Sliding Doors

Prologue

"You're a complete idiot."

She moved away from the table, throwing out her lunch and growing weary of the thousand suggestions her dear friend Calvin insinuated onto her. This is what she received when she offered one helping hand to his unfortunate habit of getting into trouble, if it was the mafia or his poor girlfriend, Natalie. But even if he wasn't blood, she couldn't help herself to offer her services. But the suggestion he made was unconceivable, and not to mention degrading.

"Come on, Max. It's the perfect way to make some dough and offer services to other poor individuals like me." He jumped over the rail and hunched back against it. His pessimistic nature was starting to creep onto Max's temper.

"What can I say, Sketchy? That I'm so wonderfully happy that you thought of me first to strip at that sleazy bar? That I'm overwhelmed with joy to help sorry individuals like you for a late night job?" Max didn't have to say anything else to view her point. All she needed to do was push Sketchy into the garbage can, which she did successfully. Max sighed in relief of getting him off her back with the most inappropriate job offer, but she had to admit it wasn't the first time.

Max approached her lockers, quickly solving her lock, and opening her rusty compartment to take out her lunch. It was thanksgiving leftovers from Kendra's family, a great turkey sandwich with the bread soaked in gravy. Max's mouth was watering instantly thinking about that turkey sandwich. It almost made her day, just this small tiny sandwich. Not like turkey was hard to come by these days. Chickens was different, they were snatched at the market before Max could ever get her hands on them. But turkeys ran wild around the outskirts of Seattle, thus easy to get one on such an American holiday, even if Max hated everything about America.

She slammed her locker shut and crossed Jam Pony as if she owned the place and went back to her table, where her girl, Original Cindy was kicking it. She sat down and with admiration in her wild eyes, took out the delicious sandwich.

"So I was with my boo, and talk about holiday dysfunction, tells me that she's never been a lesbian, and was sleeping with her roommate, Ralph, the whole time we've been together. Do you know what I did to that bitch? I busted her face with my fist, not like she had a pretty face now I look back…but it just ruins the holiday, and my damn manicure. Pissed me off, I had to leave." Cindy slammed her foot on the ground, still cooling off from her holiday. Unlike Max, Cindy had someplace to go this year, a family member or a partner. But unlike Cindy, Max found a bottle of pure Vodka at the market and celebrated with some bang.

"You know, you've been having many problems with the same sex…you know…you could always…" Sketchy began, swallowing hard, trying to come to his suggestion quietly as he opened his can of soda.

"Always what? If you're asking what I think you're asking, you're more fucked up than I realized. What happened? Did you're mama drop you on your cranium when you were a tot or something…" Cindy shut her mouth before she could upset anyone else. Sketchy, forgiving as always let the insult run over like water. But before Cindy could even apologize for her rage, one of Jam Pony's best pushed into Sketchy. Before Max could pick up her sandwich, Sketchy dropped his soda and it fell onto the table, soaking Cindy's and Max's sandwiches with the horrible liquid.

"Damn it, Sketchy!" Cindy stood up before the soda hit her clothes. Max was obliviously soaked in sugary liquid, and so was her beautiful, delicious sandwich.

"Come on!" Max complained as she saw her day go down the perpetual drain. She sighed as she picked up her soaked bag and sandwich and threw it out, along with Cindy's lunch.

"Boy, I should slap you." Cindy around and started the trash her arms against him.

"Max…oww…Max…get her off of me!" Sketchy tried to protect himself but ended getting kicked in the shin by Cindy's steel toed boots.

"If you didn't ruin my turkey sandwich, maybe I would have saved you ass." Max quipped, sighing and leaning against the wall, watching Cindy take all her anger out on the poor guy before Herbal stopped them both.

"What is going on over here?" Normal walked over, and like always, with packages in his hand, and sorted them out to all of them. Cindy threw back her package, and Normal dropped a few from his arms just to catch that one.

Cindy stepped back and took a time to reflect. "Normal, I need a lunch break. So does Max. The idiot in resident ruined our lunches."

"Eat on your own time, I got hot runs." Normal growled.

"Normal, we are going out on a lunch break, we will be back after we eat. You owe us that much for what we do, and how much we put up with." Cindy put on her jacket and grabbed her bag. Max did the same and they both left, ignoring the calls from Normal if they went they would loose their jobs.

"Hey guys, wait up!" Sketchy jumped down the stairs and ran after them.

Normal grunted as he turned around and annoyed screamed: "Come on you lazy asses, there are packages that need to get delivered!"