Internal Sin: 002

(Kai's Point Of View)

Getting to the garage I called home, I stood in my room that looked like a bomb site.

The fading light of a winter’s afternoon strived to puncture through the dark and dingy atmosphere within the bedsit. The walls were discolored, leaving them a sad shade of grey. 

The whole room reeked of despair. It was almost impossible to stand here without being overwhelmed by nausea but matter how bad it was, it provided shelter and there was nothing greater than having a roof over one's head.

I dumped my bag pack on the floor and strode over to my bed but paused when I heard the sound of knocking on my door. I sauntered over, opening the door to reveal Ms. Charlie, red eyes blazing with execration and malignancy while a bottle of wine hung low on her hand.

"Where's my money?"

I nearly cringed at the unpleasant smell from her mouth. It was so early yet she was crapulous and inebriated out of her mind.

I opened my mouth to speak but words denied to leave as I realized I didn't have the money I had promised to give her before. "I-I lost the money," I managed to find my voice and her glare got sharper.

"What the fuck did you say, kid, you promised to pay your rent today, you think I have time to play with your shit!" She barked, getting closer to my face which made me hold my breath.

"It's not like that Ms. Charlie. I had the money but I lost it,"

How could I tell her that my wretched brother stole it from me just to drink his life away with his soulmate?

"Listen, Kai, I've been kind and patient with you but I need my money, I won't let you live in my house for free. You need to pay your fucking rent!" She yelled.

"I know but just give me some time, I promise to come to your house and give you the money. I swear by my mother's grave!"

She pointed her finger at me. "I don't give a shit about your mother's grave. I'm here for my money. It's either you pay or get the fuck out of my house and live in the fucking street. Period!"

I stared at her desperately but her gaze got sharper and harsher as if she was ready to haul me on her shoulder. 

I went back into the house, rushed over to my locker and grabbed the only bills I had, and rushed back to her. "This is all I have," I shoved her the money.

She peered at me. "This is not even half of what you owe, are you playing coy with me brat? I gave you a roof and sheltered you when you were nothing but a starving kid in the streets. I'm only asking for my rent and you are being ungrateful!"

I was 10 when she and her counterpart found me after I was abandoned by my brother in the middle of nowhere. The kind couple brought me home and made me feel warm however, Mr. Charlie died of cancer when I was 15 and Ms. Charlie turned into a boozer, falling into a deep and hollow depression and when she couldn't afford to pay her drinks anymore, she began charging me for rent.

"I will receive my paycheck in a week, I promise to pay you the rest of the money then!" I promised and she gawked at me.

"You have a week then. If you don't pay, you are out of my house!" She huffed and went on her way while a sigh of relief escaped me.

*~*

Flames!

I saw nothing but flames circling me, creeping closer and closer to my feet and in the middle of that catching fire was a taunting laughter, gloam, and eerie.

My eyes widened in fear as the voice got closer and closer and soon, I found a smirking face right in front of me. My breath hooked and my heart went rapidly beneath my chest as I stared into a pair of streaking dark orbs that got me entrenched at my feet.

"You will always come to me, you're mine!"

Those words echoed in my head, paralyzing and numbing my sense of reasoning as I found myself lost all over again till a loud voice punctured in and the setting changed before my eyes.

"KAI!"

I flinched at the loud sound of my name and reeled to find my boss drilling a hole through my skull with his harsh brown eyes and then I noticed the many pairs of eyes staring at us and my gaze landed on the dump of food I had dropped on a customer's laps.

Fuck!

Before I could plead, my wrist was grabbed and I was dragged away while my Boss pleaded with the customer.

I let myself be dragged to the back and Reuben finally let go of my wrist. "What is wrong with you?!" He demanded.

"I-i-I..." 

Words hung in my throat as I realized I couldn't explain what was wrong with me. "I don't know what happened," I finally let out.

"You better have an explanation for your recent behavior kid because boss is pissed. I thought you had stopped sleepwalking?" He inquired.

"I thought I had too but it started again recently and I've been having constant nightmares of being burnt alive!" I asserted with frustration, realizing I would lose my job and soon I would lose the place I called home. "I'm so dead, Boss is going to kill me,"

"You stupid brat!" Came the indignant voice of my boss and I turned to be met with a hard impact on my cheek.

"Boss!" Reuben gasped.

"You have been nothing but a big loss since you got here and now you are going to make my restaurant look bad!" He yelled at my face while I keep my head lowered, ignoring the stinging on my cheek.

"That wasn't my intention, it was an accident!"

"No, you are nothing but a rolling catastrophe. Do you have any idea of the damage you have cost us tonight!" He continued to yell. "However, I won't pay the cost, this bullshit you did tonight will be cut off your salary for two months!"

I gasped loudly. "You can't do that!"

"It's neither that or get your ass fired!" He huffed and stormed back into the restaurant.

"I need the money!" I shouted at his back, not getting a response.

"I will go talk to him," Reuben patted my shoulder and chased after our boss.

With a grunt of frustration, I kicked the nearest wall.

What was I going to do now?

To be continued...!