Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 631

A week later, their landlord came knocking.
‘Listen here, Calum,’ Tony sighed and checked his watch, ‘I’ve been lenient. The payment can’t be
delayed anymore. You promised you’d have the down payment last week.’
Calum’s lips pursed into a grim line. After a period of stoic deliberation, he repeated what he’d said the
week before, ‘I just need more time.’
For a moment, the pot-bellied man scrutinized him carefully. Then, with a tone that left no room for
argument - ‘One week. And then you’ll be evicted.’
It took all the strength left in Calum’s body to prevent his legs from collapsing under his weight. One
week. He’d been here for three and was none the closer to scoring a job. What were the odds that he’d
miraculously procure one in a week? With his savings exhausted and with no chance of securing any
additional loans, he was at the end of his rope.
His footsteps were heavy on his way back to the dining table, his muscles coiled from the exchange. As
he neared, the conversation died down, the tension palpable. He ignored it in favor of eating his meal,
tongue tasting nothing. All he could focus on were Tony’s words - ‘one week’.
He didn’t remember zoning out, but when he came to, Alfie was gesturing excitedly and voicing
animatedly, ‘Pandas, Papa! Big, furry ones!’
Blinking, he centered himself. ‘Sorry, son, you were saying?’
‘A school trip, to the regional zoo! Mr. Grey said there will be pandas, and I’ve never seen one before!
He says tickets were $225 each, so -’
‘No,’ Calum interrupted. Alfie’s face fell, but Calum continued, ‘It’s a waste of money.’
Alfie’s lips trembled. ‘But… But we’re going to learn about the different animals. It’s an educational trip,
and it’s only $2-’
And Calum snapped.
‘ENOUGH!’ He roared, pounding both fists on the table and standing up in one fluid motion. ‘Only
$200? ONLY? Are you the one making the money, son? NO! What do you know about spending 15 hours
being yelled at by your boss? I endured that, all of that - just so I can put food on the table. And what do
you do? You ungrateful -’ He broke off, chest heaving.
The boy’s eyes brimmed with tears, but they only served to fuel Calum’s wrath. ‘We’re struggling to stay
afloat, one week away from sleeping on the streets, and you want money to see pandas?’
Suddenly, there was a small, feminine hand on his shoulder, and he whirled around. ‘And you,’ Calum
hissed, ‘You’re nothing but a freeloader. I make money and you spend it all. You talk about how much you
care for me but how come I never see you working? If you actually loved your husband, you wouldn’t leave
him to support the whole family all by himself!’
‘Oh,’ he breathed softly, pupils dilating and glinting maliciously. ‘You don’t actually love me, do you?
From the beginning, you were in it expecting to lead a comfortable life, but I didn’t live up to it.’ He
cackled. ‘Instead of the loaded businessman, you ended up with a poor wretch who can’t even afford his
son’s school trip!’
‘