It seems that everyday is the same. The lights still make that awful buzzing sound, it's like they want me to always be reminded that everything is the same. It’s soul-crushing, but honestly I am just happy to be working. The economy crashed but I still have a job, I guess I should just count my blessings.

    Damien works for Aesthetixx, which is a small IT firm that handles small apps and system administration for local businesses in South Carolina. Everyday, the sound of office employees scurrying around, trying not to get on their boss’ bad side echo throughout the building. The truth is, unless you are in “the circle” you will be treated like garbage anyway.

    “Damien, you got a sec?”

    “Sure, Nelson, what’s up?” I know he is going to ask me to work for him so he can leave early. He does this every Friday. Chandler Nelson, my supervisor, is always out of the office on time. Even though he piles us with work to ensure it can happen.

    “Look, I know this is last minute…” He put his face in his hand, almost like he was trying to tell me that he had no other options. “But I really need your help finishing this report. If I didn’t have urgent business to attend to after this I would do it myself, but I am swamped. Can you please take a few minutes to finish it up for me?” He put his hands together, almost like in prayer.

    “Let me see it.” I said, reaching out without looking towards him.

    The report was fairly straight-forward, but it would take another hour to finish this up.

    “Nelson, you do realize this will take me a while, right?” I made eye contact to try and get him to give up. The truth is, I can’t really say no. Even though it’s illegal to fire someone for no reason, they always find a reason.

    “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I am really needing this done today.” Nelson stood up, almost looking down on me.

    “Fine, set it down.”

    “You will definitely have good karma for this, Damien!” Nelson giggled, running to his office to grab his bag and leave.

    He acts like I don’t have a home to get to, as well. I’m married, but thanks to this job I hardly get to see them. It’s the same tedious bullshit. If I wasn’t trapped by the good pay and crappy economy, I would definitely try to find something else.

    I looked out the window, just in time to see Nelson laughing pointing towards the building with the other supervisors he is friends with.

    I don’t have time for this.

    When I finish this report, I am out of here.

    Hopefully Anise isn’t too pissed at me for taking so long. Lately, she’s been keeping her distance. There hasn’t been a day she hasn’t brought up the fact that this place is constantly using me.

    There was a faint echo of a few key taps, but other than that it was utter silence. The office was almost completely empty. It’s like this all the time, Nelson always dumps his work on me and runs home. This is especially true at the end of the week.

    The glowing lights dimming in and out in the parking garage lit the area in a yellow monotone color. This is the view everyday, very few people at Aesthetixx have a life thanks to the crappy management.

    “You have to be shitting me…”

    The car wouldn’t start, no matter how many times Damien pressed the pedal. Eventually, only clicks remained as the last of the battery’s power was drained.

     “Looks like I am taking the bus home, great.”

     I made my way out of the parking garage to the bus stop at the corner outside.

     Huh, I guess Emil just got finished too.

     “Hey, Emil!” I sayed smiling, waving my hand.

     Emil is a big guy, but in all honesty he’s like a teddy bear. I don’t think I have ever heard him speak to anyone other than his manager, though.

     Emil leaned forward and flashed an obviously fake grin. “Hey, Damien.”

     I sat beside him on the bench, waiting. For the next thirty-minutes, it was complete silence.

     “Damien, I am sorry to hear about all that you have been going through.” Emil said hesitantly. “Nelson is a real piece of work.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

     Did he seriously talk to me? That’s a first.

     “Yeah, he can be that way sometimes. It’s all better when I leave, though.” I said, smiling as wide as I could.

     Emil flashed the same fake grin back, like there was something I was missing.

     I’m not going to pressure him into telling me if there is something that he is hiding. That just doesn't seem right. Especially after he finally said something to me. I don’t think we’ve spoken once until now.

     The bus came shortly after, and before I knew it I was at my stop. After leaving the bus, I decided it would be nice to get some flowers for Anise.

     I know she has to be piiiiiiiissed. I know she loves Daffodils, so hopefully this brightens her mood.

     After grabbing the flowers, I started to walk home which was not too far down the street from the flower shop.

     “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, but what do you even see in that loser?”

     Someone is in the house, and that sounds like… Nelson… There’s no way in hell…

     I walked up the driveway and positioned myself under the window, listening to the conversation. 

     “I’ll leave in a little bit. I mean, how long have we been doing this? Two years? Isn’t it time you ditched that freak and finally moved in with me?” Nelson said laughing.

     “Look, I get what you are saying, but do you realize how much money I get from him? It would be absolutely stupid for me to toss him aside when I have it so easy. So what if I have to sneak around to be with a real man. I don’t want him to see you here when he gets home.” Anise said, almost demanding that he hurry up.

     A real man? A real... man…

     Damien’s chest started burning from the anger, he clenched his chest with his hand hoping it would subside. But it wouldn’t.

     “Okay, I’ll go for now. He should be finishing up that report soon and taking the bus home!” Nelson screamed laughing.

     “The bus?” Anise said confused.

     “I had a friend of mine empty his fuel tank this morning! I would love to see him panicking trying to get the car started ha ha ha!”

     Damien sat, fuming over the situation.

     “I see…” Anise said giggling, “Well still, I’ll see you next week, darling!”

     The only thing Damien could make out through the curtains was Nelson and Anise embraced before Nelson walked out of the front door.

     A real man? You want a real man, clearly not me right?

     “Hey Nelson…”

     Nelson froze in his walk to his car, slowly turning to meet the bloodthirsty gaze of Damien.

     “Oh, it’s just you” Nelson said smiling. “I just had to swing by and help Anise out, you understand!”

     The anger inside of me boiled over, causing me to sprint and swing. I felt the crunch of Nelson cheek bone as it fractured underneath my knuckles. After Nelson fell, I jumped on top of him and continued the assault.

     “N-No, s-stop it Damien!” He screamed out, trying to block his face.

     The feeling of Nelson underneath me, everything out of his control, feels so exhilarating! I can't bring myself to stop, I mean why should I? My whole life is falling apart thanks to this piece of shit and the my so-called "love". I am done taking his shit. I am completely done. He deserves this. He deserves to die, right now.

     I started smiling maniacally, I don't know if it was the adrenaline, or the fact that something inside of me snapped.

     Either way, this feels amazing...

     Two thundering sounds echoed from the house. It was Anise standing there, breathing heavily with a smile on her face.

     “Sorry, Damien. But I don’t think we are going to work out after all.”

     My chest hurts, it burns. Looking down, I could see the blood pooling up on Nelson’s abdomen.

     “Seriously Anise? What the hell?” Nelson screamed as he pushed me off of him, his face worse for wear.

    “You wanted to be together, now I can collect the life insurance and make the switch! I mean, did he not just run out and attack you out of nowhere?” Anise said, clapping her hands together.

     “You are a sadistic woman, Anise… I love it” Nelson said, smiling towards me as he walked closer. The walk turned into a run, then he started kicking.

     The stings of the kicks that hit my stomach started to slowly fade. Honestly, all of the pain began to fade. The pain of suffocating, I guess one of the bullets hit my lung, slowly went away too. As my vision started fading, my hatred for what had happened seemed to get worse. There was something else, too. It looked like a girl watching me from the street. Well, sort of a girl. An angel?

    The last sight I had was the bottom of Nelson’s boot as it came down on my face. 

    A fitting end for a worthless loser right? I swear, if I had the chance I would wipe the earth clean of all these pieces of shit. Always using the weak to make their gains. At Least… I don’t have to worry about it anymore.

    “I want to talk to you, but not here.” a voice echoed in my head.