Chapter 1
1115 Words
AURORA
I have no idea of how I went from having a promising future, to working in a hospital as Janitor, to getting fired all in the span of six months.
I was so carried away by the problems so much that I felt fuzzy from the incessant begging, I tried to think of a way out but it seemed like there was none. After begging the head janitor of the hospital for what seemed like ages, I picked myself up, pulled out a handkerchief from my back pocket and dapped my wet eyes.
I caught sight of a doctor who was standing with a patient who seemed to be causing a ruckus. I paid no attention to that because my troubles were draining me. The patient had a cold demeanor because of how he talked and pushed me to the ground while walking away.
There was only one way out or so I thought, I couldn't think of anything else other than gulping down a few shots of vodka to clear my brain even though Emily, my roommate, had always teased me of being lightheaded.
"You'd blow your brain taking three shots of that," Emily had teased the first time I had shots of tequila. I hadn't listened to her and went ahead to take two more rounds. Now I think I'm due for that.
I needed to be strong for myself, maybe not for myself because I had no strength to push for myself anymore, but for my Mom whose life depends on how hard I worked… on every penny I worked.
I pulled out my phone from my back pocket. It was way past midday but my throat felt dry, I dialed Emily's number and pressed send. It rang for sometime but there was no response from her end. I decided to leave a message
"I just got fired, I won't be home till evening and I…" I paused. "I er- I just lost my job at the hospital and I'm okay you don't need to worry about me," I said into the mouthpiece of the phone, pressed send and started walking to the bar.
After walking for twenty minutes, in between cleaning the tears that forced their way out of the corner of my eyes, to checking my phone for any sign of Emily or my boss… ex-boss message I was finally in front of the bar.
I stepped into the bar and the sight wasn't what I had entirely envisioned, not like I was a regular at the bar or any other bat… it was much less dramatic given the fact that it was just past midday, most people were probably bent over their desks and working to earn a living.
"Come on in," the bartender gestured, waving his hands to me. When I scrutinized the bar, I could see everyone in it with my two fingers.
I weaved my way through the dimly lit bar to a table at the corner of the room, pulled out a stool and sat down. The bartender, a young guy with a curly head, walked up to me, he stared at me briefly and stretched his hands with the menu.
"I'd have tequila thanks," I said, not collecting the menu from him- there was no point. He nodded and turned back to get my order.
I rested my head on the table, I recalled the day it all fell apart, the gloomy Tuesday that fine-tuned my path, The day I lost my Dad. I had followed Mom to see Dad at the hospital… he seemed too strong to give in to the claws of death but maybe I had faith in him.
He was too weak to fight back and so, on that cloudy Tuesday I stood by the door of the hospital room where he received dialysis and watched the nurses turn the dialysis machine off and cover him. I had felt too numb to shout nor cry and even when Mom screamed and cried, I had turned around and ran away from the wards into the streets without looking back. I remember being so drenched by the downpour but I was still too stiff to leave the rain and run to a shelter.
We tried to hold up, Mom and I… she tried her best to not bring him up and I didn't even when we heard his voice through the walls of the house, through his scents that lingered, through his hearty laughter that once resonated the whole house. Mom had packed all his pictures and moved them to the attic. I pretended that it was the right thing to do. "To get over him," she had said, when moving his thing.
I nodded and slipped out a locket that had his picture without her notice, "That's okay too,". Everyother night I spent looking at the locket trying to wrap my head around my reality, that was the night I cried for his loss.
Little did I know more was to come, a few months after Dad's death, my Mom was diagnosed with stage three cancer, that was when I decided to drop out of college and provide the money for the hospital bills.
"Here's your order ma'am," . The bartender's voice cut through my thoughts, he smiled warmly and placed the glass on the table. "Thanks I–"
My phone beeped, cutting me off. It was Emily. I took a deep breath, I didn't want her to know I was in a bar at this time after being fired from work, she'd make a fuss and throw tantrums about how lightweight I was, so instead I hung up and sent her a text instead.
"I'm fine, don't worry about me… we'll talk later," I stared at the phone screen and hesitated for a bit before clicking send.
I ordered more shots. "Are you sure you can still take more in?" The bartender questioned when I ordered the third shot.I nodded and gestured for him to leave.
The effect of the alcohol was beginning to have its effect on me, I felt hazy and my legs were like jelly, I managed to walk to the bar without staggering.
"Please which way to the bathroom?" I questioned no one in particular.
The bartender pointed to his right and I immediately started making my way to the bathroom,cupping my mouth with my hands, I couldn't control the urge to throw up and I poured all the content in my mouth on the "floor".
"Who the hell are you!" An angry voice yelled. I squinted my eyes to get a perfect view of the person but I couldn't make out his image.
- Writer
