Destruction

Beep!Beep!Beep! I rolled over to the alarm sounding letting me know it was time to begin adulting. I was already over the day, I have had the worse week of my entire life. My girlfriend of 2 years decided she rather play homemaker to Kyle, the town cowboy. I had bought a ring and everything, how stupid was I. If that wasn't enough I found out my job was cutting 20 people today and I was almost positive I was one. With all those thoughts playing ring around the rosey in my mind, I seriously considered just lying in bed all day. I rolled over and silenced the alarm. I then proceeded to my shower. Once inside, I just let the rush of hot water pour over me. Flashbacks of all the times I made love to Sarah in this shower filled my mind and I couldn't help but let the tears mix with the water droplets, once my eyes told my brain I was crying, I hurried up and shut the water off. I was a man dammit, and a pretty good looking one if I may say so myself. I was a chocolate color with deep brown eyes, I had a low cut, I wasn't fat, but I wasn't skinny either. I was average.

I had gotten dressed and skipped breakfast. I jumped on the subway and headed to hear my fate. Once inside the office I saw my supervisor notion for me to come to her office. Mrs. Stone was a nice looking lady. I don't know if it was the idea that I couldn't see anyone else when I was with Sarah or the new pin stripped skirt suit she had on, but she looked good. She was a carmel color, with light brown hair, dark brown eyes, she was a little on the heavy side, but she was beautiful.

"Please have a seat Mr. Thompson". I sat down in the leather chair directly across from her desk. "As you know the company has decided to make a few cuts to save money during this pandemic. I nodded my head as if to say I understood. "How do you think you fit with this company", she asked. All I kept thinking was lady just tell me I am fired so I can home and wallow in my own sorrow.

"I try to do my best, and I feel I am a good fit at this company, but I do understand the nature of business Mrs. Stone", I said candidly. Mrs. Stone looked surprised.

"Well Mr. Thompson, I agree, and that is why I actually want to promote you to my assistant, you would work directly under me, a small increase in pay just as a trial portion, once you pass the trial portion, you will be given a full 20 percent increase, that is of course if you decided to take the offer." I was speechless, I just knew I was fired and here I was getting a promotion, of course I wanted it.

"Mrs. Stone I would be very much obliged to accept that offer, but why me, I asked. She was taken back by the question and everything inside of me screamed why did you just ask that damn question.

"If I am being honest, this company has not been very welcoming to a woman in charge, but I manage to do what I need to, and I need someone on my team that I can trust and so far you have always been honest in our monthly meetings, very respectful, and you are always on time." I was shocked. I just sat starring at Mrs. Stone.

"Was there anything else you needed from me", she asked sympathetically. I shook my head no. I was just about to get up and leave when she stopped me in my tracks.

"Before you go Mr. Thompson", she said as she walked around the desk and stood directly in front of me. She lowered her voice and said, "If you are going to work under me and represent me, you are going to have to ease up on the booze, got me." I nodded me head in agreement and walked out of the office. I was perplexed at how she knew I was drinking. I mean I have let myself go a little, but was I wearing it that strong. Mrs. Stone called into my office later on that day and told me that I could have the rest of the day to "get myself together".

I left work around 2:30 thinking my luck was finally changing, but I could not let Mrs. Stone down. I went back to my apartment and decided I needed to clean my apartment. I had not realized how bad of a depression I had been in. There were food boxes covering my table, dirty clothes everywhere, and I hadn't been grocery shopping in weeks. I had really let this Sarah thing get me down. I promised myself when I was done cleaning, I would take a trip to the grocery store and make my specialty to celebrate, lemon her bed Salmon and a bottle of red wine. I cleaned my apartment and unintentionally fell asleep on the couch, when I woke, it was 7:00. Though I didn't mean to fall asleep it was actually the best sleep I had managed since Sarah moved out. I decided I would run down to the little corner grocery store and pick something up to cook. I headed out my apartment when I noticed something strange. I could see a line of people from where the grocery store was to a few buldings down from my apartment. What were they waiting for I wondered. I began walking to the lines when I saw my friend Lonnie standing in line with his little girl Lily.

"Lonnie", I called out. Lonnie turned and saw me. "Hey man", he said very sadly.

"What is going on?" Lonnie looked surprised by my question.

"You haven't heard", he questioned. I shook my head no. Lonnie looked defeated.

"Dude, where have you been, it is on all the news stations." I hadn't even turned on the television in days I had been so down. "The country is saying that they are running out of food man, things are getting real, all major corporations have closed their doors, the supermarkets say they have limited food, and someone told me all electronics are going to crash at 12 midnight." If I didn't know how serious Lonnie was, I would have swore he was joking. I pulled out my cell phone and googled what Lonnie had just told me. There it was right there in my face in big black letters: AMERICA ON THE VERGE OF DESTRUCTION. I didn't even know what to do or where to begin. I continued to stand in line. I needed something to put on my shelves, bread, peanut butter, something I literally had nothing at home. When it was my turn to enter, I saw the owner standing at the counter with a rifle. He told me I had 15 minutes to grab what I needed and keep it moving. I walked to the direction of the peanut butter, grabbed it along with bread, lunch meat, a bottle of water since it was the last one left, some bananas, some matches, and a couple of candles. I approached the counter and placed my things on top.

"That will be 195.50." the clerk stated. My eyes almost popped out my head.

"This has to be some mistake", I said hopeful. The clerk just glared at me, I pulled out my wallet and handed her my debit card.

"Cards aren't working, has to be cash."

"I don't have cash on me, I stated." The clerk began taking the items back and placing them behind the counter. I walked out of the store. On my way back to my apartment chaos was already hitting the streets. Buildings were being set on fire, people we're boarding up windows, it was at this moment I realized, this world would never be the same, this was About survival.