Mr Daniels entered his firm at six in the morning. That guy was an early bird. He woke up early and always walked in stealth mode. But when he got angry...
"God help us all."
As he was walking to his office, he passed by the actuary department and saw Ralph and Clyde snoring loudly with their heads on a pile of files. Mr Daniels smirked and went to his office.
'Dedicated, but lazy people.' he commented as he entered his abode.
Two hours later, workers began to arrive at the firm. They found Ralph and Clyde still sleeping. Being a light sleeper, Clyde woke up at the sound of everyone sitting down in their cubicles and chatting or flipping open files.
He looked at the time and saw it was already eight. His eyes widened. He nudged Ralph.
'Sir! Wake up! Sir!' He shouted at him.
'Tá tú madra! Mé díreach tar éis chodail cén fáth go raibh tú dúisigh mé suas? You little scoundrel! Go hIfreann leat! Imeacht gan teacht ort! You bloody bloody dog! Quasimodo! Ná leomh tú fáinne an clog anois!' Ralph muttered at Clyde, who didn't understand more than half of the curses he just directed at him.
'Sir, it's eight in the morning.' he told Ralph softly, not wanting him to go on another cursing rampage. Unfortunately, his wish wasn't granted.
Ralph's eyes shot open. 'Oh, it's eight. Eight? Eight?! It's already eight?! I swear in the name of Lady Macbeth I just slept fifteen minutes ago! Motherfu***** time!' Ralph shouted, earning a few more glares from his already annoyed colleagues. He started hyperventilating.
'Sir, calm down, we still have half an hour, our work is done we just need to take it to the boss. Let's go freshen up quickly. ' Clyde said and calmed the groggy Ralph down.
Ralph and Clyde walked groggily to the washroom, both had large eye-bags underneath their eyes. The office workers stared at them as if they were zombies. Indeed, with the eye-bags and slow walking and crumpled up shirts, they did look very much like zombies. But this zombies are harmless. Cheer up!
They washed their faces and fixed themselves. When they walked out, they saw that it was already eight twenty!
'Oh no! It's bloody eight twenty already!' They both exclaimed together. Rushing towards Ralph's cubicle tried to open the drawer in which the two files were kept.
'It's locked!' Ralph exclaimed.
'Where's the key?' Clyde asked looking around.
'I don't know where the bloody key is! Where did we keep it!?' Ralph shouted back.
'I don't know either, Sir!' Clyde said moving the files around, dropping a few on the floor in the process.
Eight long minutes of throwing, tumbling and searching, they finally found the key...in Ralph's pocket. They retrieved the files and all but ran to Mr Daniels's office.
On the way, Clyde collided with Mr Wells, and both fell on the cold ground. The contents of the file Clyde was carrying spilled onto the ground. Clyde muttered a string of mild profanities under his breath. Ralph rushed to their aid and helped them up and gathered the spilled contents of the file.
They arrived just ten seconds before eight thirty, panting and very much out of shape and breath. They found Mr Daniels eating a bar of chocolate while studying a file. He looked up and smiled at them.
'Ah! Mr Murphy and Mr Smith. Looks like you're barely on time. I do suppose you have the audit?' He said looking at them with eyes as sharp as a razor.
Ralph nodded, trembling, and handed him the file. Mr Daniels's eyes swept through them.
'Well done, men!' He said when he was done. 'Great work indeed! I have to say I am very pleased. And even better, looks like Mr Murphy gave 49% of the credit to you, Mr Smith. Very impressive.' He continued smiling at the two men. Mr Smith beamed.
'Well I suppose you don't have any more work. Both of you can go home now, get some rest and come back tomorrow at the usual time.' He said, waving them off.
The men walked out of the office.
'Well, Clyde, looks like we did a good job. I'll call a taxi, do join me.' Ralph offered.
'No, no, sir. I'll walk home, it's not very far from here. I'll see you tomorrow. ' Clyde refused, smiling.
'Well, okay then.' Ralph said and they parted ways.
After a few minutes, Ralph managed to get a taxi. He reached his home and paid the driver before exiting. He walked into his house and was immediately greeted by the sight of his fuming, seething and sizzling mother. Ralph could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears. Add nostrils too.
'Ranulph Murphy! Would you please explain to me why you weren't able to come home? You sent me a text at three in the morning telling me you had work. And what about before that, hmm? I was worried sick all night! You could've informed earlier couldn't you?! I couldn't get any sleep! I was so worried. And at three in morning, I receive your little text that looks like a telegram. Not even a proper sentence! What will I ever do with you, Ralph?' She lectured him. Ralph muttered a sorry.
'Well what has happened has happened. Now come and have breakfast.' She said to Ralph, much calmer after her little outburst.
'I'm not hungry, I had had food from the canteen.' He lied through his teeth. He was feeling miserable. He did not want to eat. How could he worry his mother like that?! He was a fool.
He went to his room. He had a quick shower and brushed his teeth. He changed into more comfortable clothes. He dried his hair before lying down on his bed. Sleep soon took over his conscious state.
The day dragged on. Ralph got up and walked around his room, went down for lunch, and read a book. At four in the afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Aofie entered looking at Ralph strangely. Ralph looked at her intently as if asking why she was here.
'Would you mind dropping me off to my dance school?' Mum has gone to a friend's house and dad's not here.' Aofie requested her brother.
'O-okay.' Ralph agreed feeling very uncomfortable. His sister always hated him, she never came to his room and always looked at him with scorn. So why was she looking so...humble all of a sudden? He didn't do something wrong again now, did he?
He changed into a blue plaid shirt and black trousers. He and Aofie walked out of the house. Ralph hailed a taxi. They got in and Aofie told the driver the location much to Ralph's relief.
As the driver drove to their destination, Aofie began speaking.
'I was in the attic today. I saw something peculiar there, you know.' Looking at her brother, expecting a response but none came. Nevertheless she continued.
'It was a bunch of trophies. They were 1st prizes for some math competitions, from what it looked like to me, but the owner's name has worn off due to age.'
She said looking out the window. She still didn't get a response. But she didn't notice her brother's eyes widening.
'I asked father to get rid off them!' Ralph hissed inside his head.
'Anyways.' she sighed, 'That might be a glitch. I don't know. I hate math. They might belong to dad or someone else.' She concluded.
Ralph internally sighed in relief. They reached the school. Ralph paid the driver. They entered. Aofie walked up the stairs to her dance class while Ralph sat in the waiting area. It was a dull place, and Ralph, as usual, was in no mood to talk to anyone. So he did the only thing that he could do there.
He slept.
He was awakened by the sound of a person impatiently tapping their foot. He opened his eyes groggily and was met with the angry face of none other than his very sweet sister.
'If you're done with your beauty sleep, we can get out of this hell hole now.' She said, sounding very annoyed. Her annoyance wasn't directed at Ralph, but he felt as if it was and suddenly began feeling guilty for sleeping as he thought that was what annoyed her.
Aofie stopped on the way to buy two cups of hot chocolate. It was one of the only things that could calm her down when she was mad. Ralph, on the other hand, hated its very molecules, and grimaced as he drank it very slowly.
They went back home in another taxi. While Ralph paid the driver, Aofie headed inside. It was dark by then. He was still not done with his hot chocolate, which was cold and had turned into a milkshake instead, and carried it in his hands, chewing the straw impatiently. He wanted to throw it in the sink, but he was not the type of person to waste food like that and unfortunately Peter didn't like it either. Best friends, indeed.
Besides, he didn't want to disappoint his sister, who would probably see him throwing it out.
As Ralph was passing by the apple tree in their front yard, he heard a soft rustling.
'A squirrel perhaps.' He thought.
He went near to see if something was there. Suddenly, there was a short yelp, as someone fell right on top of him, spilling the now milkshake all over his shirt and face but mostly his hair. He felt a stinging sensation on his collarbone and agonising pain where his stitches were...in his thigh. It felt as if something tore his flesh out of his thigh.
'Hrrk! Oh you bloody barmy!!! Oversized mongrel! What a bugger! Aaah! You just burnt my skin, you bloody, bloody, dog!!!' He screamed at the top of his voice. He groaned and whimpered and wailed and did whatever his brain told his vocal cords to do.
'I am so sorry! I totally did not see you, I tripped on a twig and fell. I AM SO SORRY!' A feminine voice exclaimed, sounding extremely apologetic.
'Why does everyone have to fall!? Is the gravitational field getting too strong?! And why do I have to be there to save their arses?!' Ralph screamed in his mind.
'Ralph, why the hell are you... Oh my good Lord, what happened?!'
Ralph suddenly heard his mother's voice.
'Oh this day keeps getting better and better!' Ralph thought and squeezed his eyes in despair instead of choking the life out of the girl who fell on him...and caused him unbearable pain.
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We don't know how many typos and grammatical mistakes here, please forgive us.
On the bright side we are quite happy with this chapter so, yay! :-)
But, honestly, forgive the mistakes.