Chapter 1

"What do you mean it's expired."

The way the lady said it made it sound like I'd killed her only begotten son. I tried to remember my "training" and did what I could to ease her.

"I can talk to my manager," I told her, doing what I could to make sure not to raise my voice. I looked behind her, seeing that a line was forming. If I didn't get her through checkout soon enough I was going to hear about it- not just from her. I could feel my manager staring a hole through me. She liked to stand in the back, near the produce section, watching us cashiers to make sure we stayed in line. Apparently, according to a few people that used to work at the local Pokemart, where I was so happily employed, she took notes. But this was Janet we were talking about. It didn't surprise me in the slightest.

"I don't want to talk to the manager," the woman who was causing me so many issues yelled, nearly at the top of her lungs. "I want you to take my fuckin coupon!"

I looked down at it. In her hand- her wrinkled, spotted hand- was a coupon that saved only 200 Tabs. To put that in perspective, 100 Tabs could buy you a pack of gum. I was tempted to just pay it myself. Just to get her to move through the line already.

I glanced up to see Janet, eying me like a hawk. Standing beside her was her Machamp, Rusty.

He was in his human-like form. Pokemon can sometimes use their powers to change into people-like forms. I never really understood it much.

You see, I was never allowed to be anywhere near Pokemon. At least when I was younger, but it was drilled into me to keep my distance thanks to my Mom.

"Did you hear me?!" the woman shrilled. I hadn't been paying attention, my mind wandering off. Her outburst was enough to get the floor manager, Janet, to step up to the plate. She slipped on a mask of happiness. As if someone could ever been happy working for a Pokemart.

"What seems to be the problem?" Janet asked, Rusty standing beside her. I could always tell what her approach was going to be. If she were to schmooze a customer, she'd have Rusty smile and relax. If it was a matter of intimidation, she'd make sure he stood at attention. Nobody fucked with Rusty. I heard a guy once tried to tell Janet off after he was refused to purchase alcohol. The drunk was thrown out of a closed window. Nobody really tried anything bold after that- drunk or not.

"This rude employee of yours refuses to take my coupon," she spat. I thought her dentures were going to fall out of her mouth. Her purple and blue veins were popping out of her forehead. She smelt like moth balls and expired milk. I'd done my damnedest to stay a few feet away from her. Janet didn't seem phased by anything this older woman had to offer.

Janet turned to Rusty. "Move everyone over to lane 6," she told him.

He nodded.

Rusty went about motioning for customers to move to the lane next to mine, so that Janet could take care of the situation at hand. The biggest fake smile was donned as Janet cleared her throat. I caught an evil look from her.

"May I see that coupon?" she said. The woman jerked it to Janet. I stood by, wishing I was anywhere but there. Janet looked it over, taking far too long to read what it said. She nodded. Make a face. Really tried to sell the fact that she was putting in an effort to read what it all said. It clearly stated at the bottom that it expired a week ago. "Well, it does seem to be expired, but I don't see why we can't still except it. It is a coupon after all!"

I wanted to groan. I'd heard her use that line almost every week at least once since I started working at the hell hole I was employed in.

To anyone thinking about joining the denizens of Pokemart: don't. Work anywhere but Pokemart if you value your free time, your sanity, and your will to live.

At the time, I valued very little of either of said things. Maybe that's why I'd worked there for so long.

"Thank you very much, Ma'am," the woman said, scoffing when she looked to me. "At least some people aren't trying to rob me blind.

You ever hear a pencil snap in quiet classroom. Yeah, I think that's the sound my brain made. The mask I wore at work fell off and my true feelings came to play.

"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch I would have accepted the fucking coupon in the first place," I said as sober and effortlessly as the thought had been in my mind. I knew I'd fucked up that moment the words escaped my mouth. Janet looked at me, completely struck with surprise. The elderly woman looked as though she'd been slapped in the face. It made it all worth it, even though I knew I fucked up.

I didn't care.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" the woman screamed. I took another step back, her breath nearly knocking me off my feet.

"Your breath smells like shit," I began. "Your face belongs in a museum and your attitude is worse than your breath. So, for what it's worth, go fuck yourself, you sorry sack of Arcanine shit."

She fainted.

I typically kept my nose clean and had never been in Janet's office. Rusty was out on the floor keeping an eye on things while her and I had a "chat." I knew I'd lost my job, so what was the point in telling me how bad I messed things up. I sat there, arm propped to hold my head up as I watched her tap her fingers on her desk. She was hunched forward, eyes stabbing into me. I just didn't care.

"How long have you worked her, Wesley?"

Too fucking long, I thought to myself. But I bet that's about to change real fast.

"About eight months," I told her. I was oddly calm for someone who was about to lose their job. Someone who needed a job. The only thing I could think of were two words that came to me as clear as day.

Fuck it.

"That's not a very long time," she told me. To my surprise, Janet eased up a bit. She leaned back in her chair, taking a look at the security camera monitors. There was one in just about every department so she could keep track of things. Nobody every stole anything, thanks to Rusty. And nobody really got out of line, also thanks to Rusty and the broken window he created with that drunks body. Pallet town is pretty small. Word travels fast.

"When I hired you, I had my doubts," she told me. "But you showed up on time. You picked up extra shifts. You stayed late when I asked you to. You've been a model employee, and have been an inspiration for the new hires.

Inspiration. What a joke.

"Thanks," I sighed. "So, I guess I'm fired?"

Why not save the time and jump to the punchline, I figured.

Janet grew quiet, placing her fingers together, making a sort of web with her hands. She, in many ways, reminded me of a black widow. Black widows aren't a Pokemon- they're a type of spider. Not a lot of people have heard about them. Her short, black hair was swept to one side and almost made her look boyish. I think it was her body frame. From the stories I heard, she used to be a body builder. But times change, and so do people. She kept in shape, but no longer had muscles that could crush rocks. Still, she could easily take on any giant of a man who wanted to fist fight her.

She didn't move or say anything for a while.

Like a spider, just watching it's prey caught in a web squirm.

But I wasn't squirming. Frankly, by that point, I couldn't give a shit.

"No," she finally spoke after some time. "I'm not going to fire you. I think that would be to rash. Wes, you've been an exemplary employee. I know I may not always show it, but I commend your hard work. But I can't have you making our customers faint in the check out lanes. That's not good for business."

She cracked a smile, showing what little empathy she had.

"So am I suspended?" I asked, lacking the energy to be concerned.

"Also a no," she said. "The only reason I'm going easy on your is because you've worked hard these past few months, and I'd hate to see you lose your job over a... mistake."

Translation, I thought, trying not to laugh, you can't find anyone is this shit town that wants to work at this forsaken hellhole.

"You'll be stocking shelves instead of working the register," she told me. "Just like you used to when you first started working here. I think a change of pace might be just what you need to get back into the Pokemart spirit."

I couldn't see how she took herself seriously spouting that kind of crap.

"I'm going to have you go home early today," she said. "Come in tomorrow at three."

I thanked her, trying to appear grateful.

There was a part of me that resented her for not firing me.

I left, going about my usual after work ritual.

I swung by a small hibachi place by my house to get a bite to eat, picked up some cigarettes at the local corner store (I refused to buy them at work, seeing as they never had my brand I preferred), and went home to let out some of my frustration.

It started looking up porn at seven, finally found something worth doing the dirty to by eight, and was adequately disgusted with myself by nine when I finally finished the deed.

A wad of tissue paper was crammed into the red bucket I used as a trash can underneath my computer. I sat there, bare ass on my computer chair, just watching the rest of the porn I couldn't finish through. I felt my stomach start to turn, soon questioning my life choices. I find that after a bad day, I always find the weird shit to get off to. I was more disgusted in myself than usual, finally closing the browser.

I'm going to kill myself.

I froze. What kind of thought was that?

I let out a sigh, knowing all too well what it really was: what I wanted. The struggle with my mental health had been getting progressively worse, and my lifestyle was showing it. I stayed up until dawn most nights, sat around doing nothing but smoking cigarettes, and rarely did I ever clean. The pile of dishes in my sink had started growing mold and the sheets of my bed had been kicked onto the floor after many sleepless nights.

I'm going to just do it.

I laughed at the idea. Just... ending it all. The small voice in my head, in the very back of my mind- like the trouble maker of any classroom who gave any teacher grief- just kept on talking.

Dude, just fucking end it already. You're 23, going on 24, and you've accomplished nothing in your life worth mentioning. You have no skills, you have no drive, and you're working at a place you can't stand. So why not just end things now, the way you want them to. For once in your life, don't be a little bitch. Life has no meaning, no one is ever going to love you, and you're better off ridding yourself of the world that's shown you nothing but pain.

I found myself staring into the opened drawer of my desk.

I don't have any family left. My father passed away when I was a kid after a life a drinking. My grandparents weren't in the picture anymore, having passed away in their sleep. They died the same night. Kind of romantic if you ask me. And my mother, of all the people, killed herself. She wanted to be closer to God. Not Arceus, but God. She dedicated her life to her God, crying out to anyone who would listen to her about the False Prophet.

"Arceus is the spawn of evil!" she'd cry to anyone who'd listen. "Read your bibles and know the truth about him! Arceus is a false god! He is the devil!"

I was never one for religion, but I couldn't help mull the subject over in my mind as I continued to stare into the drawer of my desk, staring at a loaded revolver that used to belong to my grandfather.

I picked up the gun.

If my mom could do it, I could do it.

"Yeah," I muttered to myself. "Tonight's the night."

Why not.

Nothing matters, the voice in the back of my head reminded me.

But I already knew that. Or at least I thought so.