chapter three

Caine was in his workplace. From the counter where he sat, he could watch the other sales staff pace about idly in the store which stretched into the distance.

Items and consumables were nicely displayed with their prices, all through the rows of item stands.

There were no customers around. Except for the low soft music that echoed within, through a central system, the place had been as quiet as a dead end. In those days, when business

flourished, it was often a beehive of activities right in. Men, women and children thronged about, seeking to buy items.

Caine breathed down, and had barely shifted his attention when someone hit him by the side... It was a colleague of his.

"Get up,! I wanna sit down, "the staff demanded. Caine gazed at him menacingly, and snorted, .

"Are you mad?! Uh`

"Look Caine! You gat to move to your own corner!` The persistent staff voiced out at him.

"Everyone in the store knows that you're no longer here, with Mr. Bid's recent reshuffle….so you better go to your new place`

`I'd break your head, Greg, if you pester me any further….` Caine warned, .apparently furious.

"I dare you to try it and see if you won't be thrown out of the store the next minute! ` The staff lashed out.

Caine merely shrank back hesitantly, without a word, the desperate staff stared at him and threatened,

I'd report you to Mr. Bid if you do not get up the next minute!

Just then a voice billowed at a corner. It was Mr. Bid..

Caine quickly moved to his new place.

Other staff scampered to give an impressive show up.

Soon, Mr. Bid emerged. He was, as it were, a haggard, worried, looking old fellow in corporate wears, though. With his large nose and few hairs which looked like the fur of a mouse that fell into a hot water, he became so frightened a fellow to gaze at.

While, he got to Caine, his sharp eyes ran everywhere.

.

You sit here relaxed while business collapses, uh! ` He fumed out.

Caine who rose to his feet, hesitated without a word.

But the man gazed at him right in the face and thundered again,

"I don't blame you, u, because you get paid at the end of the day!

Why not? Whether we make a profit or not, you're gonna be paid!!`

As he paused and studied Caine again, he remarked…

"But that shit gonna stop, you are found relaxed at work, any other day, you'd be fired!`.

`I'm sorry sir` Caine apologized.

But Mr. Bid seemingly unmoved abruptly ignored him and walked away. There was tension with the calmness that took over the place. Caine wondered for a while, and winced with pain.

He had became fed up with his work at the store. His zeal was dead long ago with Mr. Bid's despicable manners, only he was yet to find another job.

The way the old man, who was once a nice fellow strangely changed had remained an issue, or could it be that the situation at the store drove him crazy, having not expected it? But then the man who owned the business himself had not become as cruel. He still took things easy.

Moreover, the bad business situation was nobody's making. Only certain unforeseen circumstances could be blamed for it.

No staff felt any better with it, not one person . All the prayers were that things turned around soon.

And so, his continued unruly act would only bring down the morale of the workers, and what else? Or was that an attempt to make life miserable for some among them, so that they throw in the trowel? What exactly?

Caine sought to know by every means, as his thought raced back and forth.. And if that was to be, as it seemed, then he himself was among those wanted out, judging from the manner the man yelled at him.. The past days had been hell.. No day that he never shouted at him.

If he stood, the man would find it annoying, and if he chose to sit down, that was yet an issue.

More puzzling was the fact that he had him drafted for morning duties only, without afternoon shifts as it used to be. That was an obvious intent. As the manager, he had constant morning duties, and so, would want him around also, to keep an eye on him. But it was unlikely that he could hound him out of the job, if that was part of his plan. .

The man who owned the store, would not let him do that. For him, no staff should be kicked out, without a cogent reason, unless the store eventually folded up. . Caine hesitated, wiped the

sweat on his fore head, and breathed down.. He had barely stretched himself where he sat, to ease off, when a call interjected.

It was his wife Sandra .

She hardly called while he was at work, for fear that such might cause him further troubles with Mr. Bids. Only occasionally, on emergency situations that did she call.

Caine swiftly picked the call...

."Hello —--` he said.

Sandra wept actually and could not speak out clearly. Also was the noise of a police siren in the background. Caine's heart jumped.

Could Sandra have had an accident or what?"

`So what is it, babie? Uh` he shouted, anxious to know what it was...

" Em – em —' Came Sandra's voice. And as Caine tried to grab what she said, her voice faded in the waves, but resumed at an even pitch.

`Hello —---what!!?` Caine screamed helplessly.

"Kelvin`s involved in an accident".

`What!`

Caine almost ran mad, while he hastened to Mr. Bid's office.

`Oh my God!` he murmured to himself, and as he returned attention to Sandra's call, he enquired

'Is the boy dead already? uh!"

He did not get her faint reply before he met his boss.

And then, he abruptly ended the call, , panting and sweating.

"What`s the matter with you Caine?" Mr. Bid queried, shocked to see his mood.

"Oh my God, Caine` sobbed, pulling his hair with his two hands

"I'm not gonna survive, if kelvin`s dead! No! No!`.

What`s the matter, Caine? the old manager probed on.

Is your son terminally ill? Speak up, boy!`

He gazed at Caine anxiously with a look of concern. The first time he would do that since he became unruly.

Can't you talk to me, Caine? Uh!` He moped at him with an impatient gesture..

"Sir —the school bus carrying my son and other pupils rammed into a truck... Oh my God!` Caine spoke up, then broke into tears.

'What!` Mr. Bids shouted unbelievably `Is the child dead already?`

`I —-I—-- I don't know really` , Caine`s shaky voice reeled. He hastily shoved his over flowing hair off his face, as he tried to reconnect with his wife- Sandra on phone.

But old Bids paused and kindly directed,.

"You just have to be there straight away!`

You don't need to write for approval, I permit you okay?

"Thank you sir", Caine intoned.

`You're gonna need some grant too, to support you, don't you?` the old man observed as he hounded him some dollar notes.

Caine arrived at the accident venue, seconds later. The wrecked school bus faced the truck it collided with. Nobody was in the bus, the school pupils had been evacuated, only parts of their items- shoes, stockings, lunch boxes, school shirts and pieces of torn books remained... Caine shivered as he got out of the taxi...

The place had been condoned off with tapes by the officers, who stood by their patrol vehicle within. The other lane for on-coming vehicles was crammed with vehicles, since the vehicles going the opposite direction were forced into that way too. Caine at a glance immediately recognized one of the officers,: he was the officer who handled his matter with Fred.

"You `re a parent to one of the pupils? Ah!!` the officer in question accosted.. The other officer whose hand held a walkie talkie, while he received a radio signal, only watched.

"Yes, my son is among them".

Is he dead already? Caine mouthed in a hush, shivered tone, visibly apprehensive.

"Can't say for sure now, but there were severe injuries`…

"Oh my God", Caine muttered.

He shook his head, to push his hair backwards, and then, requested..

`Can I find his dead body?`

`Not sure he is dead, man!` the office countered.

`We may have to take you to the hospital where they were admitted`.

The pistol strapped tightly by his waist caught the sun and shimmered,, while he waved Caine to the waiting car. Its siren lights at the top whirled on and on.

As Caine moved to the car, the officer drew his attention.

"Look man! aren't you the fellow that owed someone sometime and would not pay him?" Ah!`

`Yeah -yea...` Caine returned with an outright show of lack of interest, and ran into the car. The officer merely swallowed the next thing he would have said. While the car pulled away, he and his other colleague stayed behind.