Decision

My name is Declan Maupin. I'm a 23 year old shut-in who has worked the graveyard shift at my local gas station for the past 3 years.

It's not the worst job in the world. Sure, I'm not very proud to work here, and I get embarrassed seeing old classmates and friends walk up to the counter with beautiful ladies attached to the hip, booze and condoms in hand.

I scanned the Dura-XXXL condoms and the bottle of whiskey at the counter with a hint of jealousy in my face.

"That'll be $23.84, sir." I motioned towards the man who seemed the most sober out of the pair. I actually recognized this guy from high school. Jason Beck. Him and I never talked, but we had multiple classes together.

He was at least 4 inches taller than me. He had an angry scowl, with light, walnut brown hair, a sharp jawline, and biceps the size of my head.

Now I wasn't a small dude. This guy was just gigantic.

The beautiful woman he was out with tonight was nothing to scoff at either. She had a face that reminded me of a certain actress from 'Transformers' with jet black hair, emerald eyes, wide hips and a thin waist.

She was quite the beauty. I couldn't help but stare. "C'mon buddy, I can't be here all day. Hurry the hell up!" The colossal man slapped a $20 and a $10 bill on the counter.

I quickly came back to my senses and apologized "Sorry sir, please forgive my mistake, I was lost in thought."

Truthfully, I was staring at the plump booty of his drunk lady friend. Though of course I wouldn't tell him that. I counted up his change and handed it to him apologetically. He scoffed at me and walked away.

I turned around and pretended to arrange the cigarettes hanging on the wall. I was currently trying to hide my face, in the hopes he wouldn't recognize me from high school.

I heard the bell of the front door chime and sighed a breath of relief, when all of a sudden I heard a man ask "Are you Declan Maupin?"

My heart stopped for a second, as I tried to gather my thoughts and pondered how to respond to him.

'Should I be honest? He's pretty drunk too so I might be able to get away with lying.'

I made up my mind and told him "I apologize sir, you have the wrong person." He put up an awkward smile and said "Oh, yeah? Sorry, I'm currently seeing double and you reminded me of this dweeb I knew in high school."

He let out a hearty laugh and walked out of the store with the barely coherent lady slung over his shoulder.

It was taking all I had not to pull out my boss' double barreled shotgun from under the counter and give him a piece of my mind.

Of course, I wouldn't do that. I have a higher than average sense of preservation. Doing things like that in the heat of the moment isn't my style.

I'd much rather just live out my days doing nothing as usual. Who cares if I'm single, and who cares if I live with my parents at 23? I lost my virginity in college, so at least I won't die a loser. And nothing is better than free rent.

There is nothing else for me to achieve in this life, I am content living life as a bottom feeder, grasping at straws to find ways to occupy my day.

Well I say that, but everybody has had hopes and dreams before.

Before I could continue my inner monologue, I heard the door bell chime and I quickly got back to work.

2 hours passed until it reached 4:00 AM. I finished my shift and restocked as much as I felt like until I got bored. I locked the front door of the gas station and started pedaling away home on my mountain bike.

It's environmentally friendly, and I have no need for a car. Just a waste of driveway space and money.

I had only rode about 200 feet from the gas station when I heard a blood curdling scream coming from an alleyway just a few streets down.

I stopped pedaling for a second out of shock, but hurriedly started riding again and reached the alleyway.

I turned the corner to a sight I could have never imagined.

The man who had just bought liquor and condoms from me, was forcing a nearly passed out woman against a wall behind an apartment building.

He was having trouble trying to force her skinny jeans off her legs, but I could tell what he was trying to do. The woman I had just seen at the gas station was screaming as loud as she possibly could, hoping someone would rescue her from the grasp of that giant of a man.

I instantly felt a shiver run down my spine. I had never encountered a situation like this, where someone's entire life was dependent on what actions I took.

Sure, I had read multiple books and watched plenty of film, and fantasized about this happening some day, but I never expected it to really come to fruition.

However, the confidence and bravery I thought I would have quickly turned to paranoia and fear, as the burly man let go of the woman and started walking over to me.

"You really let the years get to you Jason Beck. Sure, you were a brainless brute back in school, but you wouldn't even hurt a fly back then. Now look at you, resorting to attacking women against their will."

"I knew it was you, y-you, you fucking dweeb." he said with an angry stutter. I tried to run away, but I felt my legs lock into place. "Fuck you." I muttered under my breath.

I said that with a sly smirk across my face, but deep down I was scared shitless. He responded with a low blow, right at my weak point. "What a fucking moron. Didn't you go to college? Why are you working at a gas station like a bum?"

He started giggling out loud. "Surely you didn't get a faulty degree, or perhaps you even dropped out?" I jumped in confusion, wondering how he could read my mind like that. He threw away his smile and started sprinting towards me.

Alarm bells started ringing in my head as he reached just an arms length away from me. Danger signals were going off across my entire body.

I finally managed to jump a few steps back. I always wanted to choose when I died, and I always wanted to die in a meaningful way. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I guess it'll work.

I screamed at the top of my lungs "Run! Run away as fast as you can and get help!" towards the woman, and I saw her barely coherent self manage to escape the alleyway.

A soft smile ran across my face as I watched her depart, but suddenly I heard a loud thump, and everything went black.