The Zenith System

Chapter 011

Zack scratches his head as he stares at the emails on the computer that Celeste allows him to borrow. His eyes scan through dozens of rejection emails, each one a punch to his gut. He rubs his temples, trying to ease the tension building up.

He glances at his tattered leather wallet and takes another heavy sigh. His phone lights up and he reads the message from Trina. It is the amount of tuition he needs to pay and how to pay it. And now, his situation presses him down further, making it hard to breathe.

Feeling defeated, Zack continues to search for job posts, his desperation creeping in. Finally, he comes across an advertisement for an online loan facility. He hesitates for a moment, but then clicks on the link. Maybe this is his last chance to make enough money to pay his tuition and survive until Celeste arrives and he can look for a new job.

“Hello, Borrower,” a flashing marquee greets him as the website loads. “We’re here to help you with all your financial needs. What can we do for you today?”

Zack takes a deep breath and begins to type out his plea for a loan, hoping against hope that this will be the solution to his problems.

And so, he fills out the virtual forms with a haste born from desperation. He skims over the terms and conditions that hint at a disadvantageous situation against the borrower. However, he can risk it, if it means that he can provide for his sisters, and not to beg Celeste for help again.

“Damn it,” he mutters under his breath, the cursor hovering over the ‘Agree and Sign’ button.

He knows the loan can potentially put him in a worse situation than he already is. But he can’t afford to think about that now. All he needs to think about is how to provide for his sisters and survive until Celeste comes back.

Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and clicks the button. The contract is signed, sealed, and delivered to the loan agency. He immediately receives a confirmation email stating that the funds will be transferred to his account within three business days.

Zack sighs in relief, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders for the first time since Celeste left. He spends the next couple of days anxiously checking his bank account every few hours, waiting for the loan amount to arrive.

Finally, on the third day, he receives a notification that the money has arrived in his account. Without wasting any time, Zack transfers the full amount to Trina’s tuition fees and then heads straight to the grocery store. He carefully counts each item as he places them in his cart, making sure to stay within budget. It’s not much, but it’s enough to last him until Celeste returns.

As he’s paying for the groceries at the cashier, Zack can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that he’s able to provide for his sisters without having to ask for Celeste’s help.

Returning to the apartment, he unpacks the groceries, lining them neatly in Celeste’s refrigerator — lettuce, tomatoes, bread, and eggs. He can feel a small swelling of pride in his chest.

As he places the last carton of milk on the shelf and closes the refrigerator door, he pauses for a moment to let the cool draft wash over him.

After a while, Zack sits in front of the laptop, scrolling through job postings once again. He’s determined to find a steady source of income to support himself and his sisters.

“Come on, come on,” he mutters, clicking on each post that catches his eye.

Suddenly, a message pops up from an ex-classmate. “Hey man, heard you’re looking for a job. My company is hiring. Wanna apply?”

Zack’s heart races as he quickly responds, “Yes! What’s the company?”

“It’s a packaging and shipping company,” the message reads. “I can refer you. Just send me your resume.”

Without hesitation, Zack updates his resume and sends it over to his friend.

Just as he’s about to close his laptop and head out to run some errands, he receives another email the same company. They want him to come in for an interview the next day. Excitement runs through him as he starts planning what he’ll wear and how he’ll impress the interviewer.

The next day, Zack arrives at Swift Pack ten minutes early. As soon as he steps inside the office building, he takes a deep breath. He enters the conference room where the interview will take place. The interviewer introduces himself as Mr. John and asks Zack about his previous work experience.

“I’ve worked in packaging and shipping before,” Zack answers confidently. “I’m familiar with handling fragile items and I have good attention to detail.”

Mr. John nods approvingly before moving on to ask about how well Zack works under pressure.

“I’ve had my fair share of stressful situations,” Zack replies with a small smile. “But I always manage to get things done efficiently.”

After what feels like hours of answering questions and going through scenarios, Mr. John stands up and extends his hand. “Thank you for coming in today, Zack.”

“Thank you as well. When will I be able to know the result?”

“I will send you a message in a few days.”

************

Zack’s heart sinks as he watches the numbers on his bank account decrease rapidly. The grocery expenses and his job search have taken a toll on his loaned amount, and he can feel a knot forming in his stomach. How is he going to pay back his loan now?

He tries to push away his worries as he makes dinner for himself. Maybe he can ask for an update from his friend now? To see if he passed the interview last time?

He takes out his phone and messages his friend, hoping for some good news. But then, his heart sinks as he reads his message.

“Sorry man. They told me that they can’t hire you due to the robbery at your previous workplace.”

Robbery? It’s not like it is his fault. He was so close to getting a job and now it feels like another door has been slammed shut?!

“What am I going to do now?” he whispers to himself.

Frustrated, he slams the laptop shut and sinks back into the chair. He rakes a hand through his hair, feeling the pressure of his financial situation. It’s like a knife against his neck, very ready to draw blood from him.

With a heavy sigh, he pulls out his phone and begins to call every contact he has saved before, desperate for any job leads. But each call ends in disappointment, as they all tell him that there are no openings at the moment.

He then checks his bank account again. Panic sets in as he realizes that the first payment for his loan is due in a few days, and he has no way of paying it off. Defeated, he walks back onto his bed and lies on it, wondering how he will ever make it out of this financial hole.