The Zenith System

Chapter 012

“I will extend my vacation for a few more weeks.”

Zack rereads Celeste’s text message for a hundred times. Since then, days have turned into weeks with no luck in finding a job. He stares at the overdue notice from the loan facility. His money is quickly depleting. He has been trying so hard to find a job, but it seems like every door is closing on him.

“I can’t believe I missed the first payment,” he mutters to himself.

He begins to feel desperate as he realizes that he won’t be able to pay next month as well, if he won’t get a job soon.

He sits on the couch and stares blankly at the TV, trying to distract himself from all his worries. Suddenly, there’s a sound coming from the door. Zack gets up just in time to find Celeste standing there with a big smile on her face.

“Hey Zack!” she exclaims, holding up a shopping bag filled with goodies. “I’m back from vacation!”

Zack forces a smile. Seeing her again, he feels relieved, but at the same time, he feels annoyed.

“That’s great,” he mutters, trying not to let his jealousy show.

Celeste walks into the apartment. Rather than her usual lethargy, she is bouncing with energy — a contradiction to what he is feeling now. She starts unpacking her bags and showing him all the things she had bought during his trip.

“Look at this shirt! And this keychain! Oh! I got you a souvenir,” she exclaims, handing him a small trinket — a tiny model of game console.

He looks at it with disdain and sets it aside. “I don’t need stuff like that,” he snaps.

Celeste’s smile falters for a moment before she brushes it off. “Sorry, I thought you’d like it.”

He immediately feels guilty for lashing out at her. Still, he can’t control his own emotions.

“I’m sorry,” he says softly, “I’m just really stressed out lately.”

“Oh, okay,” she says, her smile returning. “I will leave you to your worries, then.”

She stands up from the couch and packs up the things she bought. Not wanting to impose much longer on him, she enters her room, and it feels as if Zack is alone in his world again.

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

Zack steps into the chill of the evening, his breath visible in the air as he pulls his jacket tighter around him. Celeste has ordered him to buy some feminine paraphernalia because she is having her menstrual flow again.

He kicks a rock to the side of the road, annoyed. Why is it that he even needs to buy those things for her? It’s annoying. She should have been responsible to ensure that she stocked up on those things!

Still frustrated at his older cousin, he notices two hulking figures emerge out of the dark alleyway. One is broad-shouldered, while the other is leaner. However, the leaner one bores a hawkish gaze that is more intimidating than the larger man.

“Zack, boy,” rumbles the smaller man, his voice thick with malice. “I am Adi and this one is Ben.”

His heart thumps as he looks at the two men in front of him. It’s obvious that the names are fake. Also, he already knows even before the man says, “We are from the loan agency. It seems like you have already missed the first payment.”

The second bulky man steps closer. “We’ve come to check if that information is accurate,” he says, sneering.

Zack swallows hard, his mind racing for a way out of the situation. He knew he shouldn’t have taken that loan from these shady individuals, but he was desperate and didn’t have any other options.

“Look, I—I just need a bit more time,” he stammers, the desperation evident in his shaky voice. “I can get your money, I swear. It’s just the first payment.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” the man named Adi says, stepping closer to him. “Just the first payment and you already missed it. Do you even plan to pay up?”

“Of course I do! I just need more time!”

“Time’s a luxury you can’t afford,” Adi snaps, his glare unrelenting. “We’ve been generous, right? Helping you in your time of need.”

Zack’s mind flashes back to that day when he clicked that button. He was desperate for a loan, and he knew he wouldn’t survive if he didn’t do it.

“I know,” Zack says meekly, looking down at his feet. “I’m sorry... I’ll find a way to pay you back.”

“You better,” growls the larger man named Ben. “But we are told to give you a warning.”

“Please,” he pleads, knowing what the warning entails. “I promise, just give me till the end of this month and I will pay you. My sister—”

“Your promises are as empty as your pockets,” Ben interjects, closing the distance between them. His shadow swallows Zack entirely, and he backs away until his back hits the wall behind him.

“This is just the warning, alright?” he threatens. “In the future, pay up or pay what’s owed in flesh.”

As the cold from the brick wall seeps through him, Zack feels trapped. He looks into their merciless eyes, knowing full well the gravity of his situation. It seems like, without a job, his life will be in danger instead — the kind of danger that is worse than just having an empty wallet.

Suddenly, Ben’s hand shoots out, grabbing a fistful of Zack’s jacket. He then pushes him against the wall and the force of the impact rattles his teeth.

“Here’s your warning, loser,” Ben growls, his voice low and gravelly.

Zack groans. Just a warning and it’s already this painful?!

“But that’s only the start.”

Zack looks around. There is nowhere he can run or hide. He feels like a mouse caught between two predators — both are poised to strike him.

“You think you can just receive our magnanimity without thinking much about it, huh?!” Ben sneers, his breath reeking of cheap cigarettes.

“I—” Zack starts, but then a punch lands in his gut. He gasps for air as he reaches for his stomach.

“Whoa there,” Adi says. “We’re only starting.”

Only just starting? Zack groans. His vision is becoming blurry, and he is struggling to stay upright. Then a heavy boot connects to his knee, sending a jolt of white-hot pain shooting up his leg.

He is about to scream when the man covers his mouth. “Shhhh, no need to be so noisy.”

Zack staggers as he is pulled into the dark alleyway. “Let’s do this somewhere that people won’t see or hear you.”

“Should have paid when you had the chance,” Adi adds.

Now, in a darker place, a meaty fist comes down like a hammer onto his shoulders. Zack cries out as he crumples on the ground.

The beating continues. However, they are making sure that they will hit him in places that are hidden by his clothes — mostly in his stomach, but never in his face.

Zack gasps for air as a heavy boot lands on his ribcage, sending another series of pain shooting through his body. He curls into himself, trying to protect his already bruised stomach from the constant rain of blows.

“Please,” Zack gasps, no longer able to stand the pain from all the beatings.

Adi steps forward, ordering the larger one to stop. He approaches Zack with a smirk on his face.

“Next time, bring cash,” he growls.

Zack’s mind is in a haze as he struggles to stay conscious. The pain is unbearable, but he knows that it will only get worse if he passes out.

“You think we enjoy doing this?” he continues, his voice dripping with disgust. “You just leave us with no choice but to mete out punishment.”

The larger man takes a step back and Zack braces himself for another blow from the smaller man. Instead, he offers him a hand. “Get up,” he orders gruffly.

Zack hesitates for a moment before gingerly reaching out for the offered hand. With Adi’s help, he stands on shaky legs and winces as pain shoots through every inch of his battered body.

“Now listen carefully,” Adi continues, grabbing Zack by the collar of his shirt and pulling him closer. “This is just a warning. Next time, we won’t hold back.”

“I—I’ll try to get your money,” he stammers weakly.

“You better be,” Ben chimes in.

Without another word, they both turn and walk away, leaving him alone in the dark alleyway.

Zack slides down against the wall and curls into a ball, tears streaming down his cheeks as he tries to process everything that just happened. He knows that he can’t go on like this, but he doesn’t know how he will escape.