The Boy In The Other Dimension

Damion

My eyes grow heavier with each passing minute, it is about 6 a.m. but I need to finish this round of C.O.D., then I'll let myself sleep for a few hours before I have to go into work. Just barely passing round 29 of Zombies I groan to myself, there's no way I'm making it past 30 with how tired I am, so I decide to switch off the console and get up from my desk. With a big stretch I strip down and climb into bed, trying to figure out exactly how many hours of sleep I've got in the past few days. It has to be about 15 max within the last 3, which is more than I got in the 3 days before that so I'd say its progress. 

As I shift in my bed to get comfortable I hear my parent's alarm go off down the hall. Its a good thing I stopped playing when I did, I don't really like when they catch me playing games all night, they'll only nag and complain. They may not say it to my face, but I know that I'm the current family failure. 

I sigh and roll over, shutting my eyes, trying to drift off to sleep.

***

Working the morning shift really kicks my ass throughout the day. I mean,  I like to have my nights off so I can game and not have to worry about seeing my family, but I feel like a zombie throughout the day.

As slowly as I can I stack the cans of soup on the shelves, working in a supermarket isn't the most ideal job, but people leave me alone for the most part.

I turn my head when I hear footsteps coming down my aisle, its my manager Mason. Turning back to what I was doing I sigh quietly to myself. He probably wants me to pick up the pace so I can move on to another aisle.

"Hey, Damion." He sounds annoyed as he walks up to me. I turn back to face him and see that he's trying to hide a scowl. Mason graduated a year above me in high school, and while he wasn't my greatest tormenter, he definitely took part in making my life hell when he could.

"What's up?" I mumble, turning back to what I was doing.

"Come see me in my office when you're done here, ok?" He huffs before turning and walking back the way he came. 

 Great, I think to myself, I wonder what he thinks I did this time. I put down the can I was holding and slowly make my way to the office on the other side of the store. Walking in he's already writing something down on a piece of paper, I must be getting a write up.

I stand awkwardly at the door for a moment before deciding to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk. As I sit he looks up at me and lets out a sigh.

"So, any guesses as to why you're here?" He asks me. I can hear the annoyance in his voice. The only reason this guy is a manager is because his parents own the stupid store, and ever since he got promoted he acts like the whole job is just one big inconvenience for him. 

"No idea." I tell him, shaking my head. I can see he's trying very hard not to roll his eyes.

"Alright man," he starts, "you obviously don't want to be here. Every day you come in and you look like you haven't slept in days. You take hours stocking one aisle, and on top of that you're rude to customers when they ask you something. This is literally the third time we've talked about this." He tells me, looking me dead in the eyes. He's not necessarily wrong. I don't sleep much, I take as much time as possible on one aisle, and I hate talking to customers so I try not to come off as too friendly. Above all of that however, I hate this job.

All I can do is nod in agreement with him, I have nothing to say. He seems frustrated that I don't say anything back and runs his hand through his hair.

"Look, we're going to have to let you go." He tells me. 

My heart slightly sinks, however its not like I didn't see this coming. But now I have to explain to my parents why I need to find a new job, and I know that won't go over well.  

Without a word I get up from the chair and head out of the office towards the exit of the store, looking at the cashiers as I walk by. Some only glance and continue what they're doing, others whisper and snicker to each other while they look in my direction. Most of them are kids I went to high school with, but when you're the outcast of the town you don't make a lot of friends. 

I find my car in the parking lot, hopping in I rip the nametag off that had been clipped to my shirt. Starting the car I take a look at the time, its only 2 in the afternoon so my parents shouldn't be home yet, that leaves me with time to look for a new job. I begin the short drive home, mind occupied on what my plan is going to be. 

My parents told me that if I wasn't going to go to college straight away that I needed to have a job if I wanted to live with them. I took the first one I could right after graduation and haven't given much thought into anything else since then. I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to go to school or not, I never found anything I was ever really passionate about. Well, I had a few things I loved doing before freshman year, but that kind of fell apart with my mental state after everything that happened. 

Pulling up to the driveway of my house I see my moms car parked. 

Shit, isn't she supposed to be at work? I think to myself as I pull in. I hop out and head inside where I find her kneading some dough on the counter. Mom was an exceptional baker, she made the best pastries and breads that I had ever tasted. Her dream was to open up a bakery someday, but I knew that it would be impossible for her in this small, shithole town.

She looks up at me and raises an eyebrow, confused to see me home so soon.

"Hey there sweetheart," her voice rings out, "what are you doing home so early?" I sigh and head into the kitchen, there's no use for me to hide it now.

"So, I may have been let go." I run my hands through my hair and try to avoid eye contact with her. The energy in the room changes as I can feel the disappointment radiating off of her body. 

"Damion," she sighs, "what happened?" She asks, but I think she already knows the answer. I shrug and get up to get myself a glass of water.

"You know how they are." I mumble, taking a big gulp.

"I know how you are." She says, giving me a side eye. I walk over to her and give her a quick hug before making an escape to my room.

"Don't worry, I'm going to start looking for a new one." I call over my shoulder to her as I head down the hall.

"You better!" She calls back before I can shut my door. I sigh and fall back on my bed, running my hands over my face. At least I'll have a little time to myself before I get a new job anyways, might as well enjoy it while I can.

Pulling out my phone from my back pocket I unlock it to look at the home screen when it begins to flicker, looking like its glitching.

"Stupid thing." I mumble to myself as I sit up. Right before I'm about to turn it off, something catches my eye. The home screen is a picture of a girl with pink hair and a guy with blonde hair, and all of the apps are different.

 What the hell? I think, slapping the side of my phone, thinking maybe it'll go back to normal. That seems to work, it glitches one last time and then returns to my normal home screen. I shake my head.

I really must be losing it. I need more sleep. I tell myself, tossing my phone on my bed as I head to my computer. I guess instead of a game I should look for a job.

***

I browse and apply for jobs for hours, ignoring my parents calls to come downstairs for dinner. I really didn't want to deal with my dad, the man is a lot more difficult to talk to than my mom and he would push for me to get a construction job. Not that there anything wrong with that, I just would rather not do that much manual labor. 

Deciding to take a break I get up from my desk and head to the kitchen to pick over the dinner leftovers. Making my way in I see my dad at the kitchen table, looking back and forth between his laptop and a notebook that he's writing in.

"Hey dad." I mumble towards him as I head to the fridge. 

"Hey bud." His voice is loud and blunt, after spending almost 20 years in the military he has no more volume control.

I open the fridge and begin to look through before I hear him clear his throat.

"So," he begins slowly, "your mom told me what happened today." He says. I nod as I continue to look through the fridge, deciding on a PB&J sandwich that I made yesterday but forgot to eat.

"Have you been looking for a new job? Maybe even two?" He asks sternly. I turn around and nod again before shoving the sandwich in my mouth. This is exactly what I was hoping to avoid earlier.

"You know I could probably get you in somewhere. Pull some strings." He tells me.

"No thanks, dad. I got it." I tell him, shaking my head and scarfing down the rest of the sandwich. He just sighs.

"Damion, you know I only want what's best for you. I just don't want you to end up like Karina." He trails off, realizing what he's said. My eyes widen and I can feel my body begin to tingle in anger, clenching my jaw it takes everything in me to not scream at him.

"I won't end up like her. I am nothing like her." I hiss through my teeth before stomping back to my room and slamming the door. That is the first time my father had brought up my sister in years, and to think he would even come close to comparing us was beyond insulting. Karina was an addict who caused pain and suffering wherever she went, and finally at her death she caused the most irreversible damage that would cause my family and I to suffer for years to come.

I can feel tears prick at the corner of my eyes as I sit down on the edge of my bed, taking deep breaths to calm myself. Looking over at my phone I decide that music would probably be the best way to calm me at this point.

 I grab my headphones out of my bedside table drawer and plug them in. Popping one headphone in I immediately hear some of the ugliest sobs I have ever heard in my life.

What the hell? I think to myself. My music isn't playing, and I'm not on a call with anyone. At this point I really don't care who it is, I just want to relax and deal with my own problems.  

"Dude! Hey! Can you hear me? Can you please stop crying?" I yell at the person on the other end, it sounds like a girl. Since this didn't seem like a call I wasn't exactly sure how to get them off of my phone. The sobbing abruptly stops and I can hear her let out a soft, startled gasp on the other end. 

"Jesus christ, thank you. All I wanted was to listen to music and I get a loud, crying girl instead." I say, making sure that I sound as annoyed as possible so whoever it is leaves me alone. There is a short, silent pause before I hear the girl speak.

"What in the... who are you?" She asks me. I groan, just wanting to be left alone. 

"You've got to be kidding me, all I wanted was some music." I mumble to myself before ripping out my headphones and throwing them across the room. I lay back on my bed and listen to my phone speakers to hear if she's still there, thankfully for me there is nothing but silence. 

As I lay there for I minute I wonder to myself who that could've been. I don't have any friends who're girls, or friends in general, so maybe it was one of my cousins or something. I grab my phone and open up the call log, there was no outgoing or incoming calls for today. Shaking my head I toss my phone to the side, the lack of sleep must really be getting to me.