Late

"SHIT IM LATE!" The time read [10:37] I have to be at work at [9:30]. I jumped out of bed, rushing through everything. I got clothes, brushed my teeth, washed my face, put on deoderant. I thought, "do I need to do anything else?" I thought for a moment before running out of the door.

"Shit shit, I'm late, Fuck I gotta hurry." I kept cursing under my breath, I jumped into my car, slamming the door closed. I veered out of the driveway and started cruising down the road.

I reached for my phone, and it started buzzing. My boss was calling me! I answered the call. "hello?" I asked, fear betraying my tone. "Why arent you here?" I could tell my boss was a mix of worried, and angry. I knew my boss cared about my wellbeing, and it might have looked like I wasn't doing so well.

But I knew my boss also wouldn't be leniant with this. "I slept through my alarms, but I'm on my way right now!" I heard my boss sigh over the phone, "Don't-" When I heard him say don't, my heart stopped and my stomach knotted, I thought I was being fired. "-take the day, I think you need it." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, "Really?" My voice was quivering from fear of being fired.

I really needed this job, I couldn't survive without it otherwise, and since I lived by myself, I was actually living quite good, But if my only source of money fucking fired me? I'd be fucked. "Yes, daniel. I can tell something has been, not so good. So I've decided to tell you to use one of your vacation days."

I felt confused, I had vacation days? "Wait, what do you mean vacation days?" I didn't hear anything for a minute, "Wait are you being serious?" "uuh, yes." I hear my boss clear his throat over the phone, "Well you get, uh, I think a week of vacation, every 6 months. but right now I'm giving you an extra one. Besides, the store just got robbed either way." I heard his voice slowly get more, strained, like it was getting difficult to talk. "What?! Is everyone ok!?" I hear my boss sigh, "You wouldn't have been if you had been here."

I knew my boss, more than he knew me. I heard the slight quiver In his voice. Something was wrong, very wrong. "Im on my way." I heard him panic, "Wait, no! don't! Or you're fired!" I couldn't tell if that was a bluff, or am impulsive reaction. I didn't care, I knew he wasn't ok.

"Then fire me, Cuz I'm checking on you. I can tell something is wrong, Im not stupid." I heard him chuckle, not his usual cheerful chuckle, no this one was empty, and sad. "I wish you were right about now." Then, he went silent. He hung up.

After a couple minutes, I got there. I almost threw up because of what I saw. When I entered, I saw my boss, on the ground, paramedics surrounding him, I saw blood everywhere, and I saw two of my colleagues, dead on the ground. The robber had been knocked out, I assumed by my boss. Rex and sam were dead.

I felt my legs shake, my knees almost gave out, the sight was almost too much to bear, I walked over to my boss. He started to pass out from blood loss, that much I could tell. One of the paramedics barked at him "Whats your blood type?!" Another paramedic asked me the same, "Type o" I replied, and My boss replied, "AB" His voice was weak and barely there.

The paramedic asked my if I consented to donating some blood, I said yes of course. They knew I weighed enough, I wasn't a twig, and I was my boss's last chance.

The next moring I woke up next to my boss's designated hospital bed, His family had just arrived. I felt a sense of jealousy, my family couldn't care less if I died, hell, they might just laugh if I died.

I went back home, and a week later my boss was back, he had to be careful and not move a lot, I had to clean the store after the police and paramedics removed the bodies, and the police apprehended the robber.

"Daniel, hey." My boss was behind me, I turned around. "I'm giving you a raise, alright?" "Uh, alright. How much?" He smiled, "5 extra dollars." I smiled, "5 extra a day? a week?" "hourly" My jaw dropped, Thats almost like, 40 extra dollars a day.

"wait why?" His smile faded, "Becuase you saved me, sure you went against what I said. but you knew something was wrong and you didn't ignore it, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now." I nodded, Still speechless. "Thank you" "oh, and I forgot to say I'm giving you an advance in your pay right now, Basically, I'm giving you three months of works pay," I smiled "Plus the raise" My jaw dropped again, I was speechless, flabbergasted.

"Im glad you were late, otherwise. knowing you, you would've fought the robber, and been the only one to die, including the robber of course." I nodded, before he said, "Now get to work, friend."

He never called anyone a friend. I felt a wave of warmth wash over me. I did something amazing didn't I? Now I'm going to be happy again, I can pay for anything I might ever need now.

I got home, and I looked in the mirror, Everytime I look at myself, I feel a sense of hatred. Becuase the face I look at, that person is useless and never helped anyone ever in their life. But not today, because I saved someone. I am a good person arent I? I did a good thing, and I got a reward because of it.

I had a new friend, first friend I knew I could count on in years. As the years have gone by, he helped me get a girlfriend, we hung out in the bar a lot, We became like brothers. I have a kid now. But he's getting old.

His wife is worried he's nearing the end of his rope. He was 53 when all this happened, now he's 65 I'm 37 now, He's like a long lost brother to me. But he's definitely nearing his end. I cant save him this time either.