For You

Chapter 7

They couldn't go home.

Douglass' men rubbed their heads as the light reflected off the stubble on their chins. Flies buzzed around the coffee stains on the table, trailing to a map that lay before them. The men shifted their gaze from the map to their phones, pressing against the hems of their shirts as they looked down at the screens.

They hadn't showered in weeks; home had become a leash. They all sighed at the hundreds of missed calls from their respective partners and friends. Their boss hadn't called yet, but considering his outburst last time, it couldn't be good news.

"He's probably preparing our funeral," one mumbled remembering that table. If it hadn't missed then...

"I haven't even written my will yet."

"I would give you guys a list of all the things I want for my funeral, but we're all going down together."

Everyone sighed in unison.

Ray knocked a water bottle against a desk, causing water to spurt from the container like a sprinkler. They had hidden in his basement long enough.

"SNAP OUT OF IT."

"Easy for you to say. You're his secretary. What happens to us doesn't affect you."

"If it didn't, you wouldn't be here." He paused, rubbing his temples. "A bad mood can affect productivity, which affects business deals, leading to no money. Think of your families and get back to work."

Ray made his way to leave, turning back to watch their bodies deflate into the couches.
Their eyes reflected the red glow from their screens, their shirts hanging loosely on their thinned frames. Mountains of beer cans crashed against their feet, tingling as they touched their toes.

"Wait," one of the men called out, holding up his phone. "I think I might have found something."

"I'll deal with the boss until then." Ray said

And with that, he left.