The chance of a Lifetime

"Why me?" Kai murmured. Below him was a pool of blood growing every second. Lights bleared and the sound of footsteps running away could be hear but all he could think of was why him while holding back tears.

Kai did not remember his life very fondly.

There wasn't much to remember anyway. Orphaned at a young age, he stayed with his grandmother for 12 years of his life till she passed away in her sleep. Since then he took care of himself. Made his own meals, washed his own clothes and lived a pretty mediocre life. 

His grandmother did not have much savings and he spent whatever money left frugally. When children his age where going out with friends and having fun, Kai worked in a diner scrubbing dishes. When they reached adulthood, they went to parties and socialize, Kai spent that time working in a 24/7 convenience store to earn his living.

But throughout his life, he never complained or lamented his fate. He smiled, throughout it all, and worked believing that everything will be better in the end.

At the age of 17, Kai was a moderately handsome man. Dark blonde hair, mystic aquamarine eyes and with an innocent smile on his face, the girls in his school found his attractive. But due to inadequate grooming, awkward social skills and not having good clothes due to his poor financial condition, girls did not pay attention to him.

But Kai did not care about that. He wanted to graduate as soon as possible and start working in the entertainment industry. Kai loved acting. From the moment his grandmother took him for his first movie, he absolutely fell in love with them and wanted to make his career in the entertainment industry. For that he researched and made his entire life path at the age of 12!

He knew that becoming an actor was next to impossible given his life but being part of the industry was compromise enough for him.

He will take part in making some of the best movies of the next decade and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop it!

How wrong he was.

8th July 2022 - A2Z Convenience store - 11:29PM

Kai was assigned the graveyard shift today as his colleague had called in sick and there was no one else who could pick it up. Happy to make some extra cash, he quickly accepted.

Usually the graveyard shifts has 2 employees but due to the sick colleague, Kai was alone at the store and he did not mind at all. It was pretty quiet during this time and he assured the manager that he could cover it alone.

The store was also in downtown LA and the possibility of anything happening was slim. Kai was doom scrolling on his phone when the sound of the sliding doors was heard and he saw a man in his 60s walk into the store. Kai would not have said anything but the man walking in was wearing black glasses and was holding a blind cane stick.

Understanding that the man might need his help, Kai ran to the door and politely greeted the man. "Good evening sir, can I help you with something?"

The man wasn't startled as he had heard the sound of footsteps and smiled in a grandfatherly manner.

"Ah, come here dear boy!" he held out his hand for Kai to take and Kai happily took it and guided the man in. 

"Would you like me to get you something sir?" "Yes. My daughter has left her son at my place and he wants some ice cream tonight! How could deny him now!" The man replied happily as Kai guided the man. Kai smiled as he could feel the grandfather's affection through his tone. 

He guided the man to the back to get some ice cream and as he was about to recommend some flavors, the sounds of hurried footsteps came into the store.

Curious, he craned his neck to look at the door and his eyes widened seeing 2 men in ski masks looking around with a gun in their hand!

His first instinct was to panic and call the cops but in his haste to help the elderly gentleman, he kept his phone at the counter. He looked at the elderly man and quietly requested "Sir, please don't panic, but there are some robbers outside" hearing this the man froze, but Kai continued, "do you have a phone with you?"

The man shook his head quietly and Kai cursed. He then told the man "Stay here and don't move please, I'll go the counter and ring the alarm bell" and without waiting for the man, he turned around the went to the adjacent isle.

He could here the robbers look around and go behind the counter. A smash was heard a second later and then "the register is locked, but there was a phone here, there must be someone in the store. Find them".

Kai realized that it was his phone they smashed but he couldn't think about it more. he quietly crawled towards the counter as the 2 men split to find him. Time moved very slowly and just as he reached the counter and scream sounded throughout the store. It was the blind man!

Kai quickly pressed the emergency button under the counter and ran towards the men. 

Seeing as one of the robbers kicked the blind man instigated a white hot rage in him. Before either could move, he punched one of the robbers and before he could hit the other, he was tackled to the ground. He punched and kicked but he couldn't get out of this situation. 

In a move of desperation, he kicked the robber between his legs and it stunned the man enough for Kai to push him away and get near the blind man.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he tried to pull the old man up but a BAM was heard throughout the store the next second.

"Shit! Why did you shoot him??" The robber holding his privates exclaimed seeing that his partner shot the store worker. "I panicked!" the other robber exclaimed. He quickly helped his partner and they both bolted from the store.

Kai felt numb for a second before a searing pain shot through his body. Like a marionet having it's string cut, he fell on the ground unable to move his body while the man tried to hold his body asking what happened.

The last thought before Kai passed out was "Why Me?"