Suddenly, the alarm clock wakes from its slumber with a loud noise. In a cold sweat, Jack wakes up too. It's 7 pm.
"What is that," said Jack with drops of cold sweat on his face.
It's a very familiar feeling, yet he cannot recall then and why he felt that. It's…
Suddenly, a second alarm stopped his thoughts.
With a yawn and with visible unwillingness, he forced himself to dress up and go to his work. After putting on his jacket and jeans, he left his humble flat and found himself on the staircase. It was a little littered and filthy. Jack's neighbors thought that if it's not part of their own place, there's no point in getting it cleaned up. Jack thought so too. On the streets he rushed to his subway station, he was not in the mood to take a stroll to "Jack of all Trades". Weather was cloudy, streets were wet from the nearly ended rainfall, it was very fresh outside. Evening mist started to crawl through the streets of L. Something eerie was in the air, as almost furthermore this strange dream. After all, he didn't have any friends besides his brother...
Thinking a bit, Jack got distracted.
"Maybe the dream has not ended? Maybe it's continuing…"
"Ughm…" - slivers brought him back to normal.
While his head was occupied by these reflections, he didn't even notice how he boarded the underground carriage. A moment after, he finally got his bearings and sat on the seat. "Jack of all Trades" was two stations away from his apartment block - it was situated near "National Park of Philip the VII", so the subway station bears the same name, "Philip the VII Station".
Emerged in his thoughts, he didn't escape the hit from somebody's body; it was a man in a business suit with an elegant red tie.
"Sorry, costumer, I didn't mean it! Take this discount card as an apology!" said a man with an unpleasant smile, typical for clerks working in commerce, and passed it to Jack.
"Uh, thanks.," said Jack, taking the card.
The man seemed ashamed and tried to escape this uneasy situation.
Another 20 minutes Jack just sat silently, and finally it was his station.
He proceeded to "Jack of all Trades" in the blink of an eye, thinking about that subway episode. Finally, at his workplace, he met his colleague Sam.
"Hi Jack! I'm glad to see you again. Weather is not in a good mood today, eh?" said Sam with his typical positive attitude and gentle smile.
Sam wore colorful clothes that could dazzle anybody who saw him, which is pretty rare in this city.
"Hi Sam. You know, as always on Tuesdays." answered Jack, paying little attention to their dialogue.
"But today is Wednesday, Jack. You look bad. Do you sleep well lately, no? I can recommend you a specialist. He's a very good friend of mine..."
"Thank you, but I guess I'll pass. It's not serious. Just end your shift and go home, Sam. I still need to prepare for the night shift"
"Okey-dokey. "
Jack comes to the staff room. The room was old and the nooks and crannies of it were covered with mold and green stains. Old vintage fan worked steadily but noisily.
Jack changed his clothes to his work uniform and proceeded to his working seat.
"Okay, Jack, as you say. Just keep your chin up and be safe. Bye!" said Sam, waving his hand to Jack. Few moments later, Sam was already on the night streets of L.
All that's left in the shop is Jack, lights that gave little illumination and didn't work well and noises from a fan that still can be heard from the staff room and electrical noise from a neon sign with the name of the shop.
"What a depressing place... Still can't get used to it." Jack muttered to himself.