My Life as an Awoken

Chapter 131: Incident [2]

I was astonished.

There were other people with powers.

If there was one more other than me that I knew about, then there were a thousand more I didn’t know about.

But, that wasn’t what I was focusing on.

I rewound the video and played it again.

When It got to Layla’s horrific screams of pain, I stopped it there for a moment. Then I played the video after taking a breath.

I watched the video over and over and over and over again. I seared the sound of her screams, and the sound of her flesh sizzling as she was burned alive, I seared it right into my mind.

Because if there was one thing I was going to do. It was kill this sick son of a bitch.

My mind was boiling with thoughts of murder. Rolling from one idea to the next, never stopping on one for too long.

But, my anger, rage, and frustration just seemed to boil endlessly with nowhere to go.

That was until I got a phone call from the factory manager. He said that the dissatisfaction among the workers was getting out of hand. They were planning to go on strike.

I asked, "What dissatisfaction?"

He said, "I have been calling and messaging you for a few days. You didn’t pick up the calls so I had to send you messages. Did you not get any of them?"

After thinking about it I realised that I must have just been swiping the messages away without even reading them.

In my anger I replied, "I was busy. Now, what dissatisfaction could they possibly have?"

"It started with them saying that the job is too easy, but with recent events they don’t want a foreigner for a boss."

"The work is too easy? Are they being serious? And what recent events?"

"Well, they only really have to stand around and wait for the machines to do everything. Their only real job is to pick up the boxes that come out occasionally and restock the materials.

But that doesn’t require as many people as we have. As they are a bit older and salt of the earth, they get a bit fussy about doing a hard day’s work. Earning their keep as they say.

As for the recent events, there has been a political party that has been gaining traction recently. The Sunset Party, they want Yamato to move in a more Yamato for Yamatese people way.

They have had a lot of traction with the economically frustrated. I won’t get into the details of the party but it basically wants to limit foreign power’s sway in Yamato and in their economy.

Plus, with people awakening powers, that sentiment has been growing."

"Wait? People awakening powers? What do you mean?"

"You don’t know!? Have you even looked at the news? People all over the world have been awakening powers ever since Tuesday. It’s all over the news.

Because of that, people’s fears and worries surrounding foreigners are on the verge of exploding.

Which is why you need to come in and calm their worries."

"Sigh. Alright alright I’ll come."

I hung up the phone and got a ride over.

During the drive the anger that had subsided from the new information was bubbling back up. Why do I have to come in and deal with this? Isn’t it his job to deal with this? And why are they even making a fuss? They have jobs and easy jobs at that.

Why complain about something that is to your benefit? I really just don’t get it. This cultural difference is killing me.

When I got there, there was chaos. There was shouting, yelling, hands flailing in the air and I was the perfect target for them to surround.

They all surrounded me and were yelling all kinds of things. The glasses were translating as much as they could but I just couldn’t keep up.

The anxiety, tension, fear, and anger was overwhelming. I eventually, snapped.

I shouted in my full native language, "Enough!"

With that the crowd was silenced.

I continued, "What the hell are all of you complaining about!? You have jobs! Damn easy ones! Fuck the culture that makes that a bad thing! Enjoy what the federation has created! Because it is the sole reason any of you even have a job! So, fuck off! And get back to work!"

In the moment I was honestly proud of having spoken up for myself. That came out a bit more patriotic than I intended or really feel at the moment, but if it gets the job done.

Plus if it helps get rid of the idea that an easy job is a bad job then that is a win.

I am stuck in my own cultural ways.

But while they were all looking around at each other wondering what I had just said. The factory manager came out and said, "He said fuck your culture, the federation is the only reason you have a job, and fuck off, get back to work!"

Hmm? That is kind of what I said, but why does it sound really different than I intended? I read what he said on my glasses and it felt like I could see stars floating all around me.

But after that moment of comprehending what was said the entire mob was incensed they went crazy.

I was genuinely scared for my life. I turned and hopped back into the car and we drove away. Some of the people even gave chase!

What the hell just happened? I thought I said something motivational, but looking back is that really the case?

Fuck! I don’t know! I’m just so angry, and sad, and confused. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do!

How do you grieve? How do you deal with all of this hatred I feel all of the time? I just want to break something! Anything! Everything! Fuck!

I wish someone would just... help me.