line of rejection emails.

John violently jerked his body backward, slamming himself into the back support of the driver’s seat of his car, which was haphazardly stuffed full of his sole belongings. His back and head hit the seat hard. It stung, but the rejection letter cut him deeper.

He thought his interview went well, but obviously, it did not go well enough. John’s last hopes were lost. The worst-case scenario came true. Boiling anger from being so close to employment consumed his worried mind and flooded out into his starved body.

John yanked his arm back, pulling it up as he lifted the phone in his hand above his head. Fiery exhales of air shot out his nostrils. The muscles of his arm tensed, ready to vent out all his turbid emotions by smashing his phone full of rejections into smithereens. His arm snapped, starting the downward throw at the passenger door.

But John abruptly froze mid-action. He jerked back his hand. His recoiling muscles shot out a jolt of pain, protesting against his indecisiveness. But John could not continue his destructive behavior. He needed his phone to survive as much as he needed food. His logical mind fought and restrained his exploding emotions but could not hold back all the overflowing heavy feelings. They gushed out, pouring down his face as he cried out his frustrations and sorrow.

John curled into a ball and huddled against the door to his car. He sobbed quietly within his vehicle, stationed in a cramped parking lot that served as a temporary refuge during the nights for those that called their cars their home. Only the grim outlook of his future filled him up inside, but it could not feed his growling stomach.

Hot tears continued like rain, streaming off John’s chin and soaking the ripped fabric of the car seat. A sad lullaby of his muffled whimpers and sniffles slowly rocked him to sleep, a common occurrence lately for the much troubled John.

…

Long into John’s slumber, a soothing warm hand patted his head, slowly stroking the coarse chestnut-brown hair and taking away some of his heartache. A soft familiar voice gently hummed a song that relaxed his stress-scrunched face. Given a moment’s respite, John’s forlorn face smoothed and showed a moment’s peace.

“John, dear, listen to me, ok? It will be alright. Everything is going to be alright.”

A large strong hand touched his shoulder, clasping it and giving him strength.

“We know it’s hard, son. But don’t give up. Things will soon change. We hope it will be for the better. Prepare yourself, John. Take control of your future. We believe in you.”

“Honey, you have worked so hard all this time. We are so proud of you. Remember, everything will be okay. No matter what happens, John, keep going. Goodbye, my baby. I love you. We will always watch over you.”

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“That’s right, son. We will always watch over you. Now go. The road will soon get bumpy. Take care of yourself.”

John wanted to open his eyes and hold his parents in a warm embrace, but no matter how he tried he could not move a muscle. The nostalgic warmth of his parents slowly began to fade. Fear and panic consumed John as he desperately called out to them.

“Mom! Dad! Where are you?! I missed you both for so long. Take me with you!”

John jerked up from the car seat, reaching out his hands only to touch the front window of his car. He desperately looked around for his parents with tears streaming down his face, but the two figures he wanted to see more than anything were nowhere to be found. John collapsed back onto the car seat, realizing it was just a dream. He sat dazed, still feeling remnants of their warm soothing pats and words of encouragement that lifted some of his burdens.

He replayed their voices endlessly in his head, fearing he would forget them from the fleeting moment. Feeling at ease, exhaustion overtook his body as John finally relaxed. He tilted back the seat of his car and oddly found peace in the usually uncomfortable chair. His eyes softened and slowly shut, no longer having any more tears to cry. John quickly fell asleep for the little remaining time of darkness.

The stars slowly moved through the night sky and began to fade. Surprisingly, John did not twist and turn throughout his sleep from the uncomfortable position. He was deep in a peaceful slumber, even as shades of red and orange reached out from above the horizon’s edge.

As if yawning from a long night's rest, the sun stretched out its rays and brought forth the break of dawn. The streams of light extended across a quiet sleeping city, passing over trees and buildings and into the packed parking lot.

The light continued and pierced through the glass windows of John’s car, rudely beaming at his closed eyes. They twitched, squinting while still shut as John awakened from a short slumber.

John's forehead had deep long lines from the habitual frowning at his unfortunate predicament. Finding work was not easy these days. Another financial collapse of the world economy displaced countless people from their livelihoods, leaving them penniless and homeless.

The lines on John’s forehead wrinkled even more as the hard-found peace on his face disappeared, warping as he frowned from being poked in the eyes by the light. The sunlight revealed a haggard young man that looked older than his real age. His lack of proper nutrition left his once vibrant skin dull and sickly pale. His coarse chestnut-brown hair crunched against the side of the seat as John unconsciously turned away from the annoying light. His cracked lips spasmed, and his stout nose twitched as a pair of hazel-green eyes tiredly opened.

John did not feel it while he slept but now felt it as he awakened. His contorted body ached from the uncomfortable car seat that was not designed for sleeping. Feeling his stiff muscles, John grunted as he adjusted the seat and sat up with a better posture. His rest was cut short, and he was not ready to get up to face the day. But all the cars in the lot needed to leave soon; their temporary refuge only allowed them safe rest during the nights.

Finished adjusting himself, John looked in the rear-view mirror and almost did not recognize the reflection of the once decently handsome angular face that long hollowed away, emancipated and aged by the prolonged stress of being hungry and homeless.

“Another day…” John whispered with a tired and lifeless voice as he stared off into the distant sky.

However, the hopelessness in his eyes faded. They refocused on the inside of his car as a gleam of determination washed over him and brought back a spark of his youth. John recalled his parents’ fleeting words, and they reinvigorated his strength.

BUT, it’s a NEW DAY. I’m sure I can find a job. I just need someone to give me a chance. One stroke of good luck, and I can turn this all around. And I’m GOING to turn this around. I will. I need to hurry to the portable restrooms to beat the others.

Finished with his pep talk, John arched up his back and extended out his lanky arms and legs. They trembled and shook awake as John stretched his stiff muscles. With no time to lose, he picked up his phone that fell between the cracks by the edge of the seat. He then grabbed the small bag on the passenger’s chair that held his toiletries.

Reaching to the back of his car, John stopped and narrowed his eyes at the mess of tossed-around boxes and personal belongings. He scrounged around for a folded set of clothing, making note to organize the chaos he created from yesterday’s search for interview clothes. Opening the door, he stepped out of his car, locking it as he hurried off to the communal restroom area. A small line already formed, and John rushed to beat the coming crowd.

After a quick shower and finishing his morning hygiene routine, John rushed back to begin his job search before they got forced out of the parking lot. Pulling out his phone, John selected the tab he left open on his web browser. He refreshed the page for the online job board and scrolled down the new job posts, searching for something he was qualified to do.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, glistening as they reflected a job posting that caught his interest.

Hmm… Field Worker. Must be able to carry at least fifty pounds. Job entails picking, pushing, harvesting, and other general manual labor as directed.

Sounds tedious and tiring, but I don’t mind and can definitely do that.

The corners of John’s lips arched up into a wide smile. But then his head tilted to the side, uncertain if it was a scam.

Triple minimum wage plus commission… I’m not complaining, but why is the pay oddly so high? Plus PTO accrual, health insurance, and 401k matching? Isn’t that unheard of for a mere labor role? And what is ‘stats growth?’

The pay was more than enough to catch his attention. The added benefits were even better, although John did not know of all of them. He especially never heard of ‘stats growth’ as a job perk, but more benefits were always a good thing. If the job duties and the compensation were true, John was more than willing to sign up. But things that were too good to be true always have a catch.

Must apply in person and will be interviewed on the spot. Can start immediately if qualified.

That’s good for me. I want to start right away, but what the heck is with these other absurd requirements?

A non-disclosure agreement is mandatory and must be signed before entering. Military experience preferred, but willing to train. Must be willing to carry a weapon, preferably a sword.

As in a real metal sword? The type you slash and fight with? Why would any job need that?

And wear provided hazmat clothing?

Do I even want to know why? Well, yeah. I kinda do. Will I be exposed to risky environments?

More details will be provided when the non-disclosure is signed. Please go to the following address for further information and instructions if interested. Available positions are limited.

What the hell? What kind of crazy dangerous labor job is this?