Freezing Cold

Chapter 1: All By Myself

              Laying in his bed alone in his room, he was looking out the window, trying to fall back to sleep again, there was alot on his mind, maybe a little too much that he couldnt get out of bed. The nurse pulled into the drive way and beeped her horn, she got out of the car and carefully placed her keys in the door knob to open the door. The black and grey cat rushed over to the door to let the nurse know she was welcomed, the nurse was startled and she doesn't like cats that much because she thinks they are very creepy. She made her way upstairs to his bed room and called his name, "Mark, I'm here to give you your treatment," she yells to him. Mark slowly turns over to look at the door and stares at it until she came in, "Good Morning, Mr. Johnson." Mark lies there and groans to her, "Alright Mark, lets get started," he groans again. The nurse gently pulls the covers off of Mark and helps him up out of bed, Mark groans again and asks the nurse, "Do I have to do this," and the nurse answers, "Yes, its for your health," and Mark groans again. He didn't really like being treated like a baby in his own home, he feels like he can take care of himself, witch that is false suggestion, his nurse will not let him out of her sight at any time she's taking care of him during the day.

                            Mark gets up and gets ready for work, the nurse irons his clothes and got his shower water ready. Mark got in the shower, put on his suit, and headed down stairs. The nurse cooked him a healthy breakfast meal, she has the plate in her hand and says, "Here you are, Mr. Johnson, a fresh meal to start your day." Mark looks at the plate when he comes up to the counter, and groans a little, he sits down and grabs his fork and starts to eat very slowly. The nurse continuously starts asking him questions about the meal, "It's okay," he says to the nurse. He slams his fork on the plate and heads out for work, "Goodbye, Mr. Johnson, make sure you answer your beeper this time through out the day," she said to him, "Yeah, yeah," Mark  says and slams the door. Mark gets in his car and squeezes the steering wheel very tightly and takes a deep breathe, he starts his car and pulls out of the drive way. As soon as he gets on the beltway, his beeper rings and does the survey while in traffic, he takes another deep breathe and shakes his head. Sitting in traffic, hearing car horns, inpatient people, and huge trucks so he couldn't see what was going on, he sits there quietly, and more patiently, as long as no one bothered him, nothing happened to him. Then it was this one car behind him that wouldn't stop beeping their horn, he kept doing it and it was really loud, Mark tried to turn his radio up to cover up the horns and the horn behind him, it worked.

                                   "Mr. Gates, I'm very sorry--," "Don't apologize, Mr. Johnson," he said with his hand up, "That's you're fourth time being late to this company, I cant stand for it anymore, Mr. Johnson," "But, I'm trying sir," "I'll try to make it on time next time sir," "Fix your tie, Mr.Johnson," he says walking away headed to another location. Mark never liked his boss, and 3his boss never liked him, then ever a woman was late or another man was late, he'll say, "No worries, sweetheart," or "I understand sir, you are a very busy man," but when it comes to him, his nothing but rude. Mark goes over and sits at his desk and turns on his computer. While prepping to get started, one of his co-workers come over to him, "Hey Mark, you had another conflict with the boss huh? That doesn't look good on your record," "Back off, Oscar, you have no right," "Or do I, after all, I'm the one that gets paid better than everyone around here," he laughs, "Well..one day you'll have to work harder than anyone else in this camp," Mark looking up at him, Oscar laughing at him, "Sure, and you'll be exactly where you are right now, down in the dirt," walking away laughing, sipping his coffee. Mark didn't like Oscar neither, he was like his boss because he has a higher position than he did.

                       During work hours, Mark was very tired and he was hunched over like he was old, he didn't want to go to work, he wanted to lay in his bed and not be bothered by anyone. "Mark! Wassup my man!" "Jeff! I'm so glad you stopped by today!" The only thing Mark loves about his job is Jeff and Jeff only. He always made things better for Mark, it got him in the mood to actually do something during work. "What are you doing today, hopefully not sit in the house like you always do," "Well, those are the plans," "Why are you always sitting in the house man," "I don't know, maybe its the one place I love being and that makes me feel comfortable," "What do you even do in your house man," "Uh...well..." Mark sits and thinks for a moment, "Well, I lay in my bed and sometime watch TV, or play with my cat, or I..eat," "Ughh, com' on man, you can do better things than that," "I don't think I can man, I just feel very comfortable in there," "Well, don't you think its time for you to get out the house, get out of your comfort zone." Mark kinda feels a little bit pressured, he started to groan and slide down in his seat. "Woah, man. No pressure, you don't have to go if you don't want to, but as a friend its my job to take you out of your comfort zone and try new things," "I guess," Mark slides more in his seat. "Okay man, hit me up when you're done being a wimp, still love you though," Jeff laughs and walk away slowly.

                         When Mark went home that day, he felt bad for acting that way in front of Jeff, even though Jeff has seen it many times. He took off his clothes and went to lay in his bed, it was only 4 o'clock in the evening, then his cat came to comfort him and Mark cuddled with him. Mark started to think about how it would be out side the house with Jeff, he didn't want to think about it too much, because then he would want to do it. Thinking to hard is Mark's specialty, every time he would tell himself no, he'll keep thinking about it and his mind would be telling him yes, and that's what's happening right now. The women, the drinking, the money, the popularity, he was thinking about the glory he would have, quitting his filthy job. He started to smile in his bed, and as he thinks about it, he thinks about the last time he had a reaction, and he really can't think of it. Now he starting to think Jeff was right, he does need to get out the house more. Mark got up out of bed and made a phone call.

                     The very next morning, it was the same old morning routine. The nurse was already at the house when he woke up, he had an attitude with her, and of course the nurse was having patience with Mark. Going to work, Mark was thinking about what he thought about last night, about what Jeff said, and how it would feel for his very own self. When he arrived at work, he went straight to Jeff's desk. "Hey, Jeff," "Hey, Mark, wassup?" "Nothing I just wanted to ask you something," "Yeah go ahead." Mark hesitated, he didn't want Jeff to feel uncomfortable and pressured to tell him everything, he took a deep breathe and spoke, "Would you like to have lunch with me?" That was not what he wanted to ask, 'Sure, where?" "How about 'The King of Sandwiches'?" "Ooo, I love that place! Alright, I'm in!" "Okay, see you then," Mark says. Mark
felt embarrassed because that not what he met to say, he just went over to his desk and thought about asking him when they go to lunch. Until that time came, he was working on some paper work, then a strange woman walked up to his desk, "Hey, Mark," Mark turns around and sees a hunky, hour glass woman standing there with a cup of coffee in her hand, "hello, Sasha," "How are you doing this fine day?" "I'm fine, trying to do better," "That's good, you look better too," she says with a smirk on her face.

                              Mark looks at her and her chest, her neck was out and her two buttons were unbuttoned at the top, he's never seen a woman so fine, he hasn't even been with a woman sense his sophomore year in high school. Mark started to have trouble saying his words to her, he thought her pencil skirt hugged her body perfectly. "Do you have something to say, Mark?" "No, I'm just...uh..it was nice seeing you Sasha," "Oh, you too, Mark, keep up the good work," she waves at him and walks away swiftly. Mark couldn't do anything but stare at her, he almost forgot the lunch he was suppose to have with Jeff. He quickly grabbed his things and he went to his car and waited for Jeff, he was still thinking about Sasha though.