An alarm clock beeped at 6:00 am. The young man sleeping in his bed next to it steadily woke up. He hit the snooze button and rolled out of bed. Still a bit groggy, Y/N rewound the tape that had been playing on his nightstand. He then put away a set of pills into a drawer on his desk.
To get his blood flowing, Y/N began his mourning routine with a set of push ups. He then walked over to his closet and pulled out a set of clothes. He chose a grey button up shirt with a yellow tie. After getting the rest of his clothes on, Y/N stepped out of his room and went into the bedroom next door.
Y/N: Abs, you ready? Abby?
He stepped into the room. Looking over to the side, he saw a small fort set up with blankets and pillows.
Y/N: Abs. Come on. I know you're in there. Let's go.
He looked down at his siter inside the tent. She acted like she was asleep and couldn't hear him. He began to shake the tent to get her attention.
Y/N: Abby, come on.
Abby: Okay, okay.
She crawled out of the tent and looked up at him.
Abby: You're being a jerk.
Y/N: You know I have somewhere I have to be. Come on. Let's go. Five minutes. I need you dressed.
He turned to leave the room. As he walked towards the door, he felt a soft teddy bear hit the back of his neck. He turned around and saw Abby crawl back inside the tent. He sighed and looked at her.
Y/N: Five minutes.
Y/N sat in the career counselor's office. He knew why he was here. It was all due to a slip up he made during his last job.
A few days earlier...
Y/N was working as a mall security guard. He was talking with his coworker, Jeremiah, and showing him a book he'd been reading. Jeremiah took the book and decided to read a passage from it. It was titled 'Dream Theory'.
Jeremiah: "And though the dreamer remains asleep, he walks through memory as if experiencing it for the first time anew, no longer a passive but an active participant."
The man put down the book and laughed. He looked at his coworker.
Jeremiah: This stuff for real?
Y/N: Some people think so. Guess it depends on what you believe.
Jeremiah: Summer of '82, I traded a mint condition Cal Ripken Jr. rookie for a used copy of Missile Command. That card's probably worth 800 bucks now. I wish I could participate in that memory and actively kick my own ass.
He pointed towards the book.
Jermiah: Can I keep it?
Y/N: No.
Y/N took the book from him and put it in his back pocket. Later, the young man stood in line at the ice cream shop. He approached the front desk and the server smiled at him.
Server: Hey. You want your usual, right?
Y/N: Uh, yeah.
While she was making the ice cream order, Y/N looked to the side. He noticed a little boy standing all alone. He was looking around confused, as if lost.
Server: So, when are you going to bring your sister by? We got this new flavor, Rainbow Explosion. I bet she'll go crazy for it.
Y/N wasn't paying attention to her. His mind was still focused on the boy. Suddenly, an older man stepped in and grabbed the boy by the arm. He dragged him away from where he was standing.
Y/N began to run after the man with the boy. He pushed past people and called out to the man.
Y/N: Hey! Hey!
The man turned around. He was met by Y/N grabbing him and slamming him down into the fountain behind him. Y/N began to beat him senselessly. People around the area were startled and looked on at the assault.
Jeremiah stepped in and grabbed Y/N. He held him back and pulled him off the man. The little boy stood nearby screaming.
Boy: Daddy! Daddy!
Y/N then realized his mistake. It wasn't an abduction. This was the boy's father.
Present Day
Y/N bounced his leg while his counselor looked over the young man's files. A nameplate on his desk read "Steve Raglin." Mr. Raglin's eyes darted over the information he was reading. The counselor was a bit of an older man. He had a greying beard and thick glasses. His hair was neatly combed over with just a few white strands near the top of his head. He wore a striped yellow shirt and purple tie.
After looking over the files, he turned around in his chair and faced the man on the other side of the desk.
Raglin: What is your deal, Y/N? What are you, some kind of head case? You beat up a man in broad daylight in front of his child.
Y/N: That was a mistake. Um... It was a misunderstanding. I... I thought...
Raglin: Just look at your employment record. Tire Zone, sales associate, two months, terminated. Insubordination. Media World, custodial staff, one week. It's like you're not even trying here, yet you sit before me asking for help. I am just trying to figure out who you are, Mr. Y/N Sch...
He stopped upon reading his last name. He looked down at the file then brought his head up and looked closely at Y/N. It was like he was trying to memorize every detail on his face. Or maybe remember something? Y/N felt uncomfortable being around him.
Raglin: Coffee?
Y/N: Sorry?
The older man stood up and walked over to the other side of the room. He picked up a coffee pot and poured himself a cup. He continued to speak with his back turned towards the young man now behind him.
Raglin: I'm... I'm gonna be brutally honest with you here, Y/N. Given your track record, your options are gonna be extremely limited.
He turned back to face the man and wandered back to his desk.
Y/N: I'll take anything, okay? Any... Any job you got.
Raglin: No. No. Look I... I get that part. Um, it's just... You know, it's not that easy.
Seeing what he meant, Y/N decided he was all out of options. He stood up from his chair.
Y/N: Okay. Thank you.
As he was about to exit through the door, Mr. Raglin called out to him.
Raglin: I have a job for you.
Y/N turned back and looked at him. Raglin motioned back towards the chair.
Raglin: Come on, sit down.
Y/N bit his lip and sat back down in the chair.
Y/N: Okay, uh, well, what is it?
Raglin: It's a security gig. Full disclosure, it's not great. Right? High turnover. That's what we call it in the business, but you get to be your own boss. Sort of. And you only have to worry abut one thing. Keeping people out. And... And, you know, and keep the place tidy.
Y/N: That's two things.
Raglin: You want the job or not?
Y/N: How's the pay?
Raglin: Not great. But the hours are worse. It's a night shift from 12:00 to 6:00.
Y/N sighed and shook his head.
Y/N: I can't do nights.
Raglin: Excuse me?
Y/N: I can't do nights.
Raglin: (chuckle) That's such a shame.
Y/N: Yeah. Thank you.
He stood back up to leave.
Raglin: Wait, uh... My card. In case you have a change of heart.
Y/N took the card in his hand and left. He needed to find some other job. He just knew one thing. He couldn't do nights.