Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: Alone with Hadasa

Cleansing A Sinful Heart-Season 1


While Zac's mother drove her husband and son home, Zac expressed his determined face to his parents.

-Alright, Zac buddy. You can do this. Jus' convince your parents to transfer you to a new community service. I'm sure they'll agree to that. I mean, how bad can it be?

"So, uh, mom, dad," Zac said.

"Yes, Zaccai?" His parents asked while looking out the front window.

Zac gave his parents his annoyed look on his face.

-What is the deal with my parents callin' me some dumb names?! First it was Zaccai. Now is Zackie?! Oh, Lord help me.

"Can you transfer me to a new community service by tomorrow?" he asked.

"And why would we do that, Zackie?" Zac's dad asked.

"Because my current community service sucks. Not only do I have to do two tasks, but I also do two hours of ministry work. I was carrying a box of bibles all that time while Hadasa and her friends spread the Gospel and helped people. That was it," Zac responded. "It was exhausting and I need to get out of there as soon as possible. Pretty please?"

Zac's parents turned to one another for a few seconds and refocused on the road, laughing at him.

"And you think you'll be able to be happy at your new community service while you're on punishment?" Zac's mother asked. "I don't think so."

"H-H-Huh?!" Zac cried when Zac's eyes widened and he frowned at his parents with his mouth open.

"Oh, yeah. No can do, son," Zac's father agreed. "If your community service does a good job making you feel miserable while you're on punishment, that's a good thing. Punishments are supposed to make you feel sad and think about the bad actions that you committed. You're punished for a reason."

-Wh-Wh-What?! I didn't expect this to happen at all! I thought my parents would get me out of this mess, but nope. Looks like I'll have to try again, Zac buddy. Hopefully, I'll get out of this, and may Elohim help me.

"B-B-But mom, dad! I really need to get out of there now!" Zac cried once more, putting his hands together, moving them sideways. "Please, please, please Get me outta there. I can't take this crap anymore."

"No, son!" Zac's mother said.

"I promise I'll do good at the new community service if you transfer me there instead," Zac pleaded. "I'll do anything you say, and I'm sorry I stole that kid's toy and tried to sell it yesterday. I promise I won't do it again. Jus' please get me outta there. I'm beggin' you."

"No, son! No!" Zac's father snapped. "That's not how punishments work. Yes, your mother and I forgive you for what you did, but we're still not lettin' you off the hook for twenty more days."

"Uh-huh," Zac's mother agreed, shaking her head. "Elohim is a God of justice. He doesn't allow sinful people to go unpunished. And besides, most community services are done at this time, and we're not driving more miles outside the city for a few ones. That's just not gonna happen. You'll have to deal with your current community service, whether you like it or not. And you better be good there too while ya at it if you don't want your punishment to extend, ya got that?"

"Yes, ma'am…" Zac responded, expressing his depressed face while leaning his head against the window.

"Good," Zac's mother said, shaking her head one last time.

-Oh, great…jus' great…I can't believe I'll have to spend twenty more damn days at that community service…now my nightmare will continue on…well, Zac buddy. Prepare for the worst to come…

****

When Zac entered his room, he took a look around to see his video game console and the games with it were nowhere to be seen nor found. He touched the spot on the shelf where the console was last seen, moving his hands around it. Then he hugged the empty shelf and placed his head on it, crying and sniffing his nose a couple times.

"Oh, video games. I wish you guys were here to comfort me. I could really use that right now," Zac cried, "I miss havin' y'all around."

Zac cried for a while longer until he got over his video games being gone from his room. He wiped his tears off and relooked around the room, heading for his closet. Opening the vault, he smiled at the money and saw all of it was still present.

-At least I still got my babies, that's for damn sure.

He grabbed a handful of money and leaned his cheek against it, continuously sniffing his nose. He rubbed his cheek on his money a couple times and sniffed his money.

"Oh, money. At least, I still have you here. I really need your comfort right now," Zac said, sniffing his nose, kissing the money. "Muh-muh-muuuh."

Once his money visit was over, he placed his money back into the vault. "Alright, money. Looks like I'll be headin' back to my room and get ready for the night. G'night, money. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning. Have a good night."

Zac then closed and locked the vault, exiting his closet towards the bathroom. After he got ready for the night, he sat on his bed to watch cable TV since he temporarily lost his internet connection at the moment.

****

"Bye, Zackie!" Zac's parents said, waving at their son once they dropped him off at community service. "Be a good boy and don't cause any trouble now, alright?"

"Don't worry, I'll stay out of trouble. Bye…" Zac annoyedly said, waving back at his parents, watching them leave the area.

-I wish my parents would stop callin' me Zackie at this point. It's gettin' redundant a lot more than Zaccai. It's so freakin' annoyin'.

Mrs. A walked towards Zac with her happy face. "Hi there, Zac! Are you ready for another day of community service?"

Zac sighed out of annoyance. "Yes…ma'am…"

Mrs. A raised her eyebrow at Zac. "Um, is there something wrong, Zac?"

"It's jus' that I'm tired this morning," Zac responded, switching his face to sadness.

"Ah, I see…so you didn't get a good night's sleep, yes?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

-More like I hate comin' to this community service, but my parents made me have no choice, do I?

"Well, try not to allow that to distract you while you're working, okay?"

"Oh, I won't, Mrs. A. Trust me on this one."

"Good, now that's the spirit! Now do you remember the clothing section?"

Zac put his head down and sighed. "Unfortunately, no…"

"That's alright, Zac. Don't be saddened about it. I'll show you where it is. Come on," Mrs. A said.

Zac paid attention to Mrs. A and followed her. "Okay."

Once Mrs. A showed Zac the clothing section, she patted on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Good luck, Zac. Remember to contact me once you finished, okay?"

"Alright, I will," Zac responded, opening the door while Mrs. A walked away from him.

Zac's eyes were widened and his mouth was opened.

-What the hell?! This little bitch again?! Couldn't this get any worse?!

There his eyes spotted Hadasa holding the light brownish plastic bags that contained clothes as she looked up at him.

She closed her eyes with a big grin and waved at Zac. "Hiya, Zac. It's good to see ya again."

"Yay…you again…" Zac annoyedly waved back at Hadasa. "Great…"

Hadasa then glared at Zac, growling at him. "Seriously, bruh. What the hell's your problem?! I try to be nice to you, and yet you still treat me like shit?! Really, man?!"

Zac crossed his arms and glared back at Hadasa. "Says the little bitch who got me here and made me do this bullshit two hour ministry work in the first place."

Hadasa took a deep, frustrated breath, closing her eyes. "Ah, I see…you're still mad about a couple days ago and yesterday, are you now?"

"Ya think?!"

Hadasa opened her eyes and continuously glared at Zac. "Well, then. If you hadn't stolen my brother's toy and tried to sell it, none of this would've happened. You, my brother and I would've remained as strangers, and you wouldn't even be here!"

"Pfft," Zac said, turning to his left with his eyes closed. "Well, that's not my fault I had to make extra money. If it wasn't for that stupid law that prevented people who didn't turn fourteen on the last day of school and earlier, I would be able to get a job in the service sector by now."

Hadasa sighed again, this time out of understanding. "Okay, fine. But can we get back to work? Arguing with each other over the past isn't only going to help others but also helps waste time. Besides, you're grounded from video games, right?"

-Well, even though I hate this bitch, she does have a point there. Standin' here isn't gonna lift me out of punishment and get my video games back. I wanna hurry up and get this shit over with to please my parents.

Hadasa glared at Zac even more. "Well?"

"Alright, alright, alright. Fine, I'll do it," Zac said, walking towards Hadasa. "So what do ya want me to do?"

Hadasa grinned and closed her eyes. "Great!" Then she opened her eyes. "Okay, you're gonna dig through these clothes here to see if they either have holes, ripples or stains in them. If you found that, set them near you and throw them in the trash can over there. You see it?"

Zac saw the trash can at the corner where Hadasa pointed her finger at. "Yep, I see that."

"Good," Hadasa continued, "But if you don't find these things, then place them in this box right here." Hadasa banged on the big, brown box a couple times near her.

"Alright, I think I can handle that."

"Good. Now let's get to work!"

"Right on, bro."

When Zac and Hadasa went through the clothes for a while, Zac looked inside the box and saw that it was halfway full.

-Okay, great! We're almost done! As soon as we get done with our work, we'll be able to take a break like yesterday. Whoo!

Hadasa called Zac's name and Zac responded, "Yeah?"

"You did a great job today. I appreciate you helpin' me out here so far, as I was the only one who does this kind of work until you showed up."

Zac expressed his shocked face.

-Eh?! This bitch was the only one working with the clothes?!

Then he took a look around and noticed no one was in the clothing room except him and Hadasa. Not even Hadasa's friends were present there.

-Where the hell are this girl's friends at?! Weren't they supposed to be here today doin' some charity work?! I know they were here yesterday, but now they're not? What gives?!

Zac turned his attention back at Hadasa. "Uh, where the hell are your friends at? Aren't they supposed to be here?"

"Oh, they all went to work. They all got jobs in the service sector. They work every Sunday and Monday as well as every Wednesday and Thursday throughout summer break."

-Well, that's a pretty weird ass work schedule they got there, if you ask me.

"I see…it all makes sense now…so you failed to turn fourteen on the last day of school too?"

"Yep. I was born on June 14th."

-June 14th…

Zac looked up at the ceiling to think. Realizing that June 13th was the last day of school, he turned back to Hadasa. "Ah, I see that now. And thanks for the compliment and you did great too."

"Thanks and you're welcome."

"You're welcome, Hadasa."

Once Hadasa and Zac finished their work, they took it to Mrs. A and finally received a break from work.

Hiro Makoto
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