Chapter 2 Find A Job

• I accepted the cigarettes and thanked him. Honestly, I never used to smoke, but how many people leave prison without picking up the habit?
• After thanking Aaron, I pushed the door open and stepped outside. Just as I was leaving, I clearly overheard the villagers behind me whispering about me.
• I tore open the pack of Marlboro cigarettes and lit one. Smoking as I walked through the snow, I made my way to the village entrance to wait for the bus.
• I figured I should do what Aaron said—head to the city and find a job. At the very least, I needed to make a living.
• As I thought about my aunt moving away, a wave of sadness and loneliness washed over me. It seemed that from this moment on, I was without family.
• When I finished the cigarette, I casually tossed it to the ground, and two people came to mind.
• One was my goddess, Rosalie. I hadn't seen her in three years. She was probably in college now, living a new life, while I was just a freshly released ex-con.
• Our lives were worlds apart, and I had no choice but to let go of the feelings I'd had since high school, just like the cigarette extinguishing in the snow.
• The other person on my mind was Tigre Hackett, a good buddy of mine I met in prison.
• He'd taken special care of me inside. Tigre had been sentenced to seven years for a brawl, but he was released last fall.
• He had told me that in Bronzestad, he was a big deal, owning a spa and a hotel. He had promised me that once I got out, I could come to him, and he'd make sure I was well taken care of.
• I had memorized his number by heart, but I wasn't sure if I should contact him. I knew he lived on the fringes of society, and I didn't want to follow that path.
• But at the moment, I had nowhere else to go, and part of me wanted to rely on him. I just didn't know if, after a year without contact, he would still remember me.
• After waiting for an hour, with my hands and feet starting to feel numb from the cold, the bus finally arrived, creaking along the snowy road.
• I boarded the bus, paid the fare, and stood in the crowd. Clutching the handrail, I repeated Tigre's number in my head over and over.
• When I reached the city, I looked at the remaining fifteen in my pocket and sighed before heading to a nearby newsstand.
• “Sir, can I make a call?” I asked.
• The old man inside glanced at me. “Local calls are three cents, long-distance five.”
• He then went back to reading his newspaper. I tossed a coin onto the counter and dialed the number that would change my life.
• The phone rang a few times before a low, impatient voice answered, “Who is this?”
• “Mr. Hackett, it's Theros!” I replied, my voice lacking confidence.
• There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if he was trying to remember who I was.
• “Ah, d*mn! Theros! You're out!” Tigre shouted excitedly, followed by a laugh. “D*mn, I got so busy I almost forgot. Yeah, today's the day you get released!”
• Hearing that Tigre still remembered me made me happy.
• “Mr. Hackett, I just got out. I have nowhere to eat,” I said, knowing full well that Tigre would understand my meaning.
• Tigre was a straightforward guy.
• As soon as I said that, Tigre responded warmly, “Theros, don't say that, we're buddies. Now that you're out, there's no way I won't take care of you! Come to the Saint Riveria Spa on Blackhill Street. I'll be waiting for you.”
• “Got it!” I replied with a smile before ending the call.
• The old man at the newsstand looked at me and said, “I don't have change for you, take a newspaper.”
• “Sure!” I replied cheerfully, grabbing a newspaper and glancing at it.
• With just one glance, my heart was flooded with emotion.
• In the center of the newspaper was a bold headline: Bronzestad's Mafia Kingpin, Sullivan, and His Gang Taken Down by Police.
• Below the headline was a large black-and-white photo of a middle-aged man in handcuffs being escorted into a police car.
• As I stared at the headline and picture, I felt a mix of emotions and couldn't help but wonder if Tigre, the person I was about to rely on, would end up like this someday too.
• I folded the newspaper and hailed a taxi, heading straight for Saint Riveria Spa.
• The ride cost me ten. Even though I barely had any money left, at that moment, I didn't care. I figured that with Tigre, at least I'd have a place to eat and sleep.
• When I walked into the lobby of the spa, I was stunned by the luxurious decor. I hadn't expected Tigre to have such a massive business.
• At the front desk, the receptionist smiled at me and asked, “Hello, sir. Are you alone? Would you like a single spa bath or a spa package?”
• I gave the receptionist a once-over. Although her smile was warm, there was an emptiness behind it, as if it had become routine.
• “Hello, I'm here to see Mr. Hackett,” I replied with a smile.
• The receptionist nodded.
• “Please wait a moment, I'll call him for you.”
• She picked up the phone and spoke quickly into it.
• Moments after she hung up, a man in a sharp suit came down the side staircase, calling out to me.