Chapter One

Tyler walked out of the store with a wipe and mop in his hands. His tight janitor uniform clinging softly to his skin. He paused at the entrance to gaze at the long frail of seats he's going to clean. A sigh escaped his lips, contorted and distant chatterings howling at his ears.

That has been his dilemma for the past two years. He works as a janitor in a school football's team as a means to an end. He'd have to clean the seats at the auditorium, wash the bathrooms and do the laundry. Every part of his job was quite easy, but the laundry part was like hell on earth. The stinking stink of those boots and socks makes him want to throw up, and sometimes he's forced to cover his nose - in other to do the job. Pathetic.

The football team's quarterback - Raul is Tyler's worst nightmare. He treats the poor janitor like some piece of worn out socks - ready to be deposited at the city's waste reserve. Tyler tries every trick in the book to avoid crossing paths with Raul, but there's no flicker without light. They end up stepping on each other's toes all the time.

It took two hours to get all the seats cleaned. Sweat cascaded his face in lines. He walked through the aisles heading back to the store. The thought that he still had to do the laundry made his heart thump rapidly in fury. He limped towards the store, every step taken in outright rage and uncertainty. He stood by a pole for a moment, gaping at the deserted football field. His gaze dropped miles away at an open hallway.

Two male students stood at the hallway. Each clutching a substance at the middle of their fingers. One of the boys pulled out a firelight and lits it. Tyler's eyeballs widened in shock when it dawned on him that they were about to start smoking - whilst hiding in a hallway.

He tightened his hands in a fist like he was going throw a jab into space. But on a second thought he thought of the scars that'll be on his skin if tried to raise alarm or stop the smokers - even if its prohibited.

"Yo, dumb head" a familiar voice shouted from behind. Tyler bit his lips nervously. He turned slowly to meet Raul the quarterback ambling towards him. Fear clutched his spine. He broke eye contact immediately. Raul had company - three players. Tyler sulked in a breath, his feet trembled like he placed it on a fiery furnace.

Raul nudged Tyler's chest violently when he and the rest of the guys got to where he stood. A sinister smile twirled on his lips. He placed a finger on Tyler's jaw, trying to tilt his head up. But Tyler didn't budge. Raul connected his palms to Tyler's cheeks.

Tyler gripped his cheek, as he winced painfully. The three guys with Raul laughed hysterically at the funny face Tyler made when Raul slapped him. Raul joined in the laughter. "Look how ugly and pathetic he looks wearing that face" they mocked.

"That's why you get for being a jerk" Raul roared, as the whiff of his breath hit Tyler's forehead.

Tears stung Tyler's eyes. He didn't have the balls to stare at Raul. He found solace in staring at the floor with his lips shivering in fury.

"I hope you didn't damage any of those seats" Raul snarled. He scoffed and nudged Tyler's shoulder. "You wouldn't dare. Your generation cannot afford one of them"

They all laughed again. "Do you mean this dude is so poor and pathetic?" One of them retorted amidst laughter.

"You think I'm tripping?" Raul grinned. He slid his finger to the hole in Tyler's shirt - close to his color "Take a look at this" Raul sneered, and his cronies swung into another frail of laughter. Raul widened his fingers in the torn part of the shirt and he tore it into a fragment.

"Just look at that"

The welled up tears in Tyler's face trickled down his cheeks. He's been trying to restrain them since Tyler slapped him, maybe it worked. But his efforts sank into the ground when Tyler tore his shirt.

"Aww. The poor little sucker is crying" Raul muttered feigning a pitied tone. He raised Tyler's head forcefully. More cacophonies of laughter tore into the air when they caught sight of Tyler's teary face.

"You look like a clown when you cry"

"You can't stand close to hulk in a beauty pageant"

Raul let go of Tyler's jaw. "Your tears look horrible. Just like you" Raul pushed him to the ground. He slumped to the floor, hitting his head on one of the iron seats.

"You forgot to say his blood looks horrible like him too" one of the players said. Then it dawned on Tyler that his head was bleeding. He placed his hand on his head, trying to find the spot. He winced in pain, as blood dropped on his torn shirt.

"He looks like a cursed wolf"

"Yeah, from one of those old werewolf tales. The pathetic ones" Raul retorted, with a loud chuckle.

"Enough guys" Raul said and silence overran the zone for a few seconds. "Yo, crying doll. You've got more work to do" Raul yelled.

He flung a boot and a pair of socks to Tyler. The socks landed on his face. He coughed at the suffocating stench of the socks, ruffling it off his face. The teammates laughed at Tyler's swift display.

They flung their boots and socks over Tyler's face too. His heart constricted in rage, he covered his nose with the back of his palms, eyes - soaked in tears.

"There you go" Raul threw a few pieces of cash at Tyler "That's your pay for the week" he yelled. Raul leaned close to Tyler. He grabbed him by the collar "I will crush your balls if you don't get his stuff cleaned in an hour" he pushed,. He vehemently let go off Tyler's shirt - making him snuggle back to the floor.

Raul and his cohorts walked away - each muttering utterances of scorn.

Tyler weeped on the floor for a few moments until he gathered the strength to walk away. He convened all the socks and boots in a pail. He walked towards the store - every step slogging in anger and rage.

Raymond strode pass one of the bathrooms. He heard a familiar femine moan and he halted his steps. His eyebrows creased in shock. He dropped the pail and stealthily approached the bathroom door. The moan persisted and he needed no soothsayer to whisper into his ears that it was a sensual pleasure.

He placed his hands on the wall, trying to peep by the little hole in the doorknob, but his feet trembled, and he pumped into the door. It was open.

His eyes dilated at the eerie view in front of him.