I hesitated, glancing at the clock. My shift was starting soon, but the idea of earning some extra cash was tempting. Lord knows we could use it. After a brief negotiation, we agreed on $250, and I got to work. Emery’s house was a wreck, with empty bottles, half-eaten food, and trash everywhere. It took me two solid days of scrubbing, sweeping, and hauling garbage out. By the time I finished, my back ached, and my hands were raw, but I kept reminding myself of the $250 Emery promised. That money would go a long way for us.When Emery finally returned, I went to collect. She blinked at me in confusion when I mentioned the payment. “Payment? What payment?” she asked. My heart sank as she claimed there was no agreement. She dismissed me, saying she didn’t have time for this, and left for work. I stood there, dumbfounded and furious. I spent the rest of the day stewing over her betrayal. I had worked hard, and she had the nerve to pretend we never made a deal. I wasn’t about to let her get away with it. I needed to be smart about my next move. As I paced my living room, an idea started to form—a risky idea, but one I felt was necessary. Later that day, I found myself at the local garbage dump, loading my car with bags of trash. Desperate times called for desperate measures. On the drive back, I kept replaying our conversation in my head, justifying my plan with every mile. When I reached her house, the street was quiet. I hauled the garbage bags to her front door, heart pounding. As I worked quickly, I realized something: Emery had forgotten to take back her house key from me.I hesitated briefly but remembered how she dismissed me. I unlocked her door, stepped inside, and methodically tore open the garbage bags, dumping the contents all over her pristine home. Rotten food, old newspapers, dirty diapers—everything mixed in a disgusting heap. I left her house in shambles, feeling both satisfaction and guilt. That evening, as I put Connie to bed, I heard furious banging on my front door. I knew it was Emery before I even opened it. She screamed at me, demanding to know what I had done to her house. I calmly denied everything, reminding her that, according to her, I never had the key. She threatened to call the police, but I knew she had no proof. Defeated, she stormed off. As I closed the door, a strange mix of relief and regret washed over me. I knew I had crossed a line, but in that moment, it felt justified. Sometimes, you have to stand up for yourself, even if it means getting your hands dirty. I doubted Emery would ask me for any more favors after this.
