"Are you serious? I brought my receipt back though, bitch i'll slap the silly outcha," The lady mouths, her garlic infused breath reaching all the way past the cash register. I stare blankly at her, wondering of what I did to deserve to be forced to move here. This is the 7th time this slightly obese girl has come in, her wart filled face, the sweat just dripping down her double chin across her neck and onto that hideous Weezer t-shirt. She's complained about these stupid little shoes she got from our clearance section, demanding a refund when they had been stated to be FINAL SALE. Then again, I doubt she could even read let alone spell final.
"I'm sorry mam, but as stated earlier these shoes have no refund," I answered her, conserving as much breath as I could. I'd prefer not to waste it on this person of all people, as expected she threw a fit. Throwing one hand in the air as she grabbed the shoes wedging it between her flabs of meet on her arm and her side.
"This ain't the last you see of me bitch!" She yells out, obviously angered by the fact she can't refund her shoes. Throwing a clothing rack down onto the floor just to let it sizzle a bit more. The barely working automatic doors budging just barely enough for her to squeeze right through, finally she's gone.
This is my life, forced to live in this almost third world like city. It feels like I was ripped right into a comic strip almost, having to find affordable living somewhere, I thought that this would've been alright. Oh what's the worst that can happen? Right, the worst was dealing with the Crackheads running the streets, the constant sounds of dogs barking with gunshots echoing throughout the area every 40 minutes. I'd rather be homeless in New York, this shit is almost unbearable, but beggars cant be choosers and I'm definitely the biggest beggar of them all.
I stand idly by the cash register, looking down at the mess the lady had made. Praying that if I had stared long enough that large pile of Chinese manufactured clothing would magically lift itself up and put itself together. Yet alas there's not even a budge, I sigh, slowly moving away from the counter-top and towards the mess that had been made. This is probably the 10th time i've had to clean something throughout this week.
"Again? Jeez, what's what girls problem?" A very distinct calming voice, echoed throughout the very small Winners, my co-worker Abel a pretty laxed guy. I'm pretty sure he comes into work almost always under the influence of something, but man is he a breath of fresh air when he comes in. If only everyone could be like this guy a bit on the shorter side, large puffy hair, and most important of all manageable.
"Yeah again, and to be honest, I wish I knew. Maybe then I could get whatever her dealers giving her and snort it so I can also throw shit across the floor," I snicker, finishing up cleaning the little heated mess that was made, Abel chuckles at my joke soon after yawning giving off a shrug.
"Well, whatever it is I definitely don't want it on my shift," Abel replies heading towards the back to probably put on his uniform. Which means its means this is where I can finally leave this shit space.
"Cya Olly," Abel waves, me out of the store. "Don't get stabbed," He adds on, jokingly obviously, although in this area I doubt it'd even be a joke. I've gotten lucky enough though not to get stabbed yet so I always thought Abels little don't get stabbed was always a charm of good luck in a weird way.
"Bye Abel," I reply making my way out the store, laughing a bit at the comment he made. Finally, i'm out taking a nice strong whiff of the air, it smelled horrible. It was a mix of weed, definitely some sort of piss and cigarettes'. Looking around it's quiet as per usual, my shift does end at a pretty comfortable time, sitting nicely at a 10:30 PM I get to walk around just before the crack-heads and gang members run around, but just early enough so i'm not watching anarchy itself unfold before my very eyes.
Or so I thought. Walking down the streets scrolling thoughtlessly through my phone, maybe 5-ish minutes away from home at this point, I hear a woman scream the words "THIEF!" turning around, I see a pretty disheveled man, fuzzy hair a couple balding spots in the mix, his right shoe missing a patch which had his almost barf inducing toe sticking out of it, seriously people need to take better care of their feet, and the golden goose the small purse.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Usually, the normal thing to do would be to never engage with these type of people. Just let the woman get stolen from and that's that. However in that split moment, looking behind the thief I had seen probably the most gorgeous girl i'd ever lay eyes on. Something you'd only see on social media, those light-skin afro girl models who's smile takes you away in a heartbeat making you murmur I want her, very faintly. In that split decision Instead of thinking rationally, I thought with whatever instant hard-on I had.
"HEY-! GE-GET BACK HERE!" I blurt out, running after the homeless guy. Now, i'm no super athlete, neither am I super smart or strong. I'm actually almost the pure opposite. Messy, kind of sloppy give or take a 6/10 on the looks scale but this is what I thought would be my make or break, maybe I could be seen as a hero in her eyes and hit it off with this girl. This guy's quick though, he's like a pro at this shit! Cutting corners, hopping over benches, before making a hard right turn into an alley.
I catch up, placing my hands on my thighs trying to catch my breath. "N-no where to run dumbass!" I say through each exhale. It's like I was Batman stepping up to the table chasing after some thug, yet it's more like some average shmuck versus a junkie. Finally catching my breath I pat at my chest trying to make myself look bigger in front of the guy. He stares at me, holding the purse tightly his head twitching periodically, yeah if I wasn't sure before I am now. This dude could definitely syringe me and gouge my eyes out. SHIT, that was the only word beating through my head on repeat. I didn't think this through, I'm potentially risking getting addicted to heroin just to try and get a girls purse. I could just run away right now right? Slowly turning my head around only to bump into the girl.
"GET HIM! HE'S RIGHT THERE!" She yells out, pointing at him like I was a retard or something. No shit he's right there I can SEE him, but why the hell did she have to come in NOW? I could've just ran off but now I have to look big or else i'll be seen like a fool.
"Yeah I know, just calm down," I reply, slowly making my way to the guy. He's hunched over looking at me with scornful eyes he seems kinda weak from this perspective. Maybe I could resort this without violence. Making my way to the guy I'd put my hand forward.
"Dude, just hand over the bag i'll just call the police at this point, you can't even run away," I try and sound as nonchalant as physically possible maybe he'll listen and I can move on and sweet talk me a cutie. In the moment it seemed like he was offering the purse finally, this little good guy bad guy escapade is over.
Do you know how it feels to get stabbed? It felt almost surreal. In the sweet moment I had thought I had gotten the bag he pulled a fast one, and had done something much more than just syringe me, no he did WAY worst. He sprung upwards, launching at me pulling from his side what seemed to be a switch blade, popping the blade out. The speed, it felt almost inhumane like he'd have HAD to have some sort of super power to reach my neck that fast. Shlurt, that's what it sounded like as his blade slowly pressed into my neck my windpipe being crushed nearly instantly as he'd drive the blade downwards almost like he was carving me sliding it down through my chest. Blood sprayed out of me like I was a piñata. All I could hear was the gut wrenching screams of the girl behind me, and only see the disgusting dirty face of the man in front.
This, this is how I die huh? I don't get to see my family. I don't even get to have a girlfriend. I die alone in an alley in some crime riddled city. It was swift, my eyes blank shortly there after and I fall flat, motionless.
What a shitty way to die.