Thread: Price of Life (Ookami & Sumi)

It was well past midnight when the plump beer-bellied man struggled to life himself off the sagging couch. His dull empty eyes swirled with alcoholic intoxication as he scanned the room, finally realizing for the first time that the sun had fallen beneath the horizon a long time ago. Yawning loudly he lifted his beer stained singlet, the stench of uncleanliness wafting off him as he scratched his belly and let out a loud hideous burp. Doubling over only moments later and emptying a good splurge of vile stomach acid and cheap booze. Heaving and gagging in discomfort, he didnt even bother to wipe off the vomit from his chin when his body finally calmed down. His plump shaky legs dragging him towards the kitchen as his thick hairy feet knocked aside the empty bottle of beer that littered the floor. The tv buzzed angrily the whole time, the images constantly travelling upwards like a vertical slideshow of images, it was a miracle that the thing still worked, the screen was cracked and the small box-styled tv was faded and dirty. It wouldnt even be worth the parts that made it up anymore, but it was perhaps the most impressive furniture the one bedroom apartment had. The oven in the kitchen had been smashed up a long time ago and there only piece of kitchenware was a cracked ceramic bowl that had either been forgotten or discarded by the previous tenant whod apparently mysteriously gone missing one night, never to be seen again. That wasnt surprising considering the neighborhood the man lived in though. As if to confirm the thought, the sound of shattering glass echoed outside, followed by the sound of angry shouting and a woman screaming for mercy. The horrific sounds continued for a good five minutes before the sounds stopped abruptly, replaced by the sound of some dog barking madly in the distance. The man didnt bother to call the cops, they seldom came down to this part of town anyway, not unless there was a murder in which case theyd take a quick look around before shrugging their shoulders and moving along as if nothing had happened. They had bigger fish to catch, and no one really cared if the people in the area. Most were criminals themselves or illegal immigrants anyway. Hobbling over and pulling out a carton of unlabeled beer, the man popped the lid before shoving the contents down his throat, replenishing the moisture of his throat with the same stuff that had caused it to go dry in the first place. The warm fluid sloshed down his throat and dribbled down his chin, further staining the filthy brown singlet. Believe it or not, it used to white, and at one stage had even been worn under a business suit that was worth as much as the monthly rent for the filthy apartment. The man hadnt always lived a miserable life. Hed graduated college at some stage and happily married a beautiful woman with long dark hair. Her beauty the cause of envy from many of his colleagues at work. And before long a beautiful girl was born into the family. A cheerful little angel cherished and pampered with the love and affection a child deserved. Everything was going well. Right up until the man discovered gambling. The gnarly claws of addiction latching onto him and dragging him deeper into the abyssal darkness. It didnt take long for him to lose his job, and his house, and as they downgraded their abode time and time again, his wife too passed away. Her once beautiful cheeks hollowed, and the beautiful blue eyes weary and overworked. The man had lost the love of his life, and yet he didnt mourn the loss of his wife. He mourned the loss of the income shed brought in. Angrily accusing her of being disloyal and worthless. Instead of trying to get his life back on track, he continued to gamble, continued to drink. And to feed that addiction he used up all the money his wife had saved up for their daughters education. And when that too ran out? He pulled the girl out of the education system and forced her to work several part time jobs. Lying about her age to her employers and threatening his own daughter with unimaginable horrors if she didnt do as she was told. Fuckin bitch! Shoulda laid more kids he shouted out suddenly shaking his fist at the grey ceiling. Not caring that his daughter was probably sleeping after a long tedious day in the room right next door. Chloe had been given the one and only bedroom in the house. The door lockable only from the outside, it was closer to being a prison than a bedroom, and was furnished accordingly. The only reason the man had given her the bedroom was so that he himself could live in the living and monitor if his daughter was doing as she was told. Slouching over the kitchen counter he was about to take another swig of his bottle when a sudden bang erupted from the door a few feet away. The sound of someone slamming their fist on the door caused him to shudder in fear, his bloated body slowly crouching down and trying to hide behind the kitchen counter, hoping that whoever it was would simply go away.