1 A Road to Happiness

The fresh air of April brushed against the dangling libs of the two men walking down the road. Working days are always the hardest to survive for low-ranked employees working for big companies. Those companies will find any ways to ransack your energy into manual labour, doesn't matter if it's mental or physical work. The way they would do it is from. offering a raise to just a simple "Thank you" from your co-worker. However, these are only Tony Gult's thoughts on this issue, most likely it's since he is one of those employees.

"Finally, Saturday! I survived this week to suffer the next week," The drunken Tony Gult announced as he heavily dragged his legs one at a time. "Darn, it's 10 pm already? I better get home before my wife kills me." Next to Tony, his co-worker Sarpi did not deny his disapproval but kept quiet. The Friday evening streets have almost no sign of life as they are the only two beings walking down the path of this modern city.

"How have I come to this point? I am barely able to pay the rent and soon…" But before Tony could finish, he was distracted by the smile on Sarpi's face. The silver moonlight that shone on his face cast a serpent-like shadow on the nearby building.

"No, don't tell me you got a raise again, this is the 6th time this month. I swear, our company is rigged against me!" As Tony complained, Sarpi watched Tony's agony in silence but did not respond. But strangely with no expectancy, a Lunar eclipse occurred, and the sun's ray coved the moon with a thin scarlet robe. As if the bloody moon was a sign for adjustment for life, Sarpi spoke carefully.

"You know, Tony, when I see an apple, I bite it."

"Stop that Sarpi, you know, I'm too dumb to understand you."

"Tony, what I'm trying to say is that I know some special service that might interest you."

"Please don't tell me you do drugs."

"No no, not drugs, but a company with very personal services, something that will make you happy."

"Well, I mean it is the weekend. I'll just make a stupid excuse so my wife would let me go out. What's the name?"

"The name of the company is "A Road to Happiness", the boss is called Vania."

Sarpi slowly pulls out a business card from a hidden pocket in his suit. The text on the card was glittering in gold. On the card, it only has the name of the company, the name of the CEO and the phone number. Behind it was the address.

A ROAD TO HAPPINESS

Vania

+777 17701324069

Tony leaned towards Sarpi and struggled to see the text with his drunken eyes.

"Sweet, isn't it. Just give it a call and all your problems would be solved."

Tony took the card and put it in his pocket. Later, the two men separated.

Tony made it to the front door of his shabby little apartment. He pushed in and the door creaked behind him. Almost as sudden as the Lunar eclipse, a roar of lions blew Tony to the floor. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TONOGH? WHO WILL WATSH THE DISHES, MAKE THE BED AND MOP THE FLOOR??!?! ALSO WHERE ARE THE GUCCI BAG YOU PROMISED?

Tony was not suppressed by this type of company for he has been treated poorly by his wife ever since they were married. Not even Tony himself could recall the reason that he has married his wife. Perhaps it's because she was the only option for him. Most of the time she treats Tony like her own servant, serving her 12 hours a day and doing almost all the choirs. Tony decided that after the blood moon is over, he will go there.

Day 2 6:30 am

Tony stood speechless in front of the company building. The building has a rectangular shape like most of the buildings in the area but, there is just something odd about this building. On the website that gives information about the building, it says that the building has 70 floors, 7 main sections divided with colours and 333 rooms in total. Tony wondered if that's the odd part about it. The fact that it has around 4 rooms per floor, the number of floors should at least double. As he thought to himself, a man in a bright purple tuxedo walked towards him.

"Hello, their sir, how may I company you?"

"Hello, this is Tony Gult, I'm looking for a person named Vania."

"That is me sir, how may I company you?"

"Well, what kind of service does this company provide, there are very little information about this place on the website."

"Sir, we do not provide any service. We are just actors."

"Actors? You mean the whole company."

"Yes sir, every member of our company are actors."

"Oh, then my friend must have given me the wrong card. He said it's a place that will give special service. I better get home to help my wife with the choirs."

"Wait sir, I think I know what you meant by special service. Come with me."

Vania started to walk into the company and Tony followed him. As Vania walked, he pulled out a handheld transceiver and spoke into it "The name is Tony Gult, give him our best service." Then he turned around and faced Tony.

"What do you desire the most Mr. Gult."

"What do I desire the most? Right now?"

"Yes, anything you dream of."

"Well, I'm quite hungry. I didn't eat breakfast because I had to leave before my wife wakes up so she wouldn't get angry."

Vania turned back and spoke into the transceiver again. "Give Mr. Tony Gult the Gluttony path on the 5th floor, it's his first time here so let's count it free. They entered the building and what Tony saw inside shocked him. This place doesn't look like a company building, it looked more like a royal palace, a 5-star hotel, a billionaire's mansion with marble, gold and silver coated stairway, painting and statues and most importantly servants lined in a row that stretched from one end to the other.

They stopped for a moment before going into the elevator. Vania pressed the button to the 5th floor. What stood in front of Tony is something he had never seen before, almost as shocking as what he saw when he walked in. Tons and tons of food lied Infront of Tony the endless amount of food seemed to be reflecting something within Tony. With little patience he asked Vania.

"You said everything is free right? Because it's my first time here everything is free right? The first time is free right?"

After getting the confirmed answer from Vania, Tony charged at the pile of food. After feasting for hours, Vania took him to a gold-gilded indoor balcony. Awaiting them are crows of people shouting and crying "Tony! Tony!" as if they are at a ceremony of a newly crowned King. After being overwhelmed by fame, Vania took Tony down the stairway onto a red-carpet pathway. Crowds from both sides appeased and shouted. The children competed for signatures and the girls fated as they walked past them. But suddenly everything stopped as if time itself had been frozen. The whole crowd stopped, then separated, and not long after, the hall was empty. Tony Gult's time was over and if he wanted to experience this again, he would need to pay.

Day 3 6:30am

Tony was there again, this time bringing his life savings. Vania took him into the first section, Pride. As soon as he walked into the grand hall, storms of applause reverberated, teachers and mentors swarmed to congratulate him, and camera lights flashed in his eyes as he walked onto the stage to be awarded the Nobel Prize. He had never felt this proud of himself and he had never been given this much pride until then.

Day 4 6:00am

The next day Tony was there again, this time having stolen his wife's life savings. Vania took him into the Greed section and told him that he could feel, smell, look, taste and hear anything in this safe, but what's in the safe stays in the safe. They went in front of a high security bank safe. Vania typed the password onto the safe 177013. The door opened and millions worth of gold lays right before Tony's eyes. Tony jumped in, grabbed a handful of gold, kissed them and wouldn't let them go until the last minute of this greedy journey.

Day 5 7:30am

Tony arrived at "A Road to Happiness" later than his usual time, as he had some trouble to cash his house to the bank. But anyway, he managed with enough money to pay for the day. Vania took him to the sloth section. Vania led him in front of a jungle-like room covered in silk robs. After penetrating through the silk robs, he found himself in front of a huge bed. Tony berried himself inside the bedsheets and soon it took his mind into another place above and beyond this mortal realm. Never had Tony been such a sloth. As Tony was about to leave the company building, Vania foreshadowed to Tony that "Tomorrow, we will be dealing with your anger problems."

Day 6 3:00am

The day that the trouble occurred, this is the biggest trouble Tony has got himself into. Tony has never been in such a desire need for money. He needed to know how the Wrath section would be like and how would Vania surprise him again. He needs to know but not because he is in rage, but because he has become addicted to these daily special services. "I can't live without this! I can't live without this!" he thought to himself. "But where could I get it? Where on earth could I found another place to get these services? I have nothing left to pay for the services. I've banked my house, used up all my life saving and my wife's."

As Tony shivered in the agony, his wife woke up and saw him in the living room. She was confused seeing her husband sitting alone on the living room sofa, naked and shivering.

"What are you doing up this early? I thought a person like you would never be an early bird."

Her words did little to no effect on Tony because he is lost in his own thoughts. Wondering what else could fill his needs and what else could he find happiness in.

"Don't ignore me!"

No response from Tony

"Hello! You deaf or something."

No response from Tony

"If your gonna-" Before she could finish Tony grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the ground. "For so long my love, you have been treating me poorly. At last, I have found the answer, why spend that much money on just a little service, when I can do everything at home. Why suffer and work when you can just let go. Why stay silent and never fight back when you could go straight for the kill." She scratched pinched and punched Tony, but he wouldn't let go. Her last attempt of breaking free was to throw her arms at him but was unsuccessful.

Day 6 4:00am

After leaving the body in the living room. Tony Gult walked into the bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror.

"This is a road to happiness."