One day down, another couple million to go.

I came back to an empty house. Placed my work boots beside an empty space. Hung my jacket in a lonely hook. Opened a pre cooked dinner and stuck in the microwave. Then I sat down at my kitchen table, alone.

But that was my life, I had no kids, no wife. Well, not anymore.

My life was absolutely fucked.

I was this blue collar jerk who hated everybody and everything, only stepped outside the door to run errands and go to work and avoided the human species like the plague. Kids avoided my lawn in fear that I would go out and yell, even if I’ve never done so. Rumours whispered around the suburban neighbourhood.

But I never tuned in. Never cared to listen.

I didn’t had a reason to live. But yet, I kept going. I walked through the long and winding road of life, there were constant branches in my way, blocking my view and often hurting me.

Yet, I bared through the pain and lived on.

The microwaves loud chime interrupted my long train thought of eternal misery and I rose from the rickety kitchen chair, getting a plate to fill with food before a loud, almost frantic knock filled my ears.

Holy shit. Who the fuck knocks on my door? No one. I’m actually scared shitless.

Walking towards my door, I stepped into the sitting room and peeked through the blinds, seeing into my porch where one of my neighbours, a teen girl, stood shivering and panicking in my front step. And I thought kids were scared of me. Maybe she knocked a garden gnome or something.

“Uh.. y’okay kiddo?” I coughed awkwardly after I opened the door, looking at the girl with running makeup and drenched hair, her clothing soaked to her skin.

“I- I’m so sorry..” she stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself tighter before braving in and speaking. “I.. I’m just.. uhm.. locked? Locked out of my house.. yeah” she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than me.

“Alright then.. uh.. I don’t.. come in..” I said gruffly, my thoroughly practiced routine already ruined as I dine this.