Eclipsed

Chapter 37

The sun had barely risen that day, casting long shadows across the streets of the small town. Valen, barely out of his teens, stood outside the building where he had just lost his job. His breath was shallow as he fumbled with the worn leather strap of his bag. The job was supposed to be a fresh start—a chance to prove to everyone, especially himself, that he could make something of himself. But that wasn't how things went.

He had been hired as a clerk for a small but busy delivery service company. The pay wasn't much, but it was steady work, and he needed something to hold onto after everything had fallen apart. When he had first walked in for the interview, he'd been nervous—sweating, his palms clammy as the manager had asked him about his previous experience. He had none, but he managed to convince them that he was a quick learner. And he had been, for the most part.

At first, it felt like a dream. The early mornings, the smell of coffee in the break room, the camaraderie of his coworkers as they packed up parcels and sorted deliveries. Valen was one of the first to arrive each day, always eager to prove himself, though most of his efforts were either ignored or unnoticed. But that was fine. As long as the work kept coming, he could handle it. He could live with the indifference, even if it stung sometimes.

Then, about a month into the job, a new hire came in. His name was Marcus. He was tall, with a clean-cut appearance and an easy smile. Marcus was everything Valen wasn't—confident, charismatic, and capable. Valen watched him as he blended seamlessly into the team, quickly picking up on tasks Valen had struggled with. The manager began to take notice. Soon enough, Valen was relegated to the sidelines as Marcus began taking on more responsibilities, getting more praise from the higher-ups, and slowly inching Valen out of his position.

Valen tried to hide the anger inside him. He worked harder, faster, more efficiently, trying to prove his worth. But the more he worked, the more it felt like he was being buried under the weight of his own failures. Marcus, on the other hand, seemed to rise effortlessly, his charm and skill turning heads at every corner. It wasn't long before the manager pulled Valen aside.

"I'm sorry, Valen," the manager said, his voice uncharacteristically sympathetic. "But we've decided to go with Marcus for the full-time position. He's just... he's a better fit for the company, you know?"

Valen could feel his heart drop into his stomach, but he forced a smile. "I understand."

It wasn't the first time Valen had been told he wasn't good enough, but it didn't make it hurt any less. The manager offered him a handshake, and Valen took it mechanically, his eyes not meeting the other man's. The moment was fleeting—he was no longer needed. And with that, his world seemed to shatter a little more.

Walking out of the building, Valen stared at the ground, his mind racing. He had always been the one who fell short. He never seemed to fit into anyone else's mold, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the feeling of being out of place. The world was moving forward, and he was standing still, left behind.

At home, things weren't much better. His parents, who had once harbored dreams for him, had long since given up. His father, a stern, pragmatic man, had always been tough on him, convinced that Valen was too soft, too distracted by the world outside. His mother, though kinder, had always seemed to prefer his younger brother, who had shown early promise in his academics and sports.

"Another failure?" his father had asked when Valen walked through the door, the resignation in his voice as though he had been expecting it all along.

"I tried," Valen muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Trying isn't enough," his father said, his face hardening. "You've been trying your whole life, and where has it gotten you? Nowhere."

Valen clenched his fists at his sides. He could feel his mother's eyes on him, but she said nothing. She never did.