The Job

A “Zero-One” Short Story by Alvarion

He got a Job.

A Job that suited him because he was like a wolf, brave, loyal but also lonely.

A Job so important he needed to fulfill. He had no choice.

A special Job.

“…I can’t stand it anymore…”

He stood up and changed into his work uniform. A deep black suit and blood red necktie, which seemed to fit him perfectly.

A red necktie to symbolize the dangers he encounters in his work everyday.

Now his work utensils. You couldn’t see them because they were inside a black bag.

He took his black coat from the hook in front of his front door and put it on.

The corridor was empty.

No one was there to greet him or to see him off.

He was all alone.

He followed the streets to the plaza but he didn’t want to buy anything because he has his thoughts only on the Job.

A seriously injured woman approaches him.

His gaze didn’t change one bit.

“Please! I need your help! Me and my child are seriously injured!”

Nothing comes out of his mouth. Not one single sound.

“Please, I’m begging you!”

Still nothing.

“At least tell us where we can find help! Doesn’t you have a heart?!”

No. He lost it a very long time ago. He became a living corpse.

“…if you leave me alone…”

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“What are you saying?”

“…if you leave me alone after that, then I can tell you where you can fin help…”

“Yes, we would do anything!”, after she said that, he got another idea.

“If so then I have another condition.”, his tone changed. For one moment he was completely different.

“What?! Didn’t you say that you only want us to leave you alone? But I don’t have the choice to refuse so tell me. What is it?”

“Do you know a boy called Joshua Minami?”, that would help him with the Job.

“Joshua? Yes, I know him. He was a friend of my child but they got in an argument a long time ago.”

“Are you certain of his whereabouts too?”

“If it didn’t change in this whole time then he should be down the road in a small park. But why do you want to know this so badly?”, she was naive. Telling a complete stranger the whereabouts of a child.

He didn’t answer and followed the road directly to the park.

He found him.

He was standing with 3 other children in front of a cherry blossom tree.

They seemed inseparable. Like friends or more like family?

That wasn’t important right now.

He continued to stare.

He got angry but also sad and frustrated.

They looked so fulfilled.

He instead was the complete opposite.

They looked like they were always together.

But he wasn’t. He was as lonely as a tiger who didn’t even have a prey at the moment that could keep him company.

One of the four kids noticed him.

He was a boy.

He was curious and rushed towards him.

“Hi. My name is Joshua Minami. What’s your name?”, a greeting that could still have been a bit more polite.

Nothing from his side.

“Why won’t you talk with me? Did something happen?”, the boy gave him two questions at once but he didn’t bother to answer.

He remembered something.

It was one day ago.

It was rainy outside. No, it was stormy.

It seemed like the weather wouldn’t change soon.

He got a letter.

“…every day the same shit…”, he couldn’t be more annoyed.

He set off.

He opened the door and there he was, his chef.

“There ya are. How ya doin?”, his chef sounded like a teenager but in reality he was way older than that.

He didn’t answer because of how annoying he is.

“Ha, come on! Talk with me. It’s so boring if we don’t have some kind of small talk.”

“…tell me, what do you want? If you have nothing you want me to do then I will take my leave. Seeing your face alone makes me want to throw up!”

“Man, you want to get straight back to business, huh? You could have been at least a lil bit more nice to me but alright…I have a new Job for you.”, from one moment to the other his tone changed completely. His mood changed so drastically like he pulled down a lever inside him.

“…and what if I don’t want to accept it?”, he wanted to reject all these Jobs a long time ago but he couldn’t. Now his mind can’t take it anymore.

“How often do I have to tell ya? Do you want to be lonely forever or do you want to have THEM back?”, he played with his feelings. He didn’t care about him.

He hesitated. He hesitated a while.

“…alright, who this time?”, he didn’t want to but he had to. He didn’t have a choice.

“They are four children. The leader of this group is called Joshua Minami. He is 9 years old. Find them. Do what you always do. Do what you are known for. Do what you stand for.”

“…I get it but why me?”

“This Job is perfect for you.”

“This Job needs someone clever and you are as clever as a fox.”

“This Job needs someone loyal and you are as loyal as a dog.”

“This Job needs someone without empathy and you killed your feelings and empathy a long time ago.”

“So? Do you want to know more?”

Didn’t look like it.

“That is good. Then get to work, my lil Nalan.”

Back in the reality, he noticed that the children left already.

He took out his black bag.

A knife.

He sped up.

He searched for the children and did what he did best.

Because that was The Job.