WORK OF FICTION.

I looked up at the sky as another day is nearing its end. I sighed heavily while staring at the small glass window. My body aches from all the dishes I'd washed. I'm working on a graveyard shift because I thought that a few people eat at night especially at midnights. I never thought that choosing this shift was a mistake.

"Here, Rain," Karl said while placing more plates at the small faucet where I wash the dishes.

This is not a fast-food restaurant but a food stall selling home dishes near the place where I live. Call center companies are around the area so a lot of call center agents are eating their meals here that's why we're still bombarded with customers at midnight.

I punched my shoulders after my shift to somehow ease the pain. I started working here just last week and my body can't easily adjust to extensive dishwashing. I'm receiving a $5 pay every day after my shift and I know it won't be enough to buy the things I need and to buy the food I'll bring home today. The cooks have higher pay because of their work and also because they've been working here before me. Our meal is free and I guess it's not that bad.

I bought a breakfast meal from the food stall because I know that my family would be awake when I got home. One meal costs $1 and I have to buy four of it so we can all eat breakfast.

"I'll go now, Ms. Terry!" I said. Ms. Terry is the owner and the cashier of the food stall. She just nodded her head without even looking at me.

I had no choice but to walk home because I only have a dollar left from my $5 pay tonight. I'm kinda used to it because I've been walking home since I got the job as a dishwasher. I just can't go home without money so saving this $1 I have now is important.

"I'm home!" I said when I entered our small apartment where we live.

"Stop shouting!" My uncle angrily shouted at me who's sleeping on our wooden sofa. I said my apologies and went straight to the kitchen to prepare the breakfast that I bought.

"Oh! You're already here, Rain. Can you please iron my uniform? I'm sooo hungry." Dayna said while smiling at me. Her hair is still wet. She must have gotten out of the shower although it's already 6:30 and she'll be late for school.

I reciprocated her smile and went to her room to iron her uniform. We're not well off but she's studying at a private school because my aunt wanted her to. The money she gets from renting off the other apartment from this building she owns is enough to pay for her daughter's tuition.

"Dayna, I'm done ironing your uniform," I said but she didn't hear me because she's using her phone. She's already eating breakfast with her parents, Aunt Arlene and Uncle Dan who just woke up. 

I didn't bother sitting at the table and eat with them. Aunt Arlene will just tell me to go off because our table is small and another person won't fit. I'll just change my clothes for now while they eat.

I entered my not so spacious room. It was a storage room before my aunt decided that I should sleep here after throwing all the unnecessary things. I sighed looking at my bed tempting me to dive in and sleep.

Aunt Arlene and Uncle Dan are still eating breakfast while Dayna is preparing to go to school. Dayna is younger than me and she's always been disrespectful towards me. I got used to it eventually because she's young. And also because I can't do anything about it.

"Why don't you eat here, Rain?" Aunt Arlene asked indicating that I should sit and eat now. We're like this even before I got the job at the food stall. Aunt Arlene would go to her job at a local betting shop and Uncle Dan will try his luck on gambling. Dayna would go to school and I would go to my morning job.

A heavy sigh is what I gave to the sunny-side-up egg left from the four breakfast meals I bought.  The fried rice that came with them is gone and last night's rice is the only thing left for me to eat. I didn't say anything because I think this is better than not eating at all.

It's almost 9 when they left at the same time. Dayna is frantic as she's already late. She made me iron her clothes earlier so she can eat and now she's late. I said my goodbyes to their backs and now that I'm at peace, I sighed in relief.

I went inside Dayna's room and opened her closet. I took one of her newest clothes that I think she hasn't worn yet. I smiled and brought it out to the living room.

"I guess I'll have to say goodbye to you, pathetic dress. This is Dayna's fault. If only she's not stupid and acts as a rich bitch, this won't happen to you." I said as I was cutting small holes on the dress. As soon as I was satisfied with what I'm doing, I neatly put back the dress to where I got it. It will look like a rat ate some part of it. 

Now, it's Uncle Dan's turn.

Why was he sleeping here in the living room? If only he wasn't here then he won't hear me shout when I got back.

I entered the couple's room to find the unnoticeable item of my next victim. And there I saw Uncle Dan's contact lenses. Who would've thought that that old man is wearing contact lenses? They can't even afford to buy their own breakfast but they have money to buy stupid things like this.

I took Uncle Dan's contact lenses and opened them. I spat on the formula where the lenses are being moisture.  He's so stupid that he won't even notice. He probably won't replace the formula.

"If only you guys are treating me right, this will not happen. Aunt Arlene is safe for now because she hasn't done anything bad to me this morning." I said to myself while placing the contact lenses back to their original position.

I went back to the kitchen to wash the plates and clean the table. While doing all of that, Cherry, my friend who's renting in one of Aunt Arlene's apartments, came.

"Rain let's go! I heard that there's going to have a lot of people today at the mall!" She greeted me with excitement. My morning job as a saleslady at the mall is with Cherry. I don't have time to rest here but I often sleep there because customers are rare. That's why the news of people going to the mall excites Cherry. 

"Wait for me here, Cherry. I'll just change my clothes." I said and went to my room.