The Truly Jobless

It wasn't a normal sensation I was having something a bit different, something that took the breath from you and gave it something new, I took in one last breath that's mean everything came crashing down, I got up out of bed to watch as the flames engulfed my valuables, all kinds of thoughts were going through my head my life flashed before the tears and smile of long ago but they all told me one thing.

Crash, the glass landed shattered on the floor my breathing was heavy I knew I didn't have much longer, I watched as a tall man stood over me, it was here the end

"Ashley you are here by kicked off the fire department recruitment program"

"But"

"No buts, you were told to rescue the doll but instead you fell asleep in the same bed as it,"

There isn’t much women can do at this stage but just walk away with a head full of shame.

The lights flickered with that hint of cliché as I the lonely girl walked down the street. Everyday a new job every night the same sadness, but those things didn't slow down a resilient person. Lucky for me I'm not resilient.

Now as I made my way up the narrow path to the apartments.

A cat now walked beside me. No words were said just a friendship made from dust which lead us both to the letter boxes, through the door, to the elevator, away from the elevator because it was full, up the stairs, to the apartment door, back down stairs because we forgot the keys in the mailbox, back to the stairs, to the elevator because it was empty and no one likes walking up 7 flights of stairs, through the apartment door and into bed.

The sun rose just like every morning and just like every morning my one night stand ended with me waking up alone with an empty wallet.

"Ahh home sweet home" I yawned as the neighbour’s roosters screeched their words through the building,

"Nothin like a good routine,"

The sun was behind me as I made my way up to the police station; the box of donuts and the gun in my back pocket my only tickets for this ride.

All eyes were on my chest, I could feel their eyes peeling away the only layer of protection. If anything was scary it was the way the fat man behind the counter licked his lips, and with ever new eye on them I felt like I would lose it and just take them out right then and there, but I had to keep my cool. As I approached the counter they all licked their lips one more time. I grasped the top and began to lift I took one last breath and looked the police chief in the eyes "give me a job and they're all yours" I exclaimed

"Deal"

I closed my eyes knowing I could never deal with this but when I reopened my eyes the that I held so close to my chest was empty, sprinkles and doughnut crumbs covered the floor

"So when do I start?".

A few weeks had passed since I joined the force and not a single thing gone wrong so far (that is if you don't count one shooting and 2 unconfirmed kills) Since I joined the force they fixed all the flickering lights by turning them off as I walk down a pitch black street I begin to feel like my life has changed like a new light has turned on and an old one turned off my insides began to feel warm, and I hate it.

All was pretty dull until I walk down the path where something caught my attention.

"Meow”

I turn to see the scruffy cat from weeks ago

"Oh it's you" I say in the tone of someone who doesn't care

"Meow meow"

"What do you mean low budget?"

"Meow meow meow meow"

"No that does not make me want to go"

"Meow”

"Fine but only because you say it's good quality"

As I now follow the dead bet cat through dark alley ways I can’t help but keep one hand on my gun, soon we arrive at a circle of cats siting around a tiny table playing tiny black jack.

And just as the cat promised they kick over a big bag of catnip

But not a single paw was lay on that bag before the sirens and red and blue lights began to flare

And before I knew it I was all alone, no cats just a human backing up against a wall while holding a gun at a police officer. BANG.

I lay in bed awake,

That had to have been a dream.

The next morning I got up and just walked to work in my PJs but when I came through the solid oak doors the only attention was on a tall ginger haired man "hello everyone" he announced "as some of you may already be aware the chief was shot last night and is now. Dead."