Fragment 5: Well, That's exhausting (2)

It was another night.
Another party.
Another terrible decision.

Adi stumbled down the empty road toward home, jacket hanging off one shoulder. The party had ended an hour ago. He remembered the music. He remembered eating something. He remembered laughing at a joke.

After that, the timeline became unreliable.

He checked his phone.
"2:17 AM."
He put it back in his pocket.
"Still early."

He walked directly into a lamp post.
"Sorry."
He paused, then looked at the pole with suspicion.
"You came out of nowhere."

The street was silent, the kind of silence that only exists when sensible people are asleep. Adi crossed it on muscle memory, unlocked his front door on the third attempt, and took three steps inside.

Then he stopped.

His mother was sitting in the living room.
Waiting.

Adi looked at her.
She looked at the clock.
Then at him.

"You're late."

"Technically, I'm early for tomorrow."

"Where were you?"

"Party."

"At this hour?"

"It was a very committed party."

His mother sighed, the long sigh of a woman who had been raising him for far too many years.

Adi took off one shoe. Then forgot why. He stared at it, then at his other foot, and decided this was tomorrow's problem.

"Adi."

"Hmm?"

"Your father will be home in an hour. I need you to stay awake and open the gate for him."

Adi turned slowly.
"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why not you?"

"Because I asked you."

"Cruel"

He looked at the dark hallway. Then the clock. One hour. His brain rejected the idea immediately.
But his mother was still watching him.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Good. Wait in the living room."

Adi nodded with the confidence of a man who had no idea what he'd agreed to, and sat on the sofa. His mother walked away.
Ten seconds passed.
His head dropped.

He jerked upright.
"No."

He slapped his cheeks.
"Stay awake. You're a professional."

He drank a glass of water. Then another. He stared at the television without turning it on. He picked up a cushion, put it down, picked it up again, and placed it somewhere it had no business being.

He checked the clock.
Five minutes had passed.
"Time is lying to me."

He tried the kitchen. He opened the fridge and stared inside. Nothing. He closed it. Opened it again, in case the food had changed its mind. Still nothing. He leaned against the counter, and his eyes closed.
A few seconds later, he jerked awake.
"No."

He paced. Left. Right. Left. Right. He pinched his arm.
"Ow."
He waited.
His eyes drooped anyway.
"Useless. Even pain is boring."

At last, a vehicle rumbled outside. Adi recognized the sound and hurried to the gate, or at least what passed for hurrying at that hour, and opened it.

His father stood there, worn out from the night shift. When he saw Adi, he smiled.
"Oh, Adi. How are you? Doing good?"

"Ye...sss."

"Good. Good."

His father walked in.

Inside, he changed his clothes, grabbed a towel, and headed toward the bathroom. Then he stopped and looked back at the entrance.
Adi was still at the gate.

"Adi?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you still standing there?"

"Nothing."

"Close the gate and come inside."

Adi nodded slowly.
"Dad, you go ahead. I'll come after the party I'm having."

His father turned around.
"What party?"

"That party."

"What?"

"The one I went to today."

His father frowned.
"You went to a party?"

"Yes."

"At a club?"

"Yes."

"With your friends?"

"Yes."

"And how did you pay for it?"

"My money."

His father relaxed. Responsible. Good.
Then Adi added,
"Well... not all of it."

"What?"

Adi rubbed his eyes.
"I took money from Dad."

"From Dad?"

"Yes."

"...I am Dad."

Adi squinted for a long moment.

"The money in the cupboard. Behind the laptop rack."

Silence.

"Inside the box."

A longer silence.

Adi smiled sleepily.
"Good hiding place. Very creative."

His father vanished into the house. A moment later came the sounds of a cupboard opening, a drawer slamming, something heavy falling, and another drawer slamming for good measure.

Then he came running back, holding an empty box. His face looked like it had just attended a funeral.
"Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The MONEY!"

"Oh."

"Yes, oh!"

"I don't know."

"You just said you took it!"

"Did I?"

"Yes!"

Adi nodded thoughtfully.
"Then I probably did. I trust me."

His father stared into the box as if staring harder might refill it. His eyes became wet.

That money was his savings. Months of careful planning, countless night shifts, all for one thing. A very specific wine. A very expensive wine. He had imagined the bottle. He had imagined the glass. He had imagined sitting peacefully after work, finally tasting the reward for his suffering.

Now there was only cardboard.

Without a word, he walked to the kitchen, filled a glass with water, and returned to the gate.
Adi was still there.

His father threw the water straight into his face.

Adi jolted.
"Ah!"

He wiped his eyes and blinked rapidly.
"Oh, hi, Dad. What's up? Why is it raining?"

"Get out."

"Who?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Sleep outside."

"Why?"

His father pointed at the garden.
"OUTSIDE."

Adi looked at the garden. Then at his father. Then at the garden again.
"Okay."

He walked out. The door slammed behind him.
Adi stared at it.
"Cruel."
He shrugged.
"Good night."

The garden bench was harder than his bed. The mosquitoes were louder than his alarm. The night air was colder than he had expected, and he had expected it to be cold.

He looked at the stars. Then at the house. Curtains closed. Nobody was coming to save him.
"At least nobody can give me more work out here."

A mosquito landed on his forehead. He ignored it. Another landed on his hand. He ignored that too.
Within minutes, he was asleep.

Morning came.

Adi opened his eyes and stared at the sky. For a moment, he had no idea where he was. Then he felt the bench.
"Oh."
He remembered.

His back hurt. His neck hurt. His face was covered in fresh bites. He brushed himself off and carefully pushed open the front door.

His father was already awake, sitting in the living room. Beside him, his mother sipped her tea and said nothing, which was somehow worse.

Adi smiled.
"Bye, Dad."

His father looked at him.
Then slammed the door in his face.

BANG.

Adi touched his nose.
"Okay. Breakfast skipped."

By the time he reached Anipox Studios, he looked like a man who had lost a three-day argument with sleep. His shirt was wrinkled. His hair had given up. One cheek wore a red mosquito bite like a medal. His glasses sat slightly crooked.

He dropped into his chair. The computer turned on. Adi stared at the screen.
The screen stared back.
"Let's do this."

Panel after panel. Frame after frame. His fingers moved while his eyes struggled to follow. He refused to lose.
Not today.

His boss appeared beside the desk.
"Adi."

"Yes, boss?"

"Project 789's details. Four PM. Sharp."

"Sharp as a pencil, boss."

"Pencils break."

Adi paused.
"...Noted."

His boss walked away.

Adi looked at the clock. Then the project. Then the clock again. He could do this. He had survived a garden bench. He had survived mosquitoes. He could survive a deadline.
He stood up.
Coffee. He needed a lot of coffee.

The canteen was crowded, but the coffee counter was dead. Adi leaned over it.
"Coffee."

The barista looked at him.
"Empty."

"What?"

"Gone."

Adi stared at the empty container.
"Who drinks two bags of coffee?"

The barista looked him up and down.
"Someone who looks like you."

"Excuse me. I am an animator here."

"Junior animator."

"Junior animators are animators too."

"Technically."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I know."

Adi let it go, mostly because he lacked the energy to win. He pressed both palms against the counter like a man begging a bank for mercy.
"Please get me coffee."

"Coffee's gone."

"Then get me coffees."

"Sir. Gone."

"Then get me the coffee that is not gone."

The barista paused. Then, very slowly, he glanced toward the back room.
"...There is one emergency bag left."

Adi's eyes lit up like a lantern in a graveyard.
"Perfect."

"You'll have to pay extra."

"Why?"

"Because you're demanding."

Adi gasped.
"Corruption is everywhere! I need justice!"

"You need caffeine."

Adi opened his mouth. Then closed it. Behind him, the line had grown, and every person in it looked as sleepless as he did, which was somehow worse. Nobody was going to join his revolution.

"...Fine."

He pulled out his wallet. The price made him wince. He handed over the money like a man signing away a kidney.
"Make it strong enough to bring my ancestors back."

"Then it's five cups."

"Five?"

"Ancestors are a large group."

Adi thought about it.
"Fair."

The cups arrived one by one. Adi stared at the row like a general before battle.
"This is going to work."

Five cups later, his eyes were wide, his hands were shaking, and he felt powerful. He marched back to his desk.
"Project 789."

His fingers attacked the keyboard. Details. Numbers. Files. Notes. Corrections. He was moving. He was focused. He was awake.
For the first time that morning, Adi felt like he had defeated sleep.

Then everything went black.

Adi slowly lifted his head. His glasses were crooked. Several sheets of paper had stuck to his face. One was folded across his forehead like a tiny hat. Another hung from his shoulder.

He looked at the clock.
"...5:00 PM."

He looked at the project.
Most of it was complete.

He looked up.
His boss sat across from him, sipping coffee and scrolling through his phone. They stared at each other. Adi sighed. It wasn't a sigh of anger anymore.
It was acceptance.

"So?"

"Overtime."

"No."

"Four hours."

"No."

"Then resign."

Adi looked at the screen. The clock. His boss.
"Cruel...Three hours?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

He turned back to his computer and muttered,
"This company is built on suffering."

His boss didn't look up.
"Welcome to animation."

The shift ended late. Adi stepped outside, his whole body heavy, and checked his phone.
One new message.
Hannah.

He stopped walking.

Hannah: Are you free tonight?
Adi: Dinner?
Hannah: Yes.
Adi: I'll come.
Adi: And this time I won't fall asleep.
Hannah: Promise?
Adi: Promise.

He stared at the last line. He almost regretted it.
Then he put the phone away.
Tonight would be different.
It had to be.

At the restaurant, he was already tired, but he stayed awake. He sat at the table with his back straight and his eyes held open like a man guarding a door.

Then Hannah arrived.

For a second, his exhaustion disappeared. Her hair was neatly styled. Her outfit was elegant. She smiled when she saw him.
"Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay."

"You look tired."

"That's because I am."

Hannah laughed.
"At least you're honest."

Adi had no idea how dangerous that word was about to become.

Food arrived. Hannah talked. Adi listened. Her parents. Her relatives. A recent family argument. Someone's birthday. A cousin who had caused trouble.

"Mhm."

"You're listening?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Really."

"And then my mother said I should talk to my aunt because she thinks—"

"Mhm."

"And my cousin started laughing, which made everything worse."

"Sounds painful."

"It was."

Adi took another bite. His eyes slowly dropped. He blinked, opened them, and took a sip of water.
The water did nothing.

"And then my father said—"

"Your family argues a lot."

She stopped.
"Sometimes."

"No. A lot."

"...Okay."

Adi rubbed his eyes.
"Sorry."

"You really are exhausted."

"I told you."

She smiled and continued.
"My father isn't usually like that. He's actually very sweet. He just doesn't understand—"

"Then why do you spend so much time explaining things he doesn't understand?"

She paused.
"What?"

"You said he doesn't understand you."

"I said he sometimes doesn't understand me."

"Same thing."

"No, it isn't. Since when are you a therapist?"

"Since I started paying for one."

Something was wrong. Words kept leaving his mouth before his brain could inspect them.

Hannah frowned.
"Are you okay? You seem different."

"I'm sleepy."

"That isn't an excuse."

"It is for me."

"Adi. I'm trying to tell you about my family."

"I know."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you want to go to sleep."

"I do."

Hannah went silent.
Adi kept eating.

A few seconds passed. Then she tried again.
"My aunt is actually—"

"She sounds exhausting."

"You haven't met her."

"I don't need to."

"You're being rude."

"I know."

It came out so casually that even Adi didn't notice.

Hannah folded her arms.
"Wow. You're really in a mood tonight."

"I'm tired."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

She stared at him.
Then, against all better judgment, Adi smiled.
"At least you're consistent."

She looked confused.
He continued.
"Your entire family sounds like a weekly meeting nobody wants to attend."

The table went silent.

"Did you just insult my entire family?"

Adi thought about it.
"Yes."

Hannah leaned back.
"You're unbelievable."

"Probably."

Then his eyes closed.
Just for a second.

He opened them. Hannah was still speaking, but her voice had grown distant. The restaurant lights blurred. His fork slipped from his fingers.

His head lowered.
He was asleep.

"Adi?"

Nothing.

She waved her hand in front of his face.
Nothing.

"Seriously?"

Adi didn't move.
Hannah looked at the ceiling.
"Of course."

She finished her food in silence. Then she called the waiter, paid her share, and picked up her bag. Before leaving, she looked at him one last time.

"Sleep well. I hope your pillow is a better listener than you."

No response.
She walked out.

Several minutes later, the waiter approached the table.
"Sir?"

Nothing.

"Sir?"

He gently tapped Adi's shoulder.
Adi's head lifted.
"Huh?"

"You fell asleep."

Adi looked across the table.
Empty.
"Hannah?"

"She left."

"What?"

"She paid her share and left."

"Oh."

The waiter waited. Adi rubbed his face.
"What did I say?"

The waiter hesitated.
"I wasn't listening."

Adi sighed in relief.
Then the waiter added,
"But you did seem... very honest."

Adi froze.
"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

Adi knew it meant something.

He paid the bill and stepped outside. The moment the door closed behind him, the anger came first. Then embarrassment. Then regret.

"Honest."
He pressed his hands against his face.
"Why does my mouth work when my brain doesn't?"

He kicked a pebble.
"I just wanted one normal dinner."

He stopped. His voice came out quieter.
"And I fell asleep."

He stood there for a moment.
Then he remembered everything. The well. The coin. The wish. Ayus.

His hand went into his pocket. His fingers touched something. He pulled it out.
A black card.

Ayus.

Adi stared at the name. His expression hardened.
"You."

He gripped the card.
"I am finding you."

Then he stopped.

Adi looked at the card again. His anger slowly turned into determination.
"Tomorrow."

He slipped the card back into his pocket and yawned. Then he started walking home. After a few steps, he nearly fell asleep while walking.
"No."

He kept moving.

Tomorrow, he would find Ayus.
And this time, he was going to demand answers.

At least, that was the plan.
Whether Adi would stay awake long enough to carry it out was another question entirely.