Too Broke For Afterlife

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Strolling through the candy aisle, my eyes wander over the colorfully wrapped chocolate bars and bags of crunchy cookies. I'm starting to get familiar with the local brands and honestly, Peruvian candy is kinda really good.

No human would survive the amount of unhealthy snacks I have been consuming lately. But the munching feels familiar, it's a piece of my old life that I'm not ready to give up just yet.

I pull out two bags and study the colorful designs.

"Do you want gummy bears or Cua Cua?" I hold the candy in front of Clemens but he just huffs and turns away.

"You should be aware by now that I will not waste my invaluable time on something my body does not require. And let me remind you once again that those candy disasters aren't gummy bears. These sordid third-world knock-offs are an insult to my non-existent national pride. I'd rather rip my own tongue out than consume any of these cursed goods."

I simply shrug and let both treats fall into the slowly filling plastic bag. 

"What about Red Bull? 20% discount."

"Oh yeah, let me take some of those." 

Clemens lifts up a stack of cans with excited eyes. 

Hypocrite.

I keep making my way through the empty supermarket, looking at sauces, cans and bottles until I finally reach the food my heart has been aching for.

Frozen pizza.

Peperoni. Calzone. Tonna. And among all, my favorite.

Cheese.

Thinking about the greasy melted gold makes me drool onto the cooler. When was the last time I had cheese pizza? Must have been at least two days ago. How have I been able to withstand this temptation for so long?

I slide the door open and carefully pull out a box of 'American Pizza - Extra Cheesy'. I smile fondly at the red, white and blue packaging and softly stroke the carton.

"If you wish to propagate with your dinner, that is your choice. But please refrain from doing so when I am present."

Clemens takes the box out of my hands and I quickly follow him to make sure he won't pull any stunts with my newfound lover.

Nox is already waiting at the cash register, drumming her slim fingers onto the plastic desk impatiently. She rolls her eyes when she sees us but Clemens ignores her silent request to hurry up and keeps his calm speed. 

The guy sitting behind the register looks up from his phone. Judging from the sounds coming out of it, he is playing Candy Crusher. I didn't know that game was still popular.

"Found everything you need?"

Or at least that's what I assume he said, I don't speak Spanish.

He could have also asked Clemens: "What are you staring at, ugly?" I wouldn't be able to tell.

Clemens smiles and speaks a few words, they seem to be having a friendly chat as the guy starts scanning the items. 

Then Clemens pulls out his gun. 

When I hear the words 'cuartos' and 'pronto', I know it's time for me to do the same. 

The guy jumps up and frantically looks around, searching for help. But he is alone. One versus three. 

"¡Mierda!" He quickly rips open the register and pulls out all banknotes and coins to throw them onto the table.

"¡Tómalo!" 

Nox opens her plastic bag and lets the money fall inside while Clemens and I keep holding the cashier at gunpoint. 

Once the last penny has been acquired, Clemens nods at the guy. 

"Gracias, nos vemos."  Then he calmly waves at us to follow him outside of the supermarket. 

Through the glass window I watch the cashier as he grabs his telephone and quickly dials a number. 

Let him call the cops. We'll be long gone before they arrive. 

In a quiet alley a few feet down the street we stop to evaluate our profit. 

"How much?"

"Converted, a few hundred bucks," Nox replies with her emotionless voice.

I nod. "Should be enough for the equipment. Although I wish we wouldn't have to do these sorts of things."

Nox rolls her eyes.

"It's his own fault for working alone at 11pm."

"Hm," I reply, not convinced by that trivialisation. 

But then I see an old woman out of the corner of my eyes, staring at us from the other side of the main road. 

I lower my voice.

"Do you think she saw something?"

"Want me to shoot her?"

Clemens has already pulled out his gun again but Nox quickly holds him back.

"Are you crazy? We have to keep a low profile. No stunts. No messing around. You know what's at stake."

Clemens seems disappointed but nods.

The grandma now shakes her head and then finally walks away. 

Let's hope her vision is so bad that she mistook us for talking garbage cans.

"You guys ready?"

All three of us pull out our small blue devices and then push the black button.

Immediately, white flashes across my vision and my surroundings fade out into nothing.

Next thing I know, the supermarket is gone and the smell of coke and beer fills my nose.

"Shit!" Nox' voice echoes through the blurry space.

Once my vision finally returns, I can see how she is running around the flat, ripping open doors and cupboards.

I freeze.

The sight spreading out in front of me is horrifying.

Did a tornado wipe through here while we were gone?

I take a deep breath before I assess the situation.

Our hideout is completely ransacked. Clothes, papers and bags have been thrown onto the ground. The monitor of my PC, the one thing I hold just as holy as cheese pizza, is shattered and the keyboard is lying on the other side of the room. The couch has been ripped open, the padding is pressing itself out between the messy slits.

"What the f*ck?" I turn around, look at the full scope of this mess. 

Clemens, still stunned from the teleportation, lifts his eyebrows while getting up from the ground.

"They found us."

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock! What now?" I feel my anxiety rising as I stumble over to the computer.

The screen is completely shattered. I try turning it on but it doesn't react.

This is not good.

Nox throws a backpack at me. "Pack your things. We are leaving."

"But my PC..."

"We'll buy a new one. Come on, hurry up."

With a heavy heart, I do as she tells me and gather anything that seems important enough to keep. Clothes, money, food.

Then I pull out the small safe hidden behind books and open it. Thank god, it hasn't been emptied.

I pull out the USB sticks and documents and carefully put them into the front pouch of my backpack.

Nox and Clemens are done already and standing at the small breakfast table, discussing out next steps.

"What place is the furthest away from here? New Zealand?"

Clemens pulls out his phone, ready to google when Nox shakes her head.

"Use your brain. That is where they would expect us. Let's trick them and stay in the area. Maybe outside of town. That is the last place where they would look."

My eyes widen. "Isn't that too risky?" 

But I know this argument won't work. To neither Nox nor Clemens risk matters. Either we make it. Or we don't. And I have to pull along.

"Everyone ready?" 

"No!"

I remember the pizza I bought and quickly cram the thawing carton into my bag. Nox is throwing me a death glare which I manage to ignore.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're aware of what is going on or just tagging along like a child."

The insult hits me and I straighten my back.

"Excuse me, missy but I started our group. I'm the reason we are doing something in the first place!"

"If you think so." Nox shakes her head with a chuckle and I wish I had the balls to wipe that patronizing attitude out of her face.

"To be fully honest," Clemens starts and I know I won't like what he is about to say.

"You are also the reason why we have to do all this in the first place."

"Really?" I shake my head, upset with the accusations.

"You're still blaming me? I thought we had moved past that."

"I'm not blaming you. I am merely stating facts."

I roll my eyes at him. "A fact obsessed person like you should also be aware that if I hadn't done it, somebody else would have. This nightmare was bound to happen. At least I'm fighting on the right side now."

The other two exchange a glance and I know that my attempts are hopeless. I will always be the fifth wheel.

Nox sighs. "Let's focus now. You guys can catfight later, after we have made sure that we don't get killed."

I take a last look around the flat and the things we are carrying.

My heart is racing. 

"I'm scared," I mumble more to myself than the others.

"Good." Nox pulls out her teleportation device. 

"You should be."