Work For Nothing
1004 Words
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Benjamin takes Marco to the site where he's gonna work. The other men are doing their work, hammering and cutting steel as both of them pass by. Judging by their strength, all of them are humans.
“So, Marco,” says Benjamin. “are you a human?”
“I'm a demigod.”
“Wow!” he exclaims, looking over his shoulder. “You're gonna be a great help on the site!”
“Not really. Although I'm a demigod, compared to other demigods, I'm weak.”
“Still, you have the strength of ten men.”
“Cut that down to five,” he puts himself down. “How about you? Are you a demigod?”
“Oh, goodness, no. I'm just a simple human, sir.”
They stop before a pile of metal beams. They are piled up parallel to each other until they reach five meters high. Each beam is nearly ten meters long.
Looking at the top of the pile, Benjamin says, “This is what we need help with. Can you lift them?”
“Let me try,” Marco says, climbing up the pile.
“Careful,” he warns.
Marco takes a breath then lifts one like it's made of wood. Even so, he grunts as he exerts. He climbs down the pile as carefully as he can, balancing the beam on his right shoulder.
“Where shall I take this?” he asks Benjamin.
“Follow me.” Benjamin shows him the men working on the supports of the roof. They look up, observing the men welding the beams in place. “Our crane is being used on something else in the site,” he explains. “So, we have to wait before we can use it. But since you're here, I think we can work this out.”
“Okay, leave it to me.”
“That's my man!” He taps Marco's shoulder. “So, I'll be going to do something else. My task is piling up. Can I count on you here?”
“Of course,” Marco nods.
Benjamin leaves and Marco starts to lift the beams for the welders. They talk to him sometimes but only about how he should place the beams for them to weld. They manage to weld a dozen beams in place before lunch but it's only a fraction of the work needed.
It's lunchtime so the welders take a break and fill themselves with food. Marco however, doesn't have lunch with him. He didn't even have dinner last night nor had breakfast this morning. His hands are trembling and his stomach is growling like a sick bear. With no food to eat, he sits on a beam, waiting for the time they're going back to work again.
“Be patient, stomach,” he mutters. “you'll get what you're screaming for later.”
After a few minutes, the work is back on. The workers feel a little better after eating except him. Nevertheless, he tries hard to match their pace. Then to his surprise, it's already dusk. There are no more beams to lift.
Then he follows the workers as they line up before the guy with a clean suit and hardhat. He's giving the workers their pay for the day with a woman taking notes beside him. Marco is at the end of the line since he wasn't informed about this mode of p*****t. Nearly twenty people are lining up before him.
Benjamin is receiving his pay. “Thank you, boss!” he bows, holding out his hand.
The boss narrows his eyes then says, “It's unusual for you to finish your work in less than a day, Jamie. Did you do it properly?”
He chuckles at his boss. “Of course, I did, boss! You know me.”
“I do and that's why it's unusual.” He finally pays him a hundred drachmae.
“Thank you, boss,” he smiles then winks at the woman beside him. “Still looking hot as ever, Emma!” he winks at her.
“Get out of here or I'll erase your name on this list,” she threatens in a calm tone, adjusting her glasses.
“Hey, I'm just complimenting you.” He steps aside from the line and turns to walk to the gate. On his way, he comes across Marco at the end of the line. “Good luck with your first pay, Marco!” he byes.
“Thank you,” Marco nods. They smile at each other until Benjamin has finally passed by.
A few minutes later, it's his turn to be paid. The boss and his assistant are looking at him in suspicion.
“Name?” the boss asks, counting his money.
“Uh, Marco Mijares.”
“You're not on the list,” says Emma.
“Actually, I'm new, madam.”
“I haven't seen you here before,” says the boss. “And we're not accepting new workers anymore.”
“But the sign-”
The boss leans to the side and notices the sign on the opened gate. “Oh, that! Who the heck put that there?!” he rages but they're the only ones left on this site.
Emma says, “It's Ja-”
“Jamie...,” he sighs, rubbing his eyebrows.
“Jamie?” Marco asks.
“Let me ask, who let you in here?”
“A guy named Benjamin.”
“Oh, my...,” he groans, face-palming and gritting his teeth.
“No doubt he means Jamie, boss,” says Emma.
“Yeah, I know. So that's why he finished his task earlier than expected. That brat has always been causing me trouble!”
“What do you mean, sir?” Marco asks.
“I'm sorry to say that Jamie—who you know as Benjamin, tricked you. And I'm sorry but I'm not obligated to pay you.”
“But I worked hard all day!” Marco bursts out.
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- Writer
