Jim's Gym Journey

Chapter 1 - All Aboard!

The sun had long since set. Yellow lighting threw shadows across the rows of gym equipment. Jim pushed the trolley of cleaning supplies over to the treadmills closest to the automatic doors. The small wheels clattered over the cracked linoleum. One of the treadmills was still running. The tired rubber belt creaked as it cycled through, causing the machine to shudder in place. He turned it off. Its abandonment was likely the direct result of the chattering gaggle of children he had seen leaving as he started his shift. He tried to cast his mind back to a time when he was the same. Twenty years since he had left his alma mater, he had found himself working as a school janitor. He had imagined when he signed up for the job that he would find himself in the same grandfatherly role that seemed to be a given throughout the ages. He had even grown out a moustache with that purpose in mind, silvery white and bristling. Maybe children were different these days. Maybe he just wasn’t the approachable type anymore. He moved onto wiping down handles. A few minutes in, he heard the automatic doors swinging open. A child raised its tiny voice into a shrill squeak. “Thank you, mister janitor, sir!” it yelled, infuriatingly bubbly , as it scampered out of the gym, narrowly missing the doors as they drew back together. Jim wasn’t sure how to respond, if a response was even what he was supposed to give. He kept his head down, pretending not to hear anything. An inkling of guilt trickled into his conscience, but he pushed it down, like he had always done. He usually enjoyed the silence that came with working after hours. But the building seemed to hold its breath, as if…waiting. Jim shook his head to dispel the thought. He had checked the windows were closed as he entered. Nevertheless, a draught seemed to be getting in