I Shouldn’t Have Come to Work Today
Chapter ten
I Shouldn't Have Come to Work Today
Alex
I pull up to Keystone Manor in my shit-box Camry.
I suppose that’s not a fair assessment of it, the thing has almost three hundred thousand miles on it and I had only recently learned about the concept of an oil change before my death.
No need now, it’s probably at the bottom of one of the lakes on this property.
I’m running late today, and I’m psyching myself up for the verbal lashing I’m about to get from Kayla. Last week was the busiest week we’ve had in years and there is a lot to do to get ready for summer rush.
I run through the front door at a sprint. “I’m so sorry I’m late, please don’t fire me, I need this job! My car needs an oil change!”
But Kayla is nowhere to be found. I race around trying to find her and eventually hear raised voices coming from the living room.
There, I see three big, tattooed guys sitting on the couch and they do not look pleased.
I don’t know what they were discussing, but Kayla is looking at me in shock, frozen to her seat.
“Oh fuck. You’re not supposed to be here. I sent you an email about your paid time off!”
“You know I don’t read my emails; I told you to text me things!”
Just then, something shiny on the coffee table catches my eye. A gun. Next to it is a huge pile of money. On the floor next to that is an even larger pile of money in a duffle bag.
Jealousy is one of the seven deadly sins, Alex.
I look from the coffee table to the very pissed off… Russians? One stands up and reaches behind his back, and that is my cue to leave. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know how this goes. I can’t die, I have bills to pay and a hotel to clean.
I hold my hands up and start backing away.
“Okay, so I’m uh, gonna go take that vacation now.
” Kayla is looking at me with an unreadable expression.
Not good, not good. I know she’s never liked me much.
Says I talk too much and hates that I force her to watch Days of Our Lives in the lobby every day.
The audacity. She wouldn’t… do anything to me, would she?
This is really starting to look like a drug deal or something.
As I’m contemplating running, one of the Russians says, “Sit down, boy. We just want to talk.” Oh, fuck that.
I turn on my heel and run out of the living room for the lobby.
I’m taking that fucking vacation. The Russians curse and I hear footsteps behind me.
I look back and see Kayla. She reaches for me and grabs my shirt, tugging me backward. Damn my short legs.
“Get off me, bitch!” I shriek and lean over to bite the hand holding me, and she lets me go with a screech.
I’m disoriented and hysterical with fear.
I make a mad dash anywhere; all I know is I need to get away.
I run through the winding hallways of the east wing, down a short hallway that dead ends with a door marked “employees only.” I bust through the door and realize I’m in the kitchen.
Ooh, kitchens have knives. I run to the utensil drawer and pull out the biggest knife I can find and hold it in front of me.
Kayla barges in and, seeing the knife in my hand, gives me a pointed look.
“What are you doing, Alex? Put the knife down and let’s talk.”
A hysterical laugh bubbles out of me. “Talk about what? That you’re doing drug deals at work? Who are those guys, mafia?”
“No, they’re contractors, here to do some renovations."
“Oh yeah, renovations, I’m sure. I didn’t realize that guns and blow were the tools of that trade.”
“Alex. That’s not what you saw. You’re confused.”
“I am not fucking confused.” She takes a few steps towards me and I move to the side, keeping her at a distance as I try to get past her to the other door that she’s currently blocking. That door will give me a path to the lobby and out of this place.
“Don’t you dare. I will cut you.”
“Alex. Give me the knife.” She reaches her hand out for it.
“Not on your life. Have you seen any horror movie ever? You know what happens to the characters that lose their weapons when the killer is chasing them? Nothing good, Kayla!”
Just then, one of the angry Russians crashes in through a door to my left. The one that leads to the dining room, which is connected to the living room. Shit, was I just running around in circles? Why the fuck didn’t I run out the front door? I deserve to die.
Has the kitchen always had this many doors? Who needs so many doors, anyway? Fuck this whole house, I decide.
I swing my blade frantically as the Russian approaches me, hoping to connect with literally anything. I slice a long gash into the arm that is trying to grab me, then use his momentary distraction to knee him in the balls. He doubles over and I slam my knee into his face. “Eat it!”
I take a second to pat myself on the back for downing this massive Russian by myself. I straddle his waist, ready to plunge this knife into his chest. I’m the final boy, bitch. As I’m raising the knife Kayla shouts for me. “Alex!”
My first thought was that she had been grabbed by one of the Russians and was in mortal peril.
But that was a stupid thought considering I’d just seen her making drug deals with them in the living room.
My second thought never had time to form because as soon as I turn my head she whacks me in the face with a cast iron skillet.
She was double handing it too, so I know she meant business.
I drop down on top of the Russian, who’s still holding his busted balls, with a thud.
I watch in disbelief until Seth snaps his fingers and forces me out of the memory. I look around to see Jake, Seth and Brandon looking at me expectantly.
“Are you okay?” Jake asks softly.
I shake my head. “No, I’m not okay. Bitch got me with a frying pan.
I am such a fucking loser. I did the one thing you’re never supposed to do in a horror movie!
I ran away from the door! Why did I do that?
I deserved to die.” I gasp. I can’t ever let this get out.
“This is too embarrassing. I’m gonna tell everyone I died saving Jake from a polar bear. ”
“You didn’t know me before you died,” Jake counters. I shrug and study my nails, forlorn. Pick at a piece of nonexistent dirt.
“Details.”
Jake pats me on the back and runs his hand in soothing little circles.
Seth takes a long drag of a blunt he pulled out of… somewhere. “I can’t believe that actually worked bro. First time I’ve done that.”
I look over to him in shock. “Are you kidding me? You said you were a psychic!”
“Yeah man, but all of this stuff is theoretical, you know? My usual clients are of the more… persuasive variety. Usually, all I have to do is wave my fingers in their face and recite whatever mumbo jumbo pops into my head. They eat that shit up,” he laughs.
“Easy money though. I have to save for college somehow.”
He takes another drag of his blunt. “Anyway, I’m glad you found your nachos. Fist me.” He holds out his fist, and I snort as I try and fail to bump it. He looks at Jake. “You’re up next, bro. Are you ready?”
***
Jake
No, I’m not ready. I don’t think I’ll ever truly be ready to see how I died, but I know it needs to happen. Maybe it doesn’t need to happen today, though.
I suck in a deep breath, trying to buy myself time. “I don’t know,” I whisper, feeling like a coward. Alex faced his death head on, I should be able to do the same.
“Can I hold your hand?” Alex asks, and I nod. He rubs his thumb over my fingers, a soothing gesture that I appreciate right now. “You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. We’re ghosts, it’s not like we’re going anywhere, right?”
“You were so brave. I feel like an idiot right now,” I admit.
“Hey, no, it’s okay. I had a lot more time to come to terms with being dead. You died only a few days ago. It’s not the same.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine waking up like that and not having anyone.”
“It’s okay. I have you now. And Seth and Brandon.”
I close my eyes and try to steady myself.
I try not to imagine all the horrific ways Andrei might have killed me.
If he killed me. I don’t think I would have hurt myself, and no one else knew I was here other than Kayla.
Nausea roils in my stomach as I think about the last time he punished me for being defiant.
What if he simply went too far this time?
I don’t know why I’m so scared to face it, it’s not like he hasn’t hurt me a thousand times. It would be nothing new.
“I don’t want to waste your time, Seth.”
“It’s no problem, bro. You should only do this when you’re ready. If that’s not today, that’s okay. Coming back out here wouldn’t exactly be a hardship.”
I nod, relieved. “Thanks. Maybe we can try again tomorrow? I’m just… not in the right head space at the moment. I thought I was.”
“No worries. I’ll come back tomorrow. And if you still can’t do it then, don’t push yourself, okay? It’ll happen at the right time.” Seth gathers his stuff and heads out with Brandon. I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m safe for one more night.
Alex reaches a hand for my face, and I flinch, not expecting the sudden movement. He sucks in a breath and quickly puts his hands in his lap.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
“It’s okay. Not your fault. I’m just… tired.” I clear my throat, shame consuming me. I don’t want him to think he’s at fault for anything.
“You know I would never hurt you, right?” I don’t know that, I want to say.
That’s what everyone says, and then they do it anyway.
But he feels different. I want so badly to trust him.
I’ve already trusted him with more of my truths than I ever thought I’d share with anyone, and so far he hasn’t thrown them back in my face.
“That was probably a stupid question. You have no reason to trust me. You barely know me,” he says when I don’t answer.
“I want to trust you,” I admit. It’s the best I can do right now. Anything else would be a lie.