Within the Mist- Maylor

Payback Check

This was it. Yet another hard day, not to say that every other minute of his life was spent dreading anything that came his way. Today was different, in all the bad ways and he wasn't ready to see the last of it. And there were several reasons for his undying apathy for today, ones that confused him to say the least. No answers to go along with them, as usual and that was the thing that he hated the most about it. Not knowing anything always found its way under his skin and it was bad enough being left in the dark but there was a limit set on it. The limit was when the unknown stemmed down to himself, and the sense of being lost settled in, a feeling that brought out his deepest insecurities that threatened to take him down with them. As long as he was around, he wouldn't let his guard down and give his inner demons the chance they wanted to become stronger than him. 

But that didn't mean that he didn't believe them, in fact he did and that was the thing fueling the confusion that went on with him. On one hand, he never wanted to see William again from the hot bubbling anger that boiled up in him from all the time that he had been under his control, letting himself to be tormented without stop. Fear settled in, replacing the fury in the void that filled him. Nothing else could've been worse than the utter fear that dared to bring him down as he was too weak to stand up for himself, the voices coming back to haunt him once more. If he couldn't do it then, what would make him think that he could do it now? The other side of him said otherwise, saying something different from his troubled self. 

Deep down, the last bit of strength he had in him churned up within him and grew stronger. At times, it reached a point to where he came to the thought that he would be able to be stronger than William's harsh words for once and not let them get through to him. There was no way of knowing what he was expected to feel. It was the hardest thing to figure out in the mixes of emotions that filled him. Sighing, taking one look at his uniform was what it took to get him onto the right track once more. Memories of his father flooded back into mind, replacing all the negative ones of William that were consuming his thoughts and taking over everything and gaining the strength that was nowhere to be found again in him. Another part of him shifted in that moment, the part of him that told him that he could do this on his own and had the power to stand up for himself and not let himself get pushed around anymore. That was the feeling that was too sole for him and was a stranger to him at that very moment. But it wouldn't stop him in any manner, in fact, it fueled the determination that crept in slowly as time went on. Not waiting for another second, he got the rest of his things together and was out the door, into the unknown nature of the day that awaited him.

...

The path never seemed to end, each step going nowhere but into the unknown. But that wasn't true, it was his mind not ready to see the monster that was William and deal with anymore of the bullshit he did to only ruin his life further than what he had already done. It was no use complaining now, he would have to face him someday and that day had come in a few seconds. Still taking some time to mentally prepare, he was cut short with the familiar building coming into view. Oh no...this was really happening. The fact that Brian's shift wasn't until later and wouldn't be around unsettled him further. Not stopping, he continued on his path into a place of mixed memories and it didn't take long for the all too usual feelings to come back, both of dread and some other negative things. But then again, the appreciation of being able to set foot in the place that was special to him settled in and drove him to take the last step and walk in. The comforting atmosphere of the bookstore filled him and replaced the harsh feelings in the void left by William when he had fired him. Just as he was forgetting about the incident and the bad experiences he had been put through, his view made its way over to the very person that haunted his dreams and gave him hell. William. He was talking to one of his friends that Roger also hated, he had harsh feelings for anyone that could stand to be around Will's presence.