The day moves forward with sound of pickaxes chipping away at the hard rocks, the chainsaw whirring its way through wood and Moebius can't help but peer at the timer at every chance he gets, his thoughts becoming more scrambled by the hour. He wished for peace but instead got a timer which is ominously counting down.
Who knew that a random timer which keeps counting down can actually be a pretty good source of anxiety?
He contemplates whether he should call for the system but the thought of spiraling back into what he considers 'voices in the head' keeps him going through out the day, ignoring-Or at least, enduring the anxiousness which creeps in with every moment that passes. After a grueling workday, the last member of his work force clocks out and he finally allows himself to punch out.
As he gets to his locker, he throws in his work helmet and grabs his wallet from inside, before walking out of the staff room. He cracks his knuckles on his way out and checks his phone for the time. It's '10:14' in the night and he starts picking up pace as the last bus home is due at 10:20. As he jogs to the bus stop, he keeps glancing at the timer in the corner of his view, there is only a few more hours left which keeps chewing at his brains. Finally he arrives just as the bus was about to pull off from the spot. He climbs up the bus with a grunt, his knees grinding due to his age and lifestyle.
He glances over and has a moment of reprieve when he finds his usual seat to be empty, in fact, most of the bus is empty. He nods at the tired bus driver and walks to the back, on his way he passes a skinny salary man probably on his way home. Moebius reaches his seat and notices a group of loud teenagers at the opposite side of the aisle and that's it. Those are the only people in the clandestine bus.
Moebius calmly sits in his seat and tries to focus on the dark city outside the window but his thoughts keep wandering off to the land of unease and restlessness as he keeps catching glimpses of the virtual timer, reminding him that this is reality. As he finally allocates some alone time, Moebius decides to put his thoughts in order, so he can come to a solution or a more reasonable answer than a 'psychotic breakdown'.
He recalls the events of the day to pinpoint exactly when the system pop up. He remembers his shit morning, his bearable journey to work, his shittier encounter with Jeremy and then his lunch....It was exactly when he was over hearing the rant about systems and shit....Could the system have chosen him because of his childish thought? Did he bring this upon himself? Moebius grows more frustrated as this isn't a problem he can apologize or brute force his way out of and the thought of this 'World Tag' shit, shattering his routine, puts him at more stress.
Just as he loses himself to his thoughts, his attention is snapped out by a sudden cackle and he looks up to see the group of teenagers missing from their spot. As he turns his head, he finds them huddled ahead, right where the salary man was sitting. His mind wonders what the commotion is about but the situation becomes clear when the group starts to let out a brittle laugh in unison. A teen boy with a slightly muscular build and seemingly the leader of the group, leans against the man's seat.
"Ya wanna repeat what you said, you sleazy fuck!? Huh!?"
"Young man, I just asked you to quiet down. There is no need to escalate."
The salaryman, in his mid thirties, says in a shaky voice. His hands come up in a placating manner in an attempt to calm the situation. The muscular teen displays a crooked smile, one which screams 'I want attention!' and his friends-Or his lackeys, are riling him up with howls and crude comments.
"WHO THE FUCK DO YA THINK YOU ARE?!"
He grabs the man by his collar and yanks him out of his seat, throwing him down on the bus aisle. The group of boys snatch his things and empty his workbag on the floor, the contents spilling out with a clatter. The group laughs as they see the fear in the man's eyes as he tries to get back up but is knocked back down with a kick to his stomach.
Moebius looks on at the scene with cold detachment, it's as if the cruel spectacle is a showcase of the reality of this fucked world. He knows that he is worse, as he chooses to witness the tormenting scene but being virtuous is something he has long forsaken. It doesn't matter what the world wants from him, he knows he is a piece of shit himself and he still makes no effort to change. He thinks of himself as a witness to the injustice, not a hero who stops it. The only thought he thinks is a cold sentiment of:
"You got yourself in this mess, might as well get yourself out."
The commotion gets the attention of the driver who stops the bus and tries to come to the back but is stopped by the group of lackeys, one of which pull out a switch blade. They corner the driver and take away his phone, one of the scrawny boy mutters:
"Stay the fuck back....or do ya want some of what he's having?"
He gestures to the cowering man as the gang leader keeps kicking him around. The other guys laugh and one of them notices a brown envelope laying on the bus floor. It likely belongs to the man. The boy picks up the envelope and rips off the seal, revealing a stack of crisp notes of money.
"What do we have here. We gonna eat GOOD tonight!"
The boy sneers with a twisted laugh. The man looks up and his face hollows out all emotion as he starts reaching for the envelope of money, but the boy quickly backs away, pulling the envelope out of the struggling man's reach. The man endures the kicks and yelps in pain as he says:
"Please....Please don't take the money...its my entire salary for the month."
"Ooooh really?...and why the fuck should we care?"
The leader says with mock sympathy and the entire group bursts out cackling like a pack of hyenas. The bus has halted and there is no life around the desolate road. Even with desperation in the man's words, Moebius doesn't even flinch, he just wonders what company pays their employee in the middle of the month.
"PLEASE! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! PLEASE GIVE ME BACK THE MONEY. I NEED IT!"
The man exclaims whilst lunging at the boy's feet, clutching and groveling for mercy. The boy staggers for a bit before kicking at the man's face with a snarl.
"You gonna get my shoes dirty, you shithead!"
"...please don't do this to me...that money...it's....please, give it back."
The man cries with blood spurting down his nose, but the group leader just spits on the man and says with a venomous chuckle:
"We don't give a rat's ass...Come on guys! Let's go and cash in our rewards!"
The gang starts to make their way to the front, dragging the driver and kicking the man on their way out. The man's desperation grows and he tries to catch with them as he shakily crawls behind them, shouting:
"No No No! Please don't do this young man, I apologized please don't take-"
The man's plea is cut short by a sickening soccer kick to his head, followed by a loud *CRASH* as he crashes down on the metal bus floor. The leader's chest heaves with rage as he sneers saying:
"DON'T CALL ME 'young man' YOU FUCKWIT! I AIN"T A KID NO MORE!"
The boy shouts and its clear that the mention of 'young man' has poked at some of his insecure feelings. Some of the boys in his group flinch back, their faces saying 'maybe we're going too far'. They pat his back and urge the leader to leave who begrudgingly agrees but not before kicking the man's bag on his way to the front. The laughter of the group pierces the quiet night road and the poor skinny man, just lays on the floor groaning in pain and still begging, just loud enough for Moebius to hear.
"...money....I need the...money....please...its for"
Moebius just watches on with disappointed look. That look is for the boys....and the man. He scoffs and turns his head away thinking:
"Is money really worth losing your life over?"
He knows that a month's salary will put the man in a hard place but its still not worth the amount of injuries he has sustained. What could be worth this much pain?
"What a fucking disgruntled order of priorities."
Moebius thinks to himself, as he tries to ignore the mess. The group orders the bus driver to open the door as they keep mocking the man. The man just lets out whimpers and groans...still muttering things like 'please' and 'need money'. Moebius now just chalks off the guy to be dumb and greedy, as he judges the man's misplaced resolve. Moebius is not regretful for not intervening as he deems the man's injuries as a result of his own stubbornness. Yep....Moebius would never help someone like him. There is absolutely nothing that will make Moebius leave his seat and help the-
"....its for my son....I need it for my son...."