It was another shitty day at work, sitting at his computer, Jake wouldn't do anything but type. His boss walked over, looking down at Jake with contempt.
“Your work, it's been so damn sloppy recently, maybe it's time you look for another job? I mean all week you've been just absolutely terrible, I don't get it, can't believe you were employee of the month..” he sneers, Jake looks up at the man, eyes widening, but not really filled with much emotion.
“What job?” he asked, voice flat, the boss let out a scoffing laugh.
“I don't care Jake, but unless you get your shit together, I need you out of here, got it? Next time, it's for real, you'll be done” and with that he walked, or more accurately waddled, away. Jake paused, staring at his computer screen, then suddenly got up and started walking through the cubicles, all beginning to empty out of the office as the night crisped the air. Jake made his way out, and was approached.
“Heyyy Jake, how are you? You know it's a really nice night, you should get some drinks with me, cmonnnn, it's been so long since you just had fun.” a man with a 5 o’clock shadow and untucked shirt with a loose tie says, as he makes his way in front of jake. After a moment of formulating Jake speaks.
“Y-es” he says, and the man grins, leading Jake away to a bar.
“You're not gonna regret this,” he says.
They make their way inside the bar, its ratty, grimy, and filled with loud slurred speech and the sound of uproarious laughter. Jake and the man made their way inside, and Jake sat on a bar stool.
“Jake? Hey, I thought you were done with alcohol, guess Clement got you back into it huh?” the bartender said, smiling but clearly uncomfortable looking at clement next to jake at the bar. “What can I get ya?” Jake didn't answer, but Clement eagerly did.
“Whiskey, give us a buncha shots!” he said then put some money on the bar and looked at Jake expectantly. Jake lagged, but then quickly pulled out his wallet, slapping it onto the bar and looking up, waiting for their reactions. Clement just laughed. “Ha that's the jake i know!” For a while they just drank booze, talked to random bar dwellers, and Jake smiled, wide, mimicking the way Clement seemed to grin at everything. After a while a woman walked in only to look shocked at seeing Jake at the bar, she stormed over grabbing Jake's wrist angrily.
“Jake what the hell?! You were quitting this, I thought you were doing so well. 3 months and now your gonna fuck it all up? I can't believe you..” she said, seeming angry, or disappointed, Jake shivered, but resisted, then looked up at the woman unsure of what to do, just grinning again with wide eyes. She looked visibly uneasy then just scoffed, shaking her head and began pulling him away while Clement whined “c'mon.. You're drunk..” she said, leading him out of the bar and onto the street to her car. “When you get home, you better drink like, a gallon of water, or the hangover you get tomorrow will kill you.” the woman scolds, voice half filled with frustration, half with sorrow. They get into the car, driving off down the road and there is an odd silence, an odd tension, Jake's eyes dart around trying to figure out if something went wrong, if he was caught. The woman looks over briefly before putting her eyes back on the road and shaking her head. “It really hurts seeing you like this jake.. I heard what happened to you at work today, the boss tore into you like nothing else… heard you've been falling behind… is everything ok jake?” she asked him with concern and compassion. All Jake could say was.
“Y-es” she heard the break in his voice then sighed, shaking her head, putting her hand on his knee as she drove.
“Ah.. jake.. Listen, just go inside and get some rest, ok? You… you really have to stop doing things like this, i can only help so much.” she says looking over at him then sighs shaking her head with disappointment as they pull up to the driveway of his house. “I love you brother.” she says. jake nods and steps out of the car, It drives off and he watches it disappear. Turning he makes his way up the driveway of the house, and pushes open the door, its hinges broken in. He makes his way inside, glancing around the kitchen seeing broken cups, shattered glass, a knife block with knives fallen out of it on the ground, except for one missing one. Then he saw the blood trail, dry and crusty now, more brown than red. He follows it slowly crossing into the living room, memories flashing of jake fighting.. Something. Cushions were all strewn about, tv smashed and on the floor, coffee table turned over, lamp fallen over, and a small puddle of black was on the ground. His face twisted into a snarl and his hand reached up hovering over his stomach, where a wound lay. Slowly he makes his way to the backyard, following the trail. And in the backyard was a shallow, uncovered grave. Slowly he made his way over, picking up the shovel, and then peering down into the grave to see Jake's face. He reached down, deliberate and cold in his motions and pushed the glasses onto his face before grinning just like clement.