The Omega's Fist

4. Good dog

Tired. Jason walked eight blocks just to get to his apartment. He left his keys in a bowl near the door and walked into the living room. He took off his black leather jacket and sweatpants, leaving him in a white shirt and boxer shorts.

“Lights on!” he commanded his smart app and, in an instant, led recess lights illuminated the place one by one. His home might be small, but it still had enough room for him to do exercises in the living room.

Passing by his sixty-inches television, he turned it on and watched the news channel. A few more, and he walked to the fridge, grabbing something ready to eat. Preparing a decent meal has been a bit of a challenge these days. Thus, it was a good thing that Elliot introduced him to a company that sells prepacked food.

Opening the lid, smoke came off the frozen mixed veggies and baked chicken. He placed the bowl in the microwave oven and set the machine to auto-reheat.

DING!

Quickly, Jason opened the microwave. A mixed smell of fresh greens with the baked chicken greeted him, and his stomach grumbled.

“Damn it!” He cursed when the hot plate burned his fingers. “Hot! Hot!” He even tried blowing off cool air to his fingers to soothe the burn.

“How can you be so stupid, Jason?” he blamed himself for the clumsiness. Self-talking and blaming had become his favorite pastime since he lost the only family he had. Although he was living a better life now, the loneliness he had to endure every day was inevitable. He was on his own, with no one to care for him or reprimand him for his errors.

Armed with a mitten, he held the bowl and took a spoon from the cupboard. Jason was about to sit back on the couch when he accidentally stepped on something. He looked down and found a piece of paper.

Call me +14758880532

— Oscar

Jason smiled while holding the sheet. A sense of excitement engulfed him while staring at the penmanship on it. Did the boy sneak the note on his shirt earlier, and it fell off when he took off his clothes? That’s possible.

“Sneaky bastard. Hmmm? Should I call him now?” he contemplated while placing the paper onto the coffee table. He then went back to watching television.

Jason was still deep in his thought when he started dozing off. Reclining his body to the couch, he barely finished his food when his eyes completely shut.

“Wee—oww—Wee—oww.” It was that loud, blaring noise that woke him up.

“f**k, what now?”

“Arf! Arf, arf”

He turned his lazy head and found his dog, a chow-chow breed, barking at the window while waggling its tail.

“Down, boy,” he said to Looney as he slowly sat up. He was still a bit groggy when he took in his surroundings. His gaze landed on his half-eaten food and the few bits of it that spilled on the coffee table.

“Arf, arf,” his dog barked again.

“Looney, stop! What is it, boy? Are you scared?”

He gently stood up and took the furry dog from the window. He then sat back on the couch and placed Looney on his lap. He treated his pet like it was his own kid— spoiling him with toys and weekly grooming. Jason stroked Looney’s back and whispered, “It is alright. I am here. You are safe now.”

Leaning forward, Jason took the piece of paper he left on it just minutes ago. “Should I call him?” he asked Looney though he never expected the dog to answer back.

“Arf, arf, arf.” Looney suddenly got giddy while watching how Jason fanned the piece of paper.

Then that was it. Following his guts, Jason dialed the number on a transparent glass that served as his mobile phone. Technology reached its peak a century ago, and communication had never been as easy. Anything in the house can just turn into a mobile device— that includes the piece of rectangular glass he was holding now.

Beep. . . Beep. . . Beep. . .

Jason waited for the call to connect. A minute more, and he heard someone pick up the phone.

“Hello?” a husky voice answered his call.

“Hi. Is this, Oscar?” Jason asked in a sweet tone. It was far different from the way he spoke to the same man yesterday when they met at the locker.

“Good morning. Who is this, please?”

“I hope I interrupted nothing important. It’s me, Jason. The one who helped you yesterday, remember?”

Jason was about to drop the call when Oscar turned quiet. This was his first time to call another man, and the silence bellowing on the line was nothing less than humiliating. It was just so awkward.

“H-Hold on. Did you just say you’re Jason?”

“Uh. . . yeah?”

Then there was that squeal from the other line that had him holding his breath. Oscar sounded so happy that he could even imagine him celebrating while holding his phone. “H-how are you, Jason? I am glad you found my note.”

“I’m good. How about you, Oscar?” He cleared his throat and did his best to sound casual — although he was giggling inside too, of course.

“I am fine. Just a few bruises here and there, but nothing medicine could not cure.”

“I was wondering if you are free later. Maybe we can get some coffee or lunch? How does that sound?” Jason asked in a one-breather. Finally! He did it. He asked Oscar out! He honestly almost chickened out, but then remembering Oscar’s smile kept him going. That young boy’s smile was just so infectious and genuine that Jason couldn’t help but get drawn.

“Oh, I don’t think I can make it at lunch. How about I send a helicopter to your place, and you come over to my place? It’s a six-hour trip, but I assure you that it will be worth it. Let’s have snacks or dinner. Are you in?” Oscar offered his place, and Jason found himself agreeing in no time.

“Count me in.”

“Perfect. Send me your address, and I’ll arrange for a helicopter to pick you up in thirty minutes, tops.”

“Whoa! That fast?” Jason shook his head in astonishment. “Man, are you a son of a politician or something?”

“Nothing like that. I assure you I’ll explain later. I have got to go now, though. My mom just called me. Bye, Jason.”

Jason smiled upon hearing how Oscar said his name. There was that mix of disbelief and admiration in it.

“Bye, Oscar,” he said. Then the call ended.

Jason then scrambled to get ready. “s**t! What do I wear?” he asked himself as he hurriedly ran to his bedroom. His clothes were scattered all over the bed and the floor. Nonetheless, he still found himself rummaging his closet in hopes of finding a decent shirt. It was spring, after all. Thus, he did not need thick clothes.

He pulled out a grey v-neck shirt and checked himself in the full-body mirror installed in his closet door. He held the shirt against his body, then frowned. “Nope, I look like a rapper.”

He tossed the shirt to the bed and looked again. “Nope, Nah… This is so last season.”

Jason was almost out of options when he lay on his bed and stared at the ceilings.

That was when something caught his attention, a piece of cloth that was lying on the floor. He picked it up and smelled it to see if it was still clean.

“This seems fine.” He nodded, placed the shirt on the bed, and then bolted to the bathroom.