Shackled

Chapter 4: Cody

As I watch for more guests to come to the check stands, my watch beeps letting me know its time to take my lunch. I politely excuse myself from the stand and head to the back room. I clock out, take off my uniform and set it in a nearby locker, not bothering to lock it as I trust most of my coworkers. I wave politely to anyone walking past me returning from their breaks, and smile at my manager and give him a thumbs up. "Finished those carts, no more toys to put out today." 

"Thanks, could you please just cashier the rest of the day?" My manager asks me. It's not my favorite thing to do at this place but I certainly don't mind it. I've met some pretty interesting people while doing it and some have made me laugh a little. I also do enjoy wishing people to have a good day especially when mine has turned horrible. 

"Of course." I say while walking to the nearby vending machines. "As soon as I get back from lunch." I take out my card and swipe it and order some noodles to eat. I take them from the machine, open them, pour some water in the cup that holds them and set it in a nearby microwave. I pull my phone from my pocket along with my earbuds and plug it in, getting ready to listen to some music. To be polite, I don't turn it up all the way and don't sing along to it as there are other coworkers still in here. 

I see one of my friends Zoey sitting by herself and I go over to sit by her. "How's the shift going?" I ask her as I pull out one of my earbuds. She looks up at me, her dark blue eyes along with her jet black hair and pierced purple lips give her an almost gothic looking appearance. That and even though she is supposed to wear a uniform, she normally wears black. 

"It's actually not too bad today!" She says cheerily. Even though Zoey usually looks like she wants to murder someone she's actually one of the most cheery and uplifting people here at my work. "There was this really nice girl who asked me to help her with some clothes and she wasn't rude about it."

"Are people normally rude about it?" I ask her as I don't work in the beauty department. 

"Actually yes." She says. "You'd be surprised how angry people are while purchasing clothes."

I laugh a little. "Or while you're touching their clothes at the check outs." 

Zoey rolls her eyes. "That's the worst. Some woman actually bitched me out the other day for it. Like I'm sorry bitch but I have to scan those so you can pay for it." 

The microwave beeps and I stand up to go get it. "Be right back." I tell her. I walk over to the microwave and grab my noodles. As I set them down to grab a nearby fork, I have to steady myself as a song I didn't want to listen to anymore comes on. 

Memories climb my wall like vicious soldiers and attack me. The touch of her skin against mine as I hold her. The soft feeling of her lips against mine. The passionate intimacy we shared as we made love. Smaller memories of us hanging out at the mall and buying things together. Her trying on sexy outfits that I loved. Oh God they would be used on someone else! Fuck her! I miss her! I love her! Stupid bitch I wish you the worst! Leave me alone! How could you do this to me? You were supposed to be my ride or die! There she is fucking someone else, kissing them and loving on them. They are feeling her soft lips, her smooth skin her amazing body. They are living with her, growing with her, creating children with her. All the things I ever desired taken from me by the new guy. The one that is her "one". Her everlasting soulmate that I could never be. 

I try to steady my wall and reinforce it trying to burn the vicious soldiers that attack me. I throw rocks at them, throw fire, drown them but still they come. Bigger ones start appearing and I know I won't be able to hold them off as they bring catapults that will force themselves through.