Breaking The Rules

7

8pm came all to quickly and I exhale as I sat on one of the empty cots nearest the west hall wall. I kicked off the slip on sneakers and sat with my legs folded as they screamed from all the walking I did the past few days. It was only mid week and yet I felt like I had walked a marathon every day since I started this job.

"Hey, Zach, right?"

"Hi. Yep, that's me." I say, too weak to stand.

"You can head on out. It seems that the day rush has ended so the night staff can handle the shift now. See you in the morning."

"Oh great. Thanks Marcus."

He walks away without so much as a smile and I weakly braced the wall as all energy in my body left hours ago. Dreadful of the long walk home, I sighed once more before slipping on my sneakers, heading for my belongings and existing the quiet hospital.

I vaguely considered the fact that Nickoli would be waiting for me in his car like he did last night but after ducking and hiding for a few minutes, it was made quite clear he wasn't nearby.

With renewed strength and a fear that could cripple even a giant, I quickly made my way home. It surprised me at how fast I got there, a record of only 20 minutes and this time I shut and bolted my door and locked all windows before finally being able to breathe easy.

Was this over dramatic?

Yes.

Did I care?

Exactly.

By 9:30 I had already prepared everything for work in the morning and I settled onto my bed with the remnants of the fast food Nickoli bought for me. Against my better judgment, thoughts of him flooded my mind and I wondered if he was okay. I had already started to miss the guy after only seeing him for two days and try as I might I couldn't find it in me to be fearful of him.

The night was passed by tossing and turning as my mind created a loop of nightmares with me as the sacrificial star and the man I tried hard not to think of as the man wielding the weapon of torture.

Morning came all too quickly and I contemplated whether or not to call in sick. Deciding against another reason to force my parents' hands in visiting me, I dragged my weary self out of bed and got ready for the long day ahead.

I made the last bowl of ramen for breakfast and had a glass of cold water before my phone showed that if I didn't leave soon I'd be late again. Making a mental note to stop at the supermarket after work for groceries, I locked up before starting the walk to work.

My route today was filled with ducking and hiding behind dumpsters, sides of buildings and near cars as I tried my best to avoid anyone even remotely gang related.

To those persons heading to work, school or on an early morning run, I looked like a deranged man who had a little too much crack for his first time on the wild side. Snorting slightly at that thought, I gathered myself and headed into the quiet building.

"Morning." I say to the security as I passed him at the gate.

He lifts his head and offers me a tired smile before once more looking at his phone. I knew he was waiting for his relief and so I headed towards my locker in order to store my bag and jacket away.

Today was an unusually hot day and I took a deep breath to mentally prepare myself for the strenuous workload before I slipped in my AirPods and walked off to find my boss for the day.

Midday comes at a slow pace and I groaned as I sat on an unoccupied cot, feet crossed whilst a TikTok video played on repeat.

"Hey! Zach, hi."