Chapter 103. Boxing Day: Fighting with your Life on the Line. (1/3)

Today was a day that any family with financial struggles waited for. A day meant for mothers to fight to the death. A day for daughters to support their mothers in mortal combat. A day where sons tremble in fear at the might of their mothers.

A day where girlfriends turn into the most terrifying monsters known to mankind. This was a day to be remembered.

Yes, for it was on this very day, that men remembered…

The fear of oppression under them…

.. and the humiliation of being... dedicated bag holders.

I hadn’t assumed such a role in a very long time. It was a rather nostalgic feeling. Watching women inside a store clawing at each other’s throats, pushing and throwing each other to the ground to get the best deals.

Irene was vicious. Truly vicious.

I hadn’t seen such a vicious mother before. I hadn’t been aware that she’d also booked today off or that I’d be forced to tag along for this event. She likely hadn’t told me so I wouldn’t be able to run away beforehand. I was ambushed this morning and dragged out of my bed and thrown into her car. She forcefully dressed me and everything. It felt like I’d been violated.

She was as ferocious as she’d been in bed.

Her movements were ninja-like as she moved from one store to the next while I was dragged along in tow.

Inside the mall, one moment I’d see her in one aisle of a store, the next she’d be inside the store opposite in another aisle.

I started to sweat and wonder if her third job was as a part-time ninja with her constant disappearing acts. That belief only strengthened when she sometimes appeared out of nowhere behind me with more bags in her hand for me to hold. I swear, I just saw you in the store in front of me! How did you even get behind me without me seeing you exit!

What is this! This isn’t the real world anymore! Ninjas are not a thing! Don’t mess with me!

I wanted to scream. I truly did.

My arms hurt like hell. My feet were killing me. I was ready to drop dead. Rosa and Alicia were also dumping shopping bags on me too. But they couldn’t compete with a mother in the end. Alicia was the kindest though, she only bought light things. She didn’t buy too many things either. But Rosa? She’d give me the light things, but she was completely fine with making use of Chris’s crush on her to hold all of her heavy bags.

She was a monster without a heart. Chris looked happy to be relied on by her so he didn’t seem to be complaining though. How are you so simple-minded, boy? Don’t let her use you like this with a stupid smile on your face.

Only when I was at my limit was I permitted to return to the car. But Irene imposed a time limit on me. If I couldn’t get back in three minutes, I wouldn’t be allowed to make any future trips.

I naturally ran as fast as I could. I didn’t want to be subject to such an awful fate. 

Irene was able to use coupons to get a lot of things free even with how heavily discounted everything was today. She had store credits in various stores as well that she’d build up over the course of the year.

This was her battlefield, where she thrived as a supreme mother at the pinnacle. It felt like I was in a war zone the entire time.

Even after we left the mall it still wasn’t over. We drove all around the city to different individual stores until we made it to an out-of-the-way mall in the city where my second run-in with hell began. It was even worse here.

I even saw my life flash before my eyes a few times.

By the end of this day's excursion, I was truly traumatized and scarred for life. The things I’d seen today, it was worse than a horror movie that wouldn’t end.

In the car, after Irene declared the battle over and raised her fist up happily with her back to us to signal our triumphant victory, certain horrific scenes flashed through my mind. Crimes against humanity. I instinctively curled my body into a ball on the seat, wrapped my arms around my knees, then silently rocked my body back and forth with traumatic eyes.

I’m not going next year. Absolutely not. There’s no chance in hell I’ll fall victim to this again.

Those were my genuine thoughts.

This wasn’t a battlefield where men could lightly tread upon. 

Chris, seated in the middle, looked at me with understanding eyes and asked, “First time?”

“I mean… it’s not… but it was my first time witnessing it be this bad. This day knows not the meaning of the word civility. On this cursed day, humanity returns to the era of barbarians. I’m officially convinced civilization was a mistake after the crimes I’ve seen today.”

“I agree. My mom’s scary on Boxing Day. She’s like an entirely different person. Like she’s possessed by a great demon of shopping.”

“Certainly.” I fully agreed.

Before we returned to their place, we first stopped by Rosa’s place. It was to drop a few things she bought off. Though she’d decided to move in, they were things she bought to send to her parents overseas as gifts later. They would be sent before the end of the month when all her stuff needed to be moved out, so she didn’t want to take up extra space inside Alicia’s room with it.

I was given the unfortunate task to drop it all off upstairs. Alicia was trying to be considerate and said even if Rosa’s injury appeared to be fully healed, she should still take it easy. After a full day of walking around the way we had, she might reinflame her injury. Rosa reluctantly gave in and let me bring everything up on her behalf, as her boyfriend the task had fallen on me.

I cursed my own status. I was bloody tired too, you know. Still, I did it without voicing my complaints aloud. I took everything all at once since I didn’t want to make multiple trips. The bags added together were heavy as hell.

I somehow made it into the elevator and up to her apartment without collapsing. I felt like if I put down the bags I wouldn’t be able to pick them up again so I used the last bit of strength in my right arm to unsteadily put the key into the lock to open it.

I turned the knob and the door opened up. After I squeezed my way through the entrance, the door shut behind me. Exhausted, I entered the living room and dropped all the bags onto the ground. I fell to my knees exhausted while looking out the balcony window.

“Hah… haaaaah... haaaaaaaaah...” I was tired as hell and sweating profusely inside my jacket despite it being winter.

It was for that very reason I was so slow to notice it. What was in the reflection of the window.

I couldn’t discern any features, but there was definitely someone seated behind my back on the couch. Staring at me.

I gulped nervously as I slowly turned around on my knees.

There, a handsome man dressed in all black was seated on the couch in front of me with his legs arrogantly crossed one over the other. He had red hair and scarlet eyes. His features truly reminded me of my girlfriend.

“Hello, sorry, I didn’t see you on my way in. I must have entered the wrong apartment. I’ll take my leave now. Uh… you can keep all these, it’s not a big deal. Haha… hahaha…”

“Are you prepared to die, boy?” The man asked me coldly with a terrifying grin on his face.