MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: Stolen food
I shivered as I stared at my phone, then pinched my thigh. Drying my hands on the towel I reached for my phone to check the time. After midnight. I glanced around… I'd have heard if someone opened the door right? Maybe I… saw my phone through the mirror… and just thought it was in the sink? The sound… was probably a neighbor making noise. How thick could apartment walls really be? Either way, I need to dry off.
Right… no clean clothes, with a sigh I wrapped the towel around my waist… all my clothes were either dirty… or wet. I gingerly pulled out my freshly washed clothes to bring into the bedroom. I'd never dried clothes inside so I took Dillon's advice. There were two lines on the far side of the room, only small items on the line closest to the wall, larger on the second line. Thankfully Dillon had left the clips behind, after making sure all the clothes were secure, I turned on the small round fan. The fan would create circulation, so most of the clothes should be dry by morning. I glanced at the floor… just in case I laid two dirty shirts under the drying clothes to catch the dripping water.
I'd need a mat, Dillon had shown me the one he used to help catch falling water. He also had a drying rack, might not be such a bad idea to get one as well. With the money I saved on utilities, I should be able to afford one after my first… or maybe second paycheck. A paycheck I couldn't get if I didn't get a job.
I wanted to just sleep, it had been a long day, but I opened his applications… still pending. I used the apartment as a new address to look for more local jobs. No car so I couldn't even be a delivery driver… with a sigh I applied to be a busboy, and dish washer of a local bar. I couldn't be picky.
It was finally after three by the time I curled up under the comforter, I should buy some pajamas. Yawn, tomorrow. Today? After I wake up.
I had the strangest dreams, if you could even call them that. I'd been in that weird, half awake, but still dreaming state. I heard people talking, then something about my laundry. When I was finally awake awake I sat up with a yawn. Then blinked… I definitely fallen asleep with the fan on right?
I hesitated, refastened the towel around my waist, then checked my hanging clothes. They were all dry, a bit stiff, but I didn't care as I warily dressed myself. I glanced around my room for anything else out of place. The clothes I'd left on the floor… were gone.
I grabbed my phone… where is a bat when I need one? No, I'm just… overreacting. Maybe Dillon had forgotten something important… I checked for any missed calls or texts… only from mom.
I slowly walked through the apartment… the dirty clothes were all in a pile… were I'd left them last night… maybe… maybe I hadn't left anything under the drying clothes. It had been late… I was tired. After seeing the deadbolt still secured, I laughed at myself, then started another load of laundry.
I made a list of items on my computer, things I needed asap, sooner the better, and eventually. Like, I needed at least one pot. Dillon had left a few pans, a spatula, ladle, and two knives. Still, if I was going to liv here long term, I'd need some containers to store food. I grimaced, I wasn't the best cook, but eating out all the time was expensive. Thankfully, half the burrito from yesterday had been today's breakfast and lunch.
I started using maps to look around what was within walking distance. The Market was a good start, I'd stock up on food while looking for any jobs that may have signs in their windows. With a plan, I left the apartment… and immediately wanted to turn around.
In the hallway to the stairs, were three giants smoking. I hesitated, but I need groceries, basic supplies… after a brief hesitation, I locked the door behind me. Keeping my eyes on the ground, as I tried to quickly walk past the trio.
"Oi, You with Ire?" The largest of the three asked stepping into my path.
I stiffened as I glanced up, the man had a beer belly, greasy shirt, pudgy fingers holding his smoke. "Uhh, no, I'm, uh, new tenant, 210." I explained lowering my gaze, I should have just gone back inside. When they didn't say anything else, I glanced back up. They were all eyeing me… speculatively? The biggest moved just enough so I could get by and jerked his head. I didn't need another signal, I darted past.
I was a full two blocks away before my racing heart calmed down. Really? I just announced my room number? What if Dillon gets in trouble because I haven't signed the lease yet? With trembling fingers, I sent Dillon a quick text about claiming the apartment to another tenant. The response was surprisingly quick.
Just say you're with Ire. They'll understand.
Ire? Was that the owner? Thanks, okay. I replied, like ire as in, irritated?
The first area I checked was the discounted section at the Market. Unfortunately, mostly just spices or snacks… basket in hand I only picked up bread, peanut butter, jelly, half a gallon of milk, ten pounds of potatoes, butter, and some bananas. I wanted to pick up more, but this would fill backpack… not to mention I still needed toothpaste, laundry soap… everything was so expensive…
After I returned to the apartment I unloaded his spoils, everything fit in the fridge. I still needed to make at least one more trip… but my shoulders were sore from carrying everything back. I lay on the floor of the kitchen as I pulled up maps to check for the closest super market… four and a half miles away… that would be roughly an hour and half of walking there but the trip back… maybe I should buy a bike.
I rested for an hour, then ate Dillon's left behind grilled chicken and one of the bananas I'd just bought. The rest and food had me ready for my next adventure. As I was locking my door I noticed a bus stop, maybe I should check on the local bus passes. It was dark when I returned, struggling to open the door, I almost collapsed as I set everything down.
Just to decrease the weight, I'd bought soap powder but my backpack just didn't have enough room. I'd wrapped the shopping bag handles around my wrists to help with the weight, but now my hands were red and tingling.
As I stood up, I just dragged my backpack behind me… I stopped staring at my counter. I'd bought seven bananas… ate one… but now only five were left. Since I didn't have a garbage can yet I'd left a bag in the far corner. Hesitantly, I checked it… two banana peels…
I closed his eyes, counted to ten. I must have eaten the second banana, I'd been ravenous… that's all. As I opened my backpack my hands were trembling… I'm fine. I just remembered wrong. If Robby were here he'd say I needed to stop listening to so much true crime. I was becoming paranoid.
Of course… I'd been right about Arianna becoming distant… stop. I just needed to stop. I checked the door and windows, all locked. Now that I was riding high on adrenaline, I counted out each item, making a mental list of how long my food would last. After I was satisfied, and mostly calmed down, I put everything away.
I took a long shower, keeping an ear out for any noises. Everything was locked, no windows opened. I just needed… just needed to get my life back in order. I didn't look for any other job postings, only seeing if any had been responded to. None.
With a sigh, I curled up in my now clean clothes, set three alarms to be ready when Dillon arrived, then did my best to fall asleep.
An hour later I jolted as I heard something drop. I shot out of bed to see… my jeans had fallen from the drying line. Jesus I'm going to scare myself to death. I rehung the jeans, then found some rain music to listen to. This time I was able to fall asleep much faster.
I woke up before any of my alarms went off, sadly I didn't feel well rested at all. I'd been too tense. Closing my eyes I lay under the covers until the first alarm went off at eight fifteen, then pulled myself out of bed. I needed another trip to the market, cereal would be really good right now, but I just didn't have the room to carry it yesterday. Not to mention, cereal meant he'd need more milk. A pan fried potato with salt, maybe a banana would have to do.
Opening the bag of potatoes I paused. Slowly, I counted each potato out as I placed them on a plate… gut clenching as the bag emptied faster than it should. I'd counted them yesterday because I had to ration what I ate before he found a job. Six of his thirty-one potatoes were missing…
My eyes started to sting… what the fuck. I'd planned to microwave one potato each morning as part of my breakfast… that meant in one night, I'd just lost almost a weeks worth of breakfast… I needed every single one of those stupid potatoes…
I closed my eyes, fuck… if someone is stealing my food… I crouched down trembling… was… is someone breaking into the apartment? Had they seen me? Jesus Christ… no wonder Dillon wanted out… Damn it. Damn it! Of course it had been too good to be true. Just look at the neighborhood…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocking had caught me so off guard I had to stifle a scream at the last second. Slowly, slowly I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon. My heart was racing as I stared in horror… the bolt was still in place… no one should be able to get in… even with the keys. I stayed silent, trembling, hoping whoever it was would just go away. Damnit, I should have bought a bat. Damnit.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just as I was praying the person knocking would just leave, my phone announced a text message. The knocking suddenly stopped. I held my breath as I reached for my phone. If… if they didn't go away, I could call for help.
Trembling, I unlocked my phone. The message was from Dillon.