Behind Closed Doors: chapter 1 & 2

Chapter One
Every day is the same, their has got to be a way to break this monotony.
It’s five twenty in the morning yet again, my alarm is sounding off with the song I have chosen to wake me up. Today it’s Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell, and I just want out of this hell.
Every day, Monday through Friday, I wake up at five twenty in the morning just to go to work, and the sad thing about it is that it’s a job I don’t even want to do. I work for a Credit card processing company, from what I understood it was a Account executive position. They lied though, I’m a glorified door-to-door salesman. I go from store to store forcing people to change their credit card processor.
“Well…” I say out loud as I stand up. “Beggars can’t be choosers.”
I look back down at my bed to see my Mother still sleeping sound, she looks peaceful and that’s what counts. I live in downtown San Diego California, but as you can tell we don’t have a whole lot of money, but we make due with what we’ve got.
I live in a pay by the week hotel in downtown, you don’t pay a whole lot and in return you don’t get a whole lot. I cross the room to the mini fridge and look into it to find that just like the room it’s looking pretty empty.
See I’m the main source of income for my family, - meaning me and my Mom.- My Mother wants to work but she is disabled with MS, and sadly there isn’t much you can do for a victim of it besides standing to the side and trying your best to make it easier on them.
Since she is disabled she does draw SSD, -Social Security Disability.- But in truth it’s a spit in the face for money. Please tell me how are you to live off of Eight-hundred-and-eighty-eight, dollars a month?
That’s hardly enough to pay rent let alone her medicine, food, phone service, bus pass, or any other expense for that fact. There is government services that do help, I draw food stamps since I’m low income, but in truth if I didn’t have my job then things would be bad.
Ok now before you go saying, “You have a job! How can you be hard up for money?” I’ll tell you how, the job pays off of commission only. Now I would quit today but what would be the point? Until I get another job offer the best I can do is buy time and do my best with this one.
I grab together my shampoo, body wash, and towel and head for the public bathroom on the first floor. How this place works is that for each floor there is three restrooms, out of the three restrooms two of them have showers, so I make my way to the first one.
The halls are empty as always, no one is up this early except me, and I’m glad for that, the last thing I want to deal with when I first wake up is people. Now I’m not anti-social but in truth who the hell wants to deal with people at five thirty in the morning?
Now sometimes these restrooms can be real clean, other times you can find shit on the floor. One time I was on the john doing my business when out of nowhere three sticks of butter drop through the hole they have in the roof as a vent. No joke, if I’m lying I’m dying.
Today I’m lucky it’s nearly spotless except the dirty washcloth on the faucet of the sink. I stay in the shower for about fifth teen minutes to wake up completely. What finally convinced me out was the sound of a women screaming.
I barely towel off when I stick my wet head trough the door to see what’s up. Nothing, absolutely nothing. No other door are open to see what happened, no one else in the halls to see if there is a corpse laying on the ground or not.
What has happened in this world? I mean we don’t give a damn about anyone anymore, we all go about are days and just do the basics. Eat, shit, fuck, and sleep. No one cares about their neighbors anymore, what happened to the day that almost everyone was friends with each other in their apartment complex or housing division?
Who am I kidding, those days were never real they were just lies spun from Hollywood’s bank account.
I go back in and finish up my regimen and head back for my room. My Mom is still fast asleep on the bed, thank God, the last thing I want her to see is me in my boxers. She has been through enough already the last thing she needs to see is her half nude son dripping water all over the floor.
The one thing I hate the most about my job is that I have to dress in a business suit while I work. Now I know that this is good for some jobs, but when you live in San Diego, and the heat hits around eighty-five you burn up and sweat worse then a whore in church. Now me I’m more of a T-shirt a jeans kind of guy so you can now see my conflict of interest.
I look over myself as I shave in the mirror, my shaggy brown hair hanging down to my ears because I could afford a hair cut, my blue eyes stand out on my face even if I sleep deprived like right now. My Mom says I need to eat more but I think I’m ok, I weigh around one-fifty, I’m not built up but I’m not fat, just toned enough to get by.
I grab the last pepperoni hot pocket from the mini fridge and with a quick kiss on my Mother’s head and turn I was out the door. I start down the stairwell and out the locked gate and head to the front desk so I can zap my hot pocket and eat something before I starve to death.
“Morning Garet!” Says mike the little Spanish desk guy. He has always been nice and lets us slide if the rents late, so I make a effort in being nice in return.
“Morning Mike.” I say in the nicest of voices I could summon. “How are you doing?”
“Just fine man, and yourself?”
“Pretty good, just headed to work as always.”
“You still hanging on to that thing?”
“Of course.” I say while throwing the hot pocket in the microwave. “I have no other job right now and money is money no matter how much the job sucks.”
He laughs and sits up in his chair. “That’s true bro, that’s true.”
“So how is your kid doing? Is he over the flu yet?”
“No, the doctors said that it’s a bad strain and his antibodies aren’t strong enough to fight it off. But I know my kid.” He adds in a concerned voice. “He’ll pull through, I know it.
“How’s your Mom doing Garet?”
“Ehhh… The God’s honest truth… Not so grand. You remember when she fell out of the bed last month right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well she had a MRI down on he back, and they found out that one of her nerves is compressed by a spinal disc that slipped out of place, it’s caused the top of her right knee to go numb. They say to fix it they might have to operate on it.”
“God damn man, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Tell me about it, I barely make enough money to keep food on the table and a roof over our head, now I’ve got to find a way to save up for a surgery so my Mom can keep walking.”
“You know I would help if I could.”
“Hell yeah I know that.” I say while reaching for my food. “And I honor that and respect that more then you think man. I just wish this job would… FUCK!” I scream out. As I picked up the hot pocket it ripped open and pored out all it’s contents on my palm.
I run for the sink and run cold water over it but sadly this only makes it worse, Mike by now has jumped up and ran over to the kitchen to see what was happening. “Damn Garet, scream any louder and I think the people over in La Jolla would hear you. I’ll go grab the broom.” He says as he walked over to the broom closet.
“Well It’s not as If I was trying to burn myself and lose my only food for day.” I say while running a finger over my palm so I could hopefully see if it was still useable, and for once I was right, I was lucky enough to get to the water and time and get the pepperoni off my hand before it burnt through the skin. It still hurt, but I would be able to write with it today.
“Well.” I say with a sigh. “I’ve got to go to work so I’ll see you another time Mike.”
“Ok Garet.” Hey called out as I walked out. “Just remember that no matter what God’s got your back bro.”
“Yeah. That’s why I live in such a beautiful townhome that I don’t have to pay a dime for.” I say with a sarcastic tone at the door. I hear him let out a laugh not because it was funny, but because it’s the truth.
Now me and the Big man have a strange relationship, I wouldn’t describe it as love hate but I do think he like to watch me fight for my right to live. I do believe in God, but I would just love it if I could just talk with him for a bit so I could better understand some of the events that have occurred in my life. Like my grandparents trying to kill me.
So with my byes said I start heading for the city bus stop around six-thirty.
I do count myself lucky for the fact that I do live right in the heart of downtown San Diego, but I just wish it was under better terms. The suns just now starting to break over the skyscrapers and I was lucky enough to spot it.
As I ride over to my job I turn on my mp3 player and try to not only psych myself up for the upcoming day at work, but also so I could try and stay awake. I get off the bus and start walking over to the office complex while humming along with some Slipknot.
I sadly show up for work at seven twenty, which means I have about thirty minutes until the office opens, and since there isn’t anything to do around here I walk over to the smoking zone and lit myself a cigarette.
Yeah I smoke, so what? We all are going to die anyways, so if this helps me to keep my grip on reality and not go on a killing run then I think I need to smoke.
Finally after a smoke, and a trip to the John the Secretary Susie shows up. She is your average run of the mill Secretary because she in truth didn’t know her head from her ass, but she was hired on for her looks and the fact that she can answer a phone and not only be informative but also give you a hard on from the tone of her voice.
“Hey!” She hollers out to me, I don’t reply. I just throw my hand up to her to try and brush her off. It’s not that I don’t like her, I hate her. Period. It’s hard not to hate someone that costs you accounts just because she is more interested in keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip instead of keeping up with the latest product knowledge. I mean I hate my job, but at least I know I keep up with the company and still perform to my best for them.
She starts walking over to where I am. –Shit can’t I get a brake?- I think to myself.
“So you won’t believe what happened last night.” She says, and I just give her a blank stare trying to be nice enough to tell her with my eyes to fuck off instead of saying it, but being who she is she keeps talking.
“My Dad swung by my place with a brand new plasma screen TV!” She says giggly. She could care less but she’s sharing this on purpose because she knows my money problems.
“That’s good, I’m so happy for you I can’t even begin expressing it.” I say while blowing a lungful of smoke in her face.
“If you two children are done then maybe we could get to work.” Chimes in a third voice. That turns out to be none the less Mr. Richard Wes, the “Perfect” Employee when the boss is around, and always the biggest dick when he’s not.
“Morning to you too sunshine, someone piss in your Starbucks today?” Wes and I are fighting over a promotion into leadership, why is that? Because the first one to get it will prove that the other employee is obsolete.
We’ve been fighting ever since day one, we were both hired on in the same week and with not only the idea hanging over our head of the promotion, the sweetest thing will be seeing the others face when they get the can. And that my friends is the only reason I hang on to this job.
“Why do you always act like such a brat Garet?”
“Why do you always act like a dick, Dick?” At this even Susie laugh and Richie-rich decide to turn tail and leave.
As the others arrive I start to head inside until something moving in the forest caught my eye. For the briefest off seconds I thought I saw someone sitting on one of the limbs, but as I looked harder it seemed to vanish. “I need more fucking rest.” I mumble to myself as I throw out my cigarette and head inside.
As I walk in I put my happy face on and prepare for another long day as everyone is circled around in the office and chatting up about the upcoming weekend.
Susie is trying to get Rachel to go clubbing with her on Saturday, Fred’s talking to Dick comparing sales stats for the week, my boss Evan is talking with some new recruit about the basics of the portfolio, and as for me I find a chair to sit down in before the morning meeting starts.
I don’t like my work friends. Most of them are from family’s with money so they don’t have to worry about their jobs what so ever, and for the few others they are so weird that I don’t want to hang around them.
Who am I kidding, I just don’t feel like I fit in anymore. Earlier this week everyone was going out for “Taco Tuesday” but I couldn’t join them because my wallet was more empty then… I don’t know. It was just that empty.
“Listen up people!” Evan called out over everyone’s voices, and clapping his clipboard to get everyone’s attention. “I have some announcements to make! First this is the last day for our to new entry levels to fight for the Leadership promotion.” Everyone began clapping except Wes and I, because we understood that today was do or die.
“Yes we have both grown to love these two fine young men, Mister Richard Wes!” More clapping occurred and even a battle cry. “And Mister Garet Chandly.” A few people clapped but none as near as Wes had rally for him.
“So this coming Monday morning I will announce who will be staying with us, and who will be back to putting in their job apps at Carl’s Jr. I don’t even need to begin stressing to you two on how important today will be in seeing which one of you two fine gentlemen will be staying with us.”
He continued talking but I started to zone out as anxiety was crippling my breathing. I already knew the implications that would follow if I lost this job, with out my paycheck things would get very ugly very fast for me and my mother.
By the time I recomposed myself he was almost done with his team meeting for the day, he was trying to teach us on how to close a deal with out a statement. “You have to remember to take control when talking to the merchant, because the merchant will never ask to be signed up with our services, you will have to pull the app out and assume the sale.
“Because if you don’t the merchant will simply tell you that they are fine with their service and for you to leave the store. So and with that people what time is it?”“Game Time!” Shouted back everyone. “Ok go out their and make us all proud!”
With that we all scattered about the office picking up our routes and supplies for the day, finding out who would be driving us to our territories and who would be pairing up for the day. “Garet.” Came a voice from behind, it was Wes. “I just wanted to say that I wish you the best of luck, and that may the best man win.” He stuck his hand out for me to shake and I regretfully took it in light that Evan was around.
“Yeah man, I wish you the best of luck.” –And I hope your car crashes and a dog takes a piss on your rotting corpse.- I added in silently.
Turns out I have my work cut out for me today, I get to work in Chula Vista, which is majority Latino and I haven’t the faintest clue on how to speak Spanish. I think about asking Evan for a different turf, but know that would be the straw that breaks the camels back.
On the ride over I sit in the back of the car and put my mp3 back into my ears praying that God would take mercy upon me and make today a little bit easy on me. I watched as the cars passed by and was day dreaming of getting the promotion and seeing the expression on Dick’s face as I get the sweet, sweet reward of canning his ass.
When we reached my turf I got out and faked a goodbye to my co-workers to keep them happy. I instantly knew that today was going to be hard seeing that right now at ten-thirty in the morning but it all ready felt hotter then the devil’s armpit.
Since Chula Vista is more inland then downtown San Diego, they don’t get the nice ocean breeze, and in return the sun bakes you faster then a two dollar whore at church. And since I’m wearing a power suit I’m quickly becoming that whore I just spoke so fondly of.
As I go from business to business I find out that I’m also correct in the fact that my lack in the Spanish vocabulary is beyond just crippling me, it’s making this impossible. When I walk into their store they easily have the option of just saying they don’t speak English to get out of the conversation. So I find that if I force them into to talking with me by saying “Free computer software.” They are more app to stay for a few more seconds.
I didn’t get my first app of the day though until I went to a pizza parlor, God turned out to hear my cry and this poor sap was cash only. So I quickly went into saying that I could get him a free machine.
“Free machine? No lie?” He asked in a thick Italian accent.
“Of course not, for you it’s free as long as you are doing your processing through us.”
“When can I sign?” And with that I was able to not only close my first deal of the day which would land me roughly two-hundred-and-fifty-big-ones, and a free lunch. So I decided to kill a hour or so there so I could make they day go by a tad bit faster.
It turns out that my new friends name was Lorenzo, and he just moved over from his home land to be with his son and his brand new granddaughter Liza. I was enjoying my time with him in truth because not only did the pizza kick ass but he didn’t mind if I smoked in the store since it was just us.
But all good things must come to an end; I left after about an hour and started hitting the pavement yet again trying for another app, sadly though I did not get one. As the day rounded down I found a nice shaded place to kill the last thirty minute before my ride showed up.
The bad news though is my ride is late, it is now twenty after six and my pick was to be at six sharp. So I try the phone number that I was provided with and reached her voice mail. –Shit, you’ve got to be joking, not today God please not today!- I screamed in my head begging for mercy.
Finally after another twenty minutes go by my ride finally shows up, I couldn’t hid my disgust when I climbed into the car. “Oh Garet, I’m so sorry. I was trying to close this cleaners store and I didn’t even notice how late it was. “
“Just drive.” Was all I replied. We didn’t get to the office until ten after and I was unlucky enough to catch Wes on the way out of Evan’s office. “Garet!” He said with pride while reaching for my tie. “Late as always, I just want to thank you for that. Your just making it that much easier to take the promotion from your dirty little hands.” He pats my chest and starts walking off. “Best of luck.” He hollers while walking away.
I open the office door to see that Evan was sitting behind his desk and didn’t look like the happiest of all the campers. “Sit.” Was all he said at first, so I did as he asked and tried to hide how nervous I was.
“Why are you late?”
“It was uncontrollable sir, I was waiting at the pick up for at least forty minutes but Vanessa didn’t show up when she said she would.”
“Then why didn’t you call me this instead of leaving me guessing?” He said leaning forward in his chair.
“Well… I didn’t think that was necessary, your busy enough as it is.” As soon as it left my mouth I regretted it.
“To busy to find out where my employee is?”
I dropped my head knowing I was defeated, he had me there was no way for me to make a decent comeback. “All I’m saying Garet, is that if I’m to trust you then you must be on time at all times. If you were to become a leader then other entry levels are to look up to you, and model themselves after you.
“Not see you walk in fifth teen minutes after everyone else was to clock out. It’s completely uncalled for Garet!”
I didn’t even know what to do or say, I was screwed beyond belief my boss is gunning me down and I can’t even defend myself what so ever.
“I have a lot of things to think over Garet leave my office please.” I backed out like a scolded dog knowing that my chance at the promotion just went up in flames.
I gathered up my things and went outside while waiting for my app’s to clear. I lit up a cigarette and sat on the table trying to figure out what to say to maybe change his mind, but realized that it was up to fate now.
-So is this it, I lose my job over Lisa?- I try took pick myself up out of my pity but fail too, I was just praying for mercy…
Even before I could finish up my own thoughts I saw something again in the forest, this time moving slower. I stood up and was trying to make out what I was seeing, it was a man half naked with a little girl no older then four thrown over his shoulder.
“No fucking way…” I mumble out loud and was acting fast to figure out what to do next. I could call the cops, but since he is in the words there would be the chance that they would not be able to find him. I could always try and get a co-worker and have them go with me and see what’s going on, but I realize that time is of the essence and that right now if that girls life is indeed in danger, then I’m her only hope.








Chapter Two
I leave behind my jacket, books, and portfolio and start running into the woods after them. There is one thing that my boss doesn’t even know that I keep on me, a four inch firefighter knife that I keep just in case things go a little to bad in the field.
I take my tie off and toss it to the side as I continue my search with my knife held firm in my right hand. I scan the trees for any movement but see none, so I hold my breath and listen closely for any noise. I start hearing some movement from far off to my left side, it’s a long shot but it’s al I got.
I start running after the noise but quickly lose track of where it’s coming from since I’m making way to much myself right now, so I stop one more time to catch my breath and listen to the sounds yet again. This time though I have nothing to go on, it’s ether he went another direction or he heard me huffing and puffing.
I walk instead of running now over a hill and I find what I’m looking for. The man is standing still looking out into the distance, while the girl lays on the ground to his right side.
The man stands at least six four and from behind he seems to have been working out for quit some time, his head is shaved and his naturally tanned Latino skin makes his build seem that much more imposing.
Still with no fear I begin sneaking up on him from behind trying to take him by surprise, it’s not until that I about forty five feet away from him that things to get strange. “Why are you following me?” He says out of no where.
Stunned by the fact that I was detected so far away I locked up, I didn’t know what to do since the element of surprise was lost. So I decided to take a risk. “What are you doing with that girl?” I ask.
He turns to look at me as if he knew where I was the whole time. “That’s really none of your god damned business kid, why are you following me?” He asks again this time with much more anger then before.
“Because I can’t let you hurt that girl.”
“Why do you think I would hurt my own daughter?”
“I don’t believe that she’s your daughter, because if she is you daughter way the hell is she unconscious?” I say while taking steps forward showing to him that I won’t back down.
“Your just like the rest of them you’re here to hurt us! To tear us apart, and to kill her as well as me!” He is screaming now anger rolling over him to the point that his hands are starting to shake.
“Listen. I don’t know who you are and I won’t hurt you if you hand the girl over now, and I would never harm her what so ever.”
“Your fucking Paladins always lie to use!” He screams. -This guy has to be off his rocker what the fuck is a Paladin?- runs through my mind. But before I could even search for a answer he starts running at me quickly closing the remaining distance between us.
He strikes hard and fast, before I even know what going on my backs against a tree and he landed a very powerful blow to my gut. I raise a hand to stop his next blow and barely do so.
I swing my knife coming in contact with his abdomen and cutting him wide, but sadly not deep enough to finish him. To my surprise he stops the fight and begins to laugh, he runs a hand over the cut and to my shock it’s healing up right in front of me.
“What the fuck are you?” I say in fear as I watch the cut heal to a point as if it never happened, not even a scar is left where I cut.
I grip my knife tight as he comes in again for another strike. This time I’m more prepared but still not ready for his blinding speed as he lands a blow into my chest so hard that not only does it send me back a few feet, but I feel one of my ribs snap from the force.
I lay on the ground screaming in pain knowing that I’m beyond fucked right now, he is faster, stronger, and by far much more skilled then me at combat.
He walks defiantly over to me and picks me up by the throat forgetting that I have the knife still held within my hand. “You kind just don’t know when to leave us alone do you?”
I crack a smile even through the pain and choke out. “Fuck you freak.” As I drive the knife into his chest. He instantly falls back in pain and shock trying to pull the knife out, knowing that right know is my only chance to strike I run at and tackle him to the ground and land two punches into his jaw before he can throw me off.
He screams out in rage a beastly noise as he rips the knife out of his chest. Till this day I still remember the fear I felt when I saw what happened next. He dropped to his knees and screamed again as his body began to change.
At first I thought I was just bugging out from the broken rib, but quickly found out that what I was seeing was the truth. His hands dug into the earth as his hand began dislocating and reforming, his spine seemed to be about to rip through his skin as his back began to lengthen, and hair was growing madly all over his body, but the worst of it all was his face. His jaw was braking in multiple points as the bones started to bridge together to make a snout, his teeth grew long and sharp as his eyes turned a deep yellow.
I knew what I was looking at thanks to the countless movies, and books I’ve read, but it still didn’t make this any easier to accept the fact that I’m standing less then ten feet away from a living, breathing werewolf. One none the less I picked a fight with.
He stands now at least a foot and a half taller then I am, and from the looks of his shape he could rip me from limb to limb in all seriousness. I begin running for my life as he begins moving towards me.
I don’t even know what the hell I’m going to do, I just start running like hell for my life. I look back in horror to see that he is toying with me and taking long strides to close the difference in between us.
I do the first thing that comes to which is climbing up the closest tree, I scale it like a maniac trying to get as far as possible away from this mythological beast. As I close up to the very top a last ditch idea strike me and I decided that it’s worth s try. The beast is following me up the tree but slower on purpose thinking that he has already won the fight.
I always carry two lighters with me at all times just in case one decides to quit working out of know where, so right now I sit on the top branch of the tree fumbling through my pockets trying to find both of them. Ah there they are!
I take the first out and hit the top half of it as hard as possible against the tree and break it open, then I look down to see if he is close enough, which he is thank god. I pour out the lighter fluid over his face, he growls in anger when some gets into his eyes but he keeps coming.
God if your there please let this work. I beg as the Wolf closes the last few feet with to me. Know that this is my only chance I flick the lighter and lock it so the flame wouldn’t go out, and thrust my hand into the Wolf face.
The werewolf smacked my arm away but not soon enough, the flame caught the lighter fluid and his whole face was set on fire. I screamed out because the force of his blow broke my wrist and his claws broke skin a caused a massive wound on my arm.
I wasn’t the only one in pain though. The Were-Wolf let go of the tree and fell a good twenty feet as he howled in pain because the fire had now spread over his whole face and even some of his abdomen.
As he hit ground he was trying to roll to put out the fire but since his body was covered in fur it was useless. He screams continued but they started to change into human screams, as his body changed too.
I sat in the top of the tree watching in a mix of horror and relief as the now human form on fire finally stopped moving. His body continued to burn for the next ten minutes at least, I remained in the tree because I had no clue on how to get myself down from it seeing that I had a broken rib and wrist.
What finally snapped me out of my dream state was when the little girl started screaming, at first it was out of pure horror, but then she started to not only cry scream out for her dad as she ran up to the burning corpse.
“Fuck!” I screamed out in anger. –That Wolf was her father all along you stupid fuck!- I was mentally beating myself up knowing that I’m now the reason that this girl doesn’t have a father.
It was ether you or him Garet. I tried telling myself. He was a fucking freak of nature, and he was trying to kill you to make things better. But no matter how much I told myself these words seeing the girl trying to hug her fathers burnt corpse was enough to make me sick to my stomach.
So I reached in my pocket one more time, this time bringing out my cell phone, I looked at the numbers but they were just a blur through not only my tears but also my hand shaking so violently.
“911 what’s you emergency?” Said the dispatcher.
“I’m in the forest behind south Camino Del Rio road, and… I just killed a man.” I said through tears and anger.
“Sir, Stay were you are again?”
So I told her what building I was at when I started running, and that I was going no where fast seeing that I have to broken bones and stuck at the top of a tree. I told her that they needed to also send CPS, (Child protection services) to pick up the little girl.
“Why did you murder the man?” She asked dumbfounded.
I started laughing the second the words escaped my mouth realizing how crazy I sounded. “Because the fucker was a werewolf and was trying to kill me!”