Here's a short extract:
....
My supervisor gave me
permission to leave the office early so that I could collect my things and move
out that evening. Impatient to get the
dingy apartment erased from my memory, I went round to the place for the last
time to pick up those belongings that I’d taken there with me. I’d take them to Suzy’s home and get myself
settled there.
I swept quickly through
my bleak home and collected everything I needed into two bags. With the bags in one hand, I stood at the
door and turned the key to lock it forever.
“Hello, lady. Are you going somewhere?”
I looked round. Frank was standing three feet behind me. And Ted was approaching.
“I... I’m leaving.
I’ve found somewhere else.”
“But there’s an early
termination premium. You’ll need to pay
us that.”
“I’ll send it to you,”
I said nervously. “How much is it?”
“No. You can’t.
Company policy is to collect the premium at the time of departure from
the apartment. You’ll have to pay it
now.”
“Or if you don’t have
the cash, we can collect it the same way as we did yesterday,” Ted added. “You could unlock the door again, and let us
in... We wouldn’t keep you very long.”
I feeling of horror
penetrated my whole being. I couldn’t go
through a repetition of that humiliation.
Besides, they promised it wouldn’t happen again.
I panicked, dropped my
bags, and ran. I dare not turn round, but
I heard them call out as they started to give pursuit. I ran harder.
Still unfamiliar with
the district, I went in the general direction of the town center. People were staring at me as I raced past
them; they must have noticed the terrified expression on my face. I didn’t know where I was running; my only
thought was to escape from those men.
I saw two or three
women going into a gym. I followed them,
hoping to lose myself in their company.
I tripped and fell; when I picked myself up, I felt tears welling in my
eyes and I tumbled through a door to the side of the reception area.
Helpless, I slid on the
floor into a crumpled heap. I felt a
hot, sweating hand reach down and pull me up gently to my feet. “You’re not in the right place. This isn’t the ladies’ changing room.”
....
I'll be back again soon with some more stories just as soon as they're finished!
Best wishes
Chris
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