Not Willing To Work

Not Willing To Work
Copyright all rights reserved to Monica Pereira 2013
Smashwords Edition

Anne walked with Olive to work.  They had both just scored jobs at the local supermarket and they even managed to get shifts that were similar.  The only difference was Anne worked on registers while Olive worked in the back of the supermarket.  Anne was jealous of Olive, however she didn't complain she was just glad she had a job.

“So what do you have to do today?”  asked Anne to Olive who seemed a mile away inside of her mind.

“What?”  asked Olive as she blinked.

“What do you have to do today”  asked Anne as she glared at Olive.

“Nothing just work and sleep;”  told Olive as she blinked.  “I feel so tired;”  she muttered as she began to lag in her step.

“Why is that?”  asked Anne as she noticed Olive's lag.

“I watched movies all night long last night;”  told Olive as she sighed.

“Did you watch them alone?”  asked Anne as she narrowed her eyes.

“Yes;”  told Olive as she sighed.  “I couldn't get to sleep it was far too warm;”  she muttered.  “I wish I were back in bed;”  she sighed.  “I can't do a four or eight hour shift tonight;”  she added.

“I can;”  told Anne as she grinned. 

“I can't!”  gasped Olive as she sighed.  “I wish I were back at home;”  she muttered.

“I would cover for you but I am working too;”  told Anne as she grinned.

“I might quit!”  told Olive as she narrowed her eyes.  “Then I can go to bed, relax, and sing myself through dreams;”  she sung.

“Well you could do that but you won't get paid;”  told Anne as she narrowed her eyes.  “You want to get paid don't you?”  she asked.

“Sure I do;”  told Olive as she rolled her eyes.  “But not like this;”  she added.  “I need to work from home;”  she said.

“I would like that also but it is too hard;”  told Anne as she rolled her eyes.  “It is really hard;”  she said.

“How do you know?”  asked Olive as she wiped a branch away from her face.

“I seems hard;”  told Anne as she narrowed her eyes.  

“I don't know;”  muttered Olive as she sighed.  “I could get into trade;”  she said.

“Trade is hard;”  told Anne as she shrugged.

“I know it seems hard but it might be worth it;”  told Olive as she shook her head.  “I feel fuzzy;”  she muttered before she sighed.  “I'll call in sick;”  she said as she stopped. 

“Don't Olive!”  gasped Anne as she turned around.  “You'll lose your job and you will need to find a new one;”  she said.

“I'm sick!”  told Olive as she glared at the street and saw a walk too far.  “I'm not going;”  she declared.

“Don't go home!”  gasped Anne as she felt her heart pull.

“I am going!”  told Olive before she turned and walked the way she had come.

Anne sighed as she watched Olive go.  For a moment she wanted to go with Olive, however she knew that she needed the money and she she turned back to the way she was yet to walk.


Anne made it to the store and she worked her full shift.  It was only four hours so it wasn't very long, however by its end she felt tired.  Anne brought an ice-cream and walked home.  She felt good that she had earned money however she felt bad that Olive hadn't earned any.

“I wish there was something I could do to make Olive feel better;”  she muttered.

However Anne knew that she couldn't do much and so she forced her feet to walk back home.


At home Anne rang Olive to see how she was?  Olive didn't pick up the phone and so Anne moved to make dinner instead.  As she prepared food she thought of Olive and she wished there was something she could do to make sure that Olive was okay. 

“Maybe I should send a gift?”  asked Anne, however her mind told her not to urge Olive away from work by offering a gift.  

So Anne forgot about Olive for an hour as she ate her meal -  however the thought of Olive was there in the back of her mind as she chewed on her tasty morsel meal.


After dinner Anne rang Olive yet again.  Still there was no answer and so Anne put down the phone and decided that she would leave Olive alone for the night as she moved to have a shower before she slipped into bed.


That night Anne had the worst dream ever -  she had left Olive alone and Olive had committed suicide.  Blood dribbled from the wrists that Olive had cut as she had bathed.  The scent of blood twirled up Anne's nostrils as she cried out Olive's name.

“Oh Olive!”  cried out Anne.  “How could you?”  she wailed before she sobbed.


Anne woke up with a gasp and she wiped the sweat from her brow.  She shivered inside of her skin as the memory of her dream rolled over her mind.  Anne felt deep sadness and she hurriedly reached for the phone to call Olive.  Olive finally answered.

“Hello?”  asked Olive in a tired tone.

“Olive it's Anne;”  told Anne as relief flooded through her body.

“Hey Anne, what's the matter?”  asked Olive as she wrinkled her brow.

“I was just seeing how your night was?”  asked Anne as she smiled.

“It was fine;”  told Olive.  “I quit my job and began making dresses;”  she declared.

“Olive!”  gasped Anne as her mind screamed out 'no!'.  “You shouldn't have!”  she declared.

“I don't want to work as a labour;”  told Olive as she sighed.  “I am through with that kind of life;”  she said.  “I am ready to move on;”  

“Well call me if you have any trouble with money;”  told Anne as she rolled her eyes.  

“Thanks Anne;”  retorted Olive as she smirked.  “But within six months you will be asking me that question;”  she added before she hung up the phone.

Anne looked at the phone and narrowed her eyes -  she hoped Olive's statement didn't come true or it would make her want to quit work also.  Anne put down the phone and curled back down into bed -  at least she didn't have to work for another day, she could take it easy herself.