Life Bank: Exchanging life for money

Chapter Two

Two days had passed since Daniel met Raphael, and he had totally forgotten about their meeting. He was lazing on his bed, reading a gaming magazine, just like any other ordinary guy his age. He had just come home from the post office after sending out more resumes.
"Daniel, come help me change the light bulb!" his mother shouted from the kitchen.
"Later, okay?" Daniel shouted back, and continued reading the magazine. There wasn't any reply, which he took as a yes.
Very soon, his eyes became droopy and darkness took over.
It was very dark, and he saw a red light in one corner. There was a man seated on a solitary couch. In his hand was a glass of red fluid, likely red wine. Daniel started to walk towards him. As he neared the man, he realised that it was Raphael.
"Eh, what are you doing here?" Daniel asked.
"Waiting for you."
"For me?"
"Yes, waiting for your answer." Raphael smiled. "Soon, you will sign on the dotted line."
Daniel felt a chill slither down his spine.
Bang! A loud sound woke Daniel from his nightmare. He sat up, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Daniel, help! Daniel!" It was his mum's voice that had broken through his shock.
Daniel jumped out of the bed, a bad feeling in his gut. He ran into the kitchen and found his mum on the floor, clutching her hip. There were a ladder and a broken light bulb beside her.
"What happened?" He asked the obvious question.
"Call 995 for me. I think I broke my bones."
Daniel ran back into his room and quickly made the call. Soon, an ambulance arrived and carried them to the nearest hospital.

***

Sitting beside his mother's hospital bed, Daniel began to ponder the amount he needed to pay for his mother's surgery and hospital stay.
"Ugh," his mother grunted, to announce her awakening from the anaesthesia.
"How are you feeling?"
"Water..." his mum groaned.
Daniel took the water flask and poured out a glass. He held the glass to her lips, and his mother began to sip thirstily.
After a few sips, she held up her hand to signal that she'd had enough. Daniel put down the glass and said, "How is it?"
"Okay lah, a bit of pain and drowsiness," his mother replied before asking, "is my Medisave enough to pay for the hospital bill?"
"Don't worry about it. The bill will only come after you are discharged. The doctor says you need to stay for another three to five days before going for rehabilitation at the community hospital. I will settle it. You just worry about getting better," Daniel said, but with a heavy heart.
Why didn't I just help her when she asked? I should have known she would try changing the bulb herself. Idiot. Daniel couldn't believe what he had caused by his selfishness.
"Okay." His mother dosed back into dreamland.
Daniel's mother was the sole breadwinner in their house, but only as a part-time cleaner. Now that she was down with a fracture, she had to rest for three months before being fit enough to return to work. He could try asking Linda for help, but she wouldn't have much either. Daniel sighed.
Tap, tap. Daniel jumped. He turned and saw Linda. "It's you."
"How's auntie?"
"She is sleeping soundly." Daniel replied before requesting, "Do you mind staying and looking after her while I go back home to shower and change clothes? I will be back later."
"Sure, go on. I will take care of auntie."
"Thanks."

***

Daniel came out of the shower and wrapped himself in a towel before walking back into his room. He opened the wardrobe and start fumbling for his clothes. After he pulled them out, he placed them on the drawer and continued to dry his hair. When he deemed his hair dried, he pulled on his shirt, dragging the drawer open with it. Daniel saw the bankbook and remembered the things he'd heard about it.
He picked up the bankbook and pondered. Even though it was likely a fraud, he really needed the money. After all, it was his fault that his mum was in the hospital. He couldn't rightly make her pay for it.
He sat down on a chair, facing the table. He looked at the contract page and read it twice. "Hmmm, this is really stupid," he murmured as he stretched to get a penknife from the pencil holder on the table.
The blade slid out of the holder. He drew it across his finger, and a short line of crimson appeared. "Ouch."
He put down the blade and squeezed the finger a little. A thick drop of blood formed and fell down towards the bankbook. Time appeared to stop for a moment as the drop continued its flight, pulled by gravity.
The moment ended as the blood touched the bankbook and spread across the paper. The room suddenly felt cold, and an icy tickle crawled down his spine and into all his limbs. He shuddered.
Daniel quickly put on his clothes before returning his attention to the bankbook.
"Hmmm, surprisingly not much fanfare." Daniel scratched his head and looked at the chequebook. He flipped to page one and started scribbling the details for ten thousand notes. One month's worth of life just for testing wasn't too bad right, he convinced himself. Once done, he tore the cheque out and shouted, "Done!"
Nothing happened.
"Did I forget something?" He scratched his head harder. "Ah, the burning. Hmmm, where should I burn it?"
Daniel got an idea and walked into the kitchen. Facing the stove, he started a fire. As soon as the cheque touched the flame, it burst into a sickly green smoke. "Eek."
Still, no money appeared. Daniel looked left and right. Nothing. All for nothing. He'd really gotten duped. At least the cheque was a good party trick.
He dragged his disappointment into his room and continued to groom for his journey back to the hospital.
He took a look at the bankbook. Nothing changed.
Daniel left it and his room. Opening the door, he saw a postman with a parcel standing outside, about to press the doorbell.
"Yes?" Daniel asked.
"Parcel for Mr Daniel Chia. Is he home?"
"I am he." Daniel opened the gate.
The postman passed over the parcel to Daniel and gave him a piece of paper. "Please sign here. Thank you."
"Here, there you go." Daniel passed the signed form back to the postman, wondering who would have sent him a parcel. He was sure he hadn't made any purchase online recently.
Daniel brought the parcel back into the living room and began to play with it: weighed it with his hands, shook it, and listened for ticking sounds.
Soon, he gave up and simply opened the box with his bloodied penknife. His jaw dropped. The box contained stacks of fifty dollar notes. He took them out and began to count, ending with the number ten thousand.
It was real. He rushed to the bankbook and stared hard at the number. The balance stated $7,514,045.86.
"Wow, it is real! It really got me ten thousand dollars!" Reality dawned into him, and he started to feel his body to make sure the bankbook hadn't injured him in some way. "But I feel the same," he said wonderingly.
Suddenly, he remembered about his mother. He looked at the time. "Oh, it's so late already!" he cried, and raced to the hospital.

***

"What have you been doing? Do you know how late it's gotten?" Linda asked, frowning.
"Sorry, really sorry about it," Daniel said. "I was caught up with something. Er..." He searched his mind for an excuse. "Ah... someone from the company called. I got the job."
Linda jumped up with joy and forgot all about the wait. She was really glad about the good news; Daniel had been trying to get a job for two years, ever since he had left the National Service.
"What's the jumping all about?" Daniel's mum grunted.
"Oh, auntie, you are awake. Let me tell you the good news: Daniel got the job!" Linda excitedly tried to explain. She didn't see Daniel waving his hands for her to stop. He didn't want her to tell his mum his lie.
Daniel sighed when she didn't react, and stopped waving. It was too late to change his story, but he had nothing to lose by sticking to it. At least it made them happy.

***

The next day, Daniel made a trip to the bank to deposit the cash. It was too a big sum of money to be left at home. He walked over to the medicinal hall nearby to get some tonic for his mother. His mother had been taking care of him solo ever since his father died when Daniel was five. He'd heard that his father, a construction worker, had fallen to his death at work, but the monetary compensation had only fed them for a year or so. His mum had had to take multiple jobs to take care of him, so Daniel felt he should do something for his mother now that he had money.
After making the deposit, he took a cab to the hospital. When he entered the ward, he saw his mother sitting up, eating her lunch. "Mother, how's the food?"
"As tasteless as it has always been."
Daniel smiled, knowing his mother had been never been a fussy eater. "I got you something you like." He held the package aloft.
"Roasted duck leg rice!" his mother exclaimed. "You strike the jackpot or something?" She smiled happily as she unpacked it. They she went back to devouring her drumstick.
"It is my turn to take care of you now that I have a job."
"As long as you are happy, I will be happy. If you can get married soon and give me a few grandsons, I will be even happier!"
"Slowly, Mother," Daniel said, brushing the suggestion off.

***

Daniel assisted Linda into her chair. Linda was clearly surprised at his choice of restaurant. It was a famous and expensive place, and this was her first time eating French fine dining. She bent forward as Daniel took his seat. "You sure we have enough money to pay for this?"
"Don't worry about it. I've got it covered." Daniel smiled widely and winked.
"You won a lot of money from lottery, eh?"
"Do I need to win money to treat you to a well deserved dinner?" Daniel faked a hurt look.
"No, but you've just gotten a job. You should try save up first."
"Don't worry about it; they gave me a cheque for ten thousand dollars as a sign-up bonus."
"Oh! Really?"
"Erm, really," Daniel tried to reassure Linda.
Soon, dinner started, and they began to chat about the usual things. When the dinner came to an end, Daniel raised a question. "What do you think about marriage?"
"Are you proposing?" Linda looked shocked, a happy note raising her voice.
"No, not yet. Just want to hear your views, since we've been together for nearly five years already, and my mum is looking forward to it."
"Oh. Marriage is good, as long as both people are in love and committed," Linda replied, with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
"Well then, let's save up for a wedding, then. When we saved enough, we will get married. How does that plan sounds to you?" He smiled and brought out a ring, a simple one with a tiny diamond. "Think of this as a promise ring."
Linda clasped her hands to her mouth, and tears welled in her eyes. No words came out. No words could express her happiness at that moment. She just nodded vigorously.
"Shall I?" Daniel took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger, sealing the promise.
Linda stood up and hugged Daniel, a strong hug. "I will be there for you no matter what happens."
"I know." Daniel patted her head softly and allowed her to sob happily on his shoulder.

*****