Big Corp Inc. (G/T)

Part 22: Eviction

Candy was miserable after such an excruciating day. Her financial problems had only worsened, and her eviction was imminent. Her first date with Martin was supposed to be special, but it had been ruined. She had been eaten again, a horrifying trial and a reminder of how hazardous the large side of the city was for her, how weak and helpless she was when confronted with dangerous, hungry Giants. Candy wanted to give up, but she didn't have that luxury. Once she showered to rid herself of Bucky's filthy saliva, she crashed on her bed with the hope that a new day would bring fresh reflections.

The next day was Saturday, so luckily for her she could sleep in and didn't have to go to work. She didn't feel motivated to get out of bed once she was awake. She stared at the ceiling and contemplated her options regarding housing. Although calling her parents to ask for help was technically a choice, she was loath to do so. Candy was estranged from her parents. When she dropped out of high school, they effectively disowned her and told her she would never amount to anything. She felt crushed under the weight of their expectations and disappointment, especially since they seemed to be right. Crawling back to them would be admitting her own failure, and she simply couldn't do it. She wanted to succeed on her own merits and prove them wrong, even if it meant being homeless for a while. Her hope was that she just had to wait it out, until the banks could issue her the right currency.

Candy had friends, but most of them were just as broke as she was. Additionally, many of them had boyfriends. Candy knew they wouldn't take too kindly to having a very attractive girl like her move in, even as a friend. She didn't want to cause any drama or resentment. Furthermore, she had no timetable for when she would be able to support herself, and she didn't want to become a burden on anyone. That avenue was another dead end.

She got dressed, and went downstairs to the landlord's office to plead her case to Bob. Maybe he would take pity on her. That false hope drained away when he refused to budge on his ultimatum. He was growing weary of her excuses and didn't believe she would ever be able to pay. He was skeptical of her story and doubted she would be able to keep her job, since she had already lost so many due to her incompetence. He was eyeing the apartment and had a new tenant lined up to move in, since he had correctly discerned that Candy wouldn't have the rent money ready.

Candy trudged back up the stairs in despair. She wouldn't be able to take all her things with her, so she grabbed her suitcase and packed up the essentials. Her furniture was cheap, so it wasn't a catastrophic loss, but she had no idea where she was going. She was going to miss having a reliable place to live, a bed to sleep in, and a roof over her head. She spent the rest of the weekend moping about, trying and failing to come up with ideas.

Monday was the first of the month. Candy was awakened by a pounding knock on the door first thing in the morning. She rolled out of bed and answered the door to find Bob outside with a few big muscular guys ready to move her stuff out.

"It's time, Candy," Bob informed her, looking apologetic.

"Okay," Candy sighed. "Give me five minutes and I'll be gone." Candy closed the door and got ready for work while the men waited out in the hallway. She opened the door again, handed Bob the key, and left, suitcase and backpack in tow. With nowhere else to go, she headed to work with her belongings. She boarded the railcar, which was empty as always, and watched the oversized scenery pass by while she lamented. She allowed herself the luxury of shedding a few tears while she was alone so that she could hold her emotions back once she got to work. She didn't want anyone to know her shame, or to see her crying. Not even Martin.

Candy lugged her suitcase out of the railcar and rolled it along the human pathway into the massive lobby. The universe took pity on her for once, and she was able to board the elevator without being seen or getting stuck on the wrong floor. Candy traversed the long road to her cubicle and stashed her suitcase under her desk in a corner where no Giant would see it. She turned on her computer and silently got to work, throwing herself into her tasks to distract her from her troubles.