Carlos Ch.1: The encounter
Author's note:
Dear Reader, This is my favorite story, and I am excited to showcase it. This is the first chapter of a series, and as such, it is a buildup for future events involving Carlos and a succubus in the series. Upcoming chapters
are
going to be more spicy, alongside the plot. If you love power fantasy stories, you are in the right place.
Thanks to the volunteer editor for the valuable help with my story.
Constructive critique and feedback are always welcome. Please vote, as it is an important source of feedback for me.
Also, I would like to thank my Volunteer Editor for helping with my first submitted story.
All characters are fictional and above the age of 18.
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Jason stood in front of me, blocking my path. "Look, Carl, you'd better hand over whatever you have, or else!" He said in a cool, calmly collected manner, yet emphasized, "or else."
I was already covered in sweat from the June heat, especially in the middle of the day when the sun was hammering down on us. I had to be back at my shift before two o'clock.
I was utterly surrounded at this moment. Jason, the local thug, and his lackeys stood beside him, staring at me like hungry wolves, while I was the prey who stood in this alley surrounded.
"Jason, stop this! I am not giving you my money," I yelled back, clutching my fists as I tried to put on a brave face--which I knew wasn't fooling anyone. My hand went to the back of my pocket without even realizing: if I gave them this, I would have to go on a fast. Eating one meal a day at best or none at all.
I need to get back to work. Baron will chew me up if I don't show up, and the break only lasts 30 minutes.
All this was whirling around in my mind. I couldn't be late for my shift. I would rather be beaten than potentially have my boss fire me. So I tried to walk past them stupidly, believing they would let me, but the harsh reality settled in when Jason grabbed onto me and threw me right against the wall once again.
"I was being nice and giving you a chance to just hand over your stuff and walk away. Boys, make him understand what opportunity he lost."
My heart fell to my stomach as the gravity of his words sank in. I couldn't fight back with this flailing, skinny body. All I could do was close my eyes as they closed in, with menacing stares into my soul.
The wind in my lungs was knocked out by a punch squarely landing on my stomach. The next thing I knew was the cold, unforgiving concrete. Covering my head, trying to minimize the injuries, I curled myself into a ball.
My consciousness waned with each passing moment.
After what felt like an eternity, they stopped. Jason, rummaging through my clothes, finally took my money too, sneering as he turned away from me.
"Throw this trash where he belongs," was all I heard, my eyes blurry with tears and pain, when I was picked up and hurled into the pile of trash.
Jason had practically dragged me to this place when he saw me coming out of the ATM. Groaning and laying there, my perspective of time slipped by, not caring about the awful smell of garbage. I couldn't even work in these clothes.
I finally got back on my feet and made my way out of the alley, deciding just to go home, ignoring the disgust and stares of people who walked past me.
There goes my food for two weeks--that's just great! And Baron will definitely humiliate me and deduct the day's pay.
I kept clenching my fists every time the thought crossed my mind. On my way, I stood at the intersection of the pedestrian crossing. Standing there all I could feel was the forbearing thought of just ending it all in this traffic. What good did I have in this life?
A body that would not gain weight no matter what, a life with no friends and family to speak of, being bullied by the neighborhood crooks, a decaying apartment, and my loneliness--this is my life.
I am used to it now, I guess. I fought tooth and nail to get out of life on the streets.
I trudge my way up the stairs that creak beneath my feet. My life seemed to mirror the decay of this old building at the edge of the bustling community. I still never could understand how the owner was able to keep this building from falling apart. The neighborhood had already gone through renovations and looked a stark contrast to this mess.
The building is really a mirror of my life, huh?
Shaking off all these thoughts, I stepped into the dimly lit apartment and went straight to the shower. I couldn't stand the smell of the trash anymore, so I cleaned myself up as quickly as possible. The aches had gotten a bit more bearable. Nothing new. Nothing has changed in these 22 years.
A sudden ring of my cell that I had thankfully left at home jolted me out of my meandering thoughts as I stepped out of the shower.
No one would call me except my boss or the apartment owner anyway.
Sighing, I reluctantly picked it up. It was my boss.
"Carlos! Where the fuck were you? You left after the break without informing anyone!" He bellowed from the other end.
"Sorry, Mr. Baron. I had an emergency, and my phone died." I answered with the best soft and polite manner I could.
There is no point telling him the truth. He'll blame me for it like last time.
"Well, now you can take care of the emergency with all the time in the world." My heart tightened. I was not ready for the next set of words that came through. "You're fired!" he shouted, and all I could hear was the beep of the call being dropped.
FUCK.
This announcement took the day from bad to catastrophic. I had neither the time nor the qualifications to get a new job; work with easy entrance was already packed, and this was the only job I had that paid the bills. I was done.
I stood there frozen. This was it--no job, no money, this roof over my head that would be taken away the moment the owner came for rent and bills.
I felt my vision blur; something shattered in my soul--the weight of everything. I couldn't take it anymore. It was bad, but I was trying to live. I was really trying to survive.
What for? I did not want to die before tasting actual happiness. I wanted to be happy for once in my life.
But at this point, it may be better to just end it.
I threw myself on the bed and closed my eyes, trying to get out of my head the cluster of my thoughts. It was just around, probably 5 p.m., but I just did not care.
But fate had it in store for me today, in bulk.
My sleep was restless... I suddenly found myself in a burning hall, but this wasn't my apartment. It had an uncanny familiarity to it. Out of nowhere, the shrill of screams echoed from all directions. Hundreds of innocent wails of children and adults alike. It was like I had found myself in hell.
My own skin seemed to blister from the raging inferno, yet I stood there paralyzed. Until a hand seemed to grab me and ran to the exit with me. Lying in the arms of a stranger was a familiar comfort in this seeming stranger. Everything was just a blur, like a fragment of memory that I had blocked away from my memories, as I figured out now that I was a mere child.
Trying to make sense of the situation I found myself in, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pillar plummeting towards us. Words failed me, and before I could utter a warning, it struck--and I jolted awake.
The next thing I knew, I was in my bed, sweaty and burning all over as if the ghost of an inferno had come out of my dream to torment me.
This nightmare. Again. WHY? WHY TODAY?!
Just what I needed in the middle of my crisis. Looking over to check the time, it was only 11 p.m., and that meant this nightmare of a day was still going strong.
From there on, the night seemingly dissolved into me twisting and turning for almost an hour, yet I couldn't sleep again. The weight of the day was weighing on me.
This is not going to cut it.
With that thought in mind, I just got up finally, realizing I had just slept naked. I wore one of the only clean clothes I had. Nothing really fitted me perfectly anyway.
It was just past midnight, but I didn't care at this moment. I started making my way to the park, making sure I did not take any of my valuables. This was the only park for all the well-established people in the apartments. I never had the privilege of strolling through here.
The lights were on for the pathway, and the rest of it was just surrounded by trees and darkness at this hour.
Not having a single person in sight was oddly a relief. Walking at a steady, slow pace, I decided to just not sit, or rather, I couldn't sit. Strangely, I felt like walking in the deeper part of the park.
At least I can see the trail.
Yet it was weird. I wasn't planning on walking this much; the horrors of my situations from earlier had left my mind.