The Night Shift

Prologue

Nights like these made Jeremy question why he had taken this job in the first place. After all, who in their right mind would willingly work the night shift at a shifty looking laboratory as a porter? The answer: a truly desperate man.

Jeremy was such a man.

Having built up a large amount of debt in his short lifetime of only 24 years and having no tertiary education to fall back on, this was his only option. At least, if he wanted to avoid the debt collector and quite possibly jail time. 

It was quite the stroke of luck really, that saved him from incurring even more debt on his name. It had been an ordinary Thursday morning, the rain coming down in sheets as the autumn season grew to a close, and him standing in front of the lotto machine at the corner shop, checking over the numbers of the five tickets he had bought. None of them promised success in the end. He was about to use the last of his money to buy another ticket, in the hopes that the winnings would at least allow him to pay his rent for the small room he was currently living in and avoid being evicted. The landlady was kind… but he doubted her husband would allow him to skid by another month without paying up.

That was when it happened. Almost like those catalysts in films where the hero bumps into something or someone that dramatically changes their lives. And in Jeremy’s case, he supposed it did.

Michael, an old acquaintance from school, had walked into Moreli’s that very morning, folding up his umbrella and recognizing Jeremy instantly. 

“Spomer? My gosh, how have you been?” he had exclaimed, slapping Jeremy on the back. “It’s been ages!”

“It sure has,” Jeremy responded kindly, still clutching the used lottery tickets. “I’ve been good. How about you?” he asked, suddenly eyeing the expensive watch and tailored clothes on the young man’s body with slight envy. 

“I’ve been great, man. Found a good job, currently working as a clinical technician at Alinity Labs.”

“That’s…” Jeremy had to stop himself from sounding petty, “That’s great, hey? I’m really happy for you.” He didn’t miss Michael’s expression slip slightly and knew that he had let some of his bitterness seep through. 

“Yeah,” he replied, suddenly eyeing the contents within Jeremy’s hand. “No luck, I take it?” The scowl that formed on Jeremy’s face was answer enough. “I never put much stock in the lottery. Chances of winning are next to none, if you do the math…”

Feeling utterly humiliated and slightly ashamed, Jeremy turned on his heel. “Yeah? Guess I’ll have to sit down and do the ‘math’ at some point. Maybe then I’ll be able to land a great job like you, huh?” he said, before marching off to the cashier, eager to take the ticket and get out. In hindsight, he supposed he was hoping for too much. After making his purchase, he had barely made it a few steps from the cashier on his way out of the shop, when he heard that infuriating voice again.

“Hey, Spomer!”

Begrudgingly, he turned around, facing the man of the hour with an accusatory glance.

“Yes?” he answered abruptly, shoving his ticket in his pocket.

“Look,” Michael responded, coming to a stop in front of him, “I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot back there,” he laughed.

“Gee, you think?” Jeremy retorted. A tinge of pink appeared on the well-off man’s face as he scratched the back of his head.

“My bad, I guess,” he started, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pen. “Do you still have those old lottery tickets from earlier?” he asked. Jeremy huffed in annoyance.