Getting Everything You Want – Chapter 1

If you could get everything you ever wanted, would you? What price would you pay for it?

Written by: Nova

Loki Fan Fiction

I looked around the room. 12 people. All in those metal folding chairs. All wearing similar robes to mine. Except for one person. He wore a white lab coat and had a clipboard. You know the kind. Blue bathrobes that were bought at some big box store. Yeah those. Where was I? A mental institution. Why? Because Everyone thinks I’m Crazy. I stood up and cleared my throat.

“Hi, I’m Joshua.” I said.

“Hi Joshua.” The group said.

“I’m not here because I want to kill myself, but everyone thinks I’m crazy.” I said. “But my story is far from crazy.”

They all looked disinterested right now. Hopefully I could get them to hear me out. No one wanted to so far, but maybe… just maybe…

“It all started one fateful day when I stumbled into an old antiques shop.” I stated….

Yes, it had started raining that day, and it came down hard out of nowhere. I had been heading home from work, on foot. I couldn’t afford a car… hell I could barely afford my apartment. No girlfriend, living off rice and whatever meat was on sale, so I could eat on the cheap. I couldn’t even afford bus fare and now I was going to be soaked. I ran down the street until a shop caught my eye, and I ducked in. It was late, and I was surprised to see the lights on and the door open. When I entered in though, that’s when things got weird.

You know those TV shows, movies and stories that have those weird antique shops that come out of nowhere? The ones that have something for everyone but at a horrible price. That’s what this shop seemed like to me. Behind the counter, at the far end of the store, was a little old Chinese man. He sat upon a stool, smoking from a tobacco pipe and reading a paper. I walked up to him.

“Hi.” I said.

He didn’t look up at me, just kept reading his paper.

“You Joshua?” He asked.

I stepped back for a moment, shocked that he would know my name.

“How did you?” I asked.

“Your name badge. Eyes aren’t so good anymore.” He said. “Am I saying that right? Joshua?”

“Yeah.” I said, not realizing that my work lanyard had been around my neck.

“Well, downpour’s started. You’re gonna get soaked if you go back out in it.” He pointed out.

“Yeah. Well. I only ducked in because it caught me off guard.” I said.

“The weather does that.” He said. “Well, welcome to my shop. Just opened last week, and you’re the first person to bother to come in.” He said. “Feel free to look around. You can stay if you pretend to shop, may draw in some customers that want to buy something.”

“What makes you think I don’t want to buy something?” I asked.

“You’re out walking in the rain. I don’t sell umbrellas. So either you’re trying to save money by not taking the bus, or you’re insane.” The old man laughed.

I looked down at the counter that had a single ring on it. A silver band. It just sat there as if abandoned by its owner.

“What’s this?” I asked.

The old man looked away from his paper.

“Huh? Oh the last customer must have left that.” The old man said.

“Really?” I asked.

“No, I just said that you’re the fucking first person to come in here. Are you fucking stupid?” The old man asked. “That’s an old wedding band. Nothing special about it.”

“Where’d it come from?” I asked.

“Does it matter? You want it?” He asked.

“Sure.” I said.

“Five bucks.” He said.

I pulled out my wallet and grumbled as I handed him a five. For some weird reason that I couldn’t comprehend, I needed to have that ring. After paying him, I took the ring and left. It didn’t matter that it was still raining, and I slipped the ring on my finger. Before I knew it, I was home and drying off. Home… right… tiny little apartment, with only a mattress.

I pulled off my coat and tossed it to the ground, took off my shoes and went to my bed, only to hear the landlady immediately pounding on my door. I got up and walked back to the door.

“About fucking time you answered!” She screamed.

She was loud enough for the whole building to hear her.

“You’re late! Where’s my fucking money! I want my rent!” She yelled as I instinctively rubbed the ring on my finger.

All of a sudden, everything around me changed. I took a step back, realizing everything seemed to be in black and white. You know, like in that old movie ‘it’s a wonderful life’. A strange figure appeared between me and the land lady. It was about six foot tall, with long black hair, with a goatee, and mustache, draped in brown clothing.

“Hello Midgardian. My name is Loki, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.” It said.