THE DARKNESS ON MY HORIZON

Camil’s first step

It was a beautiful morning. I got down from my bed and stretched my body, breathing in the freshness of the new day. Without wasting time, I went straight to my closet and changed into a long-sleeve fitted top and joggers that perfectly outlined my shape, from my slim waist to my moderate curves and well-formed hips. I put on my sneakers, grabbed my headpiece, already connected to my phone, fitted it snugly into my ears, and stepped out of my room.

I jogged down the stairs and out through the gate, enjoying the cool morning breeze as I set off on my usual run.

Some minutes later, I was done. Sweaty but refreshed, I returned home, headed straight to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of cold water, and drank it to my satisfaction. Feeling relieved, I walked gently back to my room. I settled on a couch tucked in the corner, my thin, attentive eyes glued to my phone as my fingers scrolled aimlessly across the screen.

I was doing what had sadly become my regular routine…online shopping. Well, more like online window shopping. I drooled over the cute bags and purses displayed on my screen, fantasizing about owning them, until reality hit me hard. I was too broke to afford any of them.

Annoyed, I dropped my phone with a sigh. Just as I was starting to drift into frustration, I heard footsteps approaching my door. I already knew exactly who it was. My sister. It had become a daily ritual for Sansa to barge into my room with the same question: “Have you gotten a job yet?”

Right on cue, Sansa stormed in, waving a flier in her hand and thrusting it at me.

“I found this flier,” she said, her eyes glinting mischievously. “They’re hiring people around your age.”

I groaned internally. So this is it. No more running. No more excuses. This is my fate now.

“Okay! I’ll apply,” I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. “But if I get rejected again or if the working hours are too late, I’m done. I’ll stop looking for a job forever. I’ll never work again.”

Of course, I was joking, but Sansa’s deathly glare made it clear I better not even think about following through on that threat. That glare never ended well.

Without wasting another second, I sat up straight and immediately sent out emails to the companies listed on the flier.

“Good,” Sansa said, satisfied, and walked out of my room.

I had completed high school the previous year when I was just eighteen. At that age, a lot of parents felt it was time to kick their children out to fend for themselves. Mine did exactly that. With no other options, I ran to Sansa. She was gracious enough to let me stay…with one condition: I had to get a job.

Ugh.

The rest of the day dragged on as I lay in bed, glued to my phone, obsessively checking my inbox for any job approvals.

Later in the afternoon, my phone buzzed with a notification. My heart skipped a beat as I quickly snatched it up, hoping it was a response from one of the companies.

But no. It was just another ad for a beautiful, fancy bag I couldn’t afford. I sighed and set my phone aside.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.

The Next Day

I woke up very early the next morning. The first thing I did was check my email, but still nothing. Not a single response. I dragged myself out of bed, the weight of disappointment heavy in my feet, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

After brushing my teeth, I changed into a simple, short, red, free-flowing gown and went downstairs to make breakfast.

Not long after, Sansa appeared, fully dressed in a sleek black suit with a stylish, minimalistic handbag and black heels…ready to leave for work.

“Any progress on the job?” she asked casually, adjusting her sleeves.

“Not at all,” I sighed.

“I can’t wait for you to get a job so you’ll stop eating my food morning, afternoon, and night. Look at you now, you’re getting fat,” she teased, rolling her eyes.

“I can’t wait to start working either,” I said hopefully. “I’m tired of sitting at home all day.”

“Lazy ass,” Sansa mumbled as she headed out the door before I could clap back.

As much as I pretended not to care, I knew I needed this job more than anyone else. I couldn’t depend on Sansa forever. I had dreams…dreams of finally being able to afford the fancy bags and beautiful clothes I constantly drooled over online. I wanted to buy those things for myself, not just stare at them on a screen.

Hours later, the sound of Sansa’s car horn jolted me awake. I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen asleep again. I lay there for a few minutes, too weak to move, until a sharp pain under my abdomen snapped me back to reality. I realized I’d been holding my urine for too long.

Panicked, I rushed to the bathroom, narrowly avoiding disaster, then walked back to my room, feeling a wave of relief.

Without much enthusiasm, I picked up my phone and scrolled through my notifications. Suddenly, something caught my attention…a notification from my email. My heart raced as I quickly opened it.

My eyes widened in disbelief. Three emails. All job acceptances.

It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but the offers were reasonable. I practically flew out of my room to share the news with Sansa.

She was lounging on the sofa in the living room, her eyes fixed on the television. I jumped on her excitedly, hugging her and showing her the emails.

“I hope you don’t get rejected this time,” she teased, smiling.

“Why do you always have to kill my vibe?” I pouted as I sat beside her.

“By the way,” Sansa said, shifting topics, “there’s a party I have to attend the day after tomorrow. Will you come with me? I really don’t want to go alone.”

“Sure, sure! I’d love to go,” I said, grinning ear to ear. It would be my first time attending a night party with her.

Still buzzing with excitement, I picked up my phone again to double-check the interview dates and times. But what I saw left me completely frozen in shock.