Nikolas awoke to an acrid smell. When he had gone to sleep, he was sure that smell hadn't been in his apartment. He rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. He was sure it was just a skunk digging under the foundation, or his neighbors staying in all morning smoking again. Didn't they understand that he needed his rest? He had to be up by the afternoon so he could go to work.
Unfortunately for Nikolas, the smell was neither a mustelid nor his stoner neighbors. Someone, having watched him for the last several days, had broken into his apartment just as he was nodding off a few hours ago. With a swiftness, the intruder had picked through the lock, not with a traditional lockpick, but with a bump key. Slipping through the door, they had made their way into the kitchenette, turning on the gas for the stove, but without lighting any of the pilots. With a few wet towels, they blocked all of the vents, preventing the gas from escaping the apartment. While it would take quite some time to fill up, Nikolas would soon find his small apartment filled with a deadly gas, if he didn't suffocate first.
Finding that he couldn't go back to sleep, Nikolas rolled out of bed and made his way to the toilet. As he drained his bladder, he felt some of his tension disappear. He knew that his coffee pot would start up soon, so as far as bad days went, at least is could have started worse.
He flushed the toilet and looked at himself in the mirror. He was two metres tall with long brown hair and a big, pointy nose. He had hazel eyes that hid behind his tangled eyelashes, situated in gaunt, dark sockets. His body type changed depending on what part you were looking at. His arms, for example, were thin and wispy. His torso was a bit plump, with his gut hanging over his waistband. His legs, however, were muscular and well-toned. Every day was leg day for him. It was three miles to his work, and he didn't own a car. His favourite feature, though, was his beautiful mutton chops. He kept them well-trimmed and combed them thrice daily. Sure, they hid the earing in his left ear, but that was a small price to pay for their magnificence.
Exiting the bathroom, he saw that the automatic drip function on his coffee maker was already working as it had promised. He decided that, today, he would keep his breakfast simple. A nice toaster waffle wouldn't cause too much strain on him. Placing it in the tray and pressing the lever down, he walked away to find his shoes. However, as the heating element started to turn red, the gas that filled the apartment ignited, setting the entire place ablaze. Nikolas toppled over, the small explosion sending him to the floor. The shock wore off quickly, and he took stock of his situation. The walls were all ablaze, all of his furniture was on fire, the window had been blown out and everything he owned was disappearing before his very eyes. Standing up, he rushed into his bedroom. He grabbed his phone and his wallet. He had a small fireproof safe that held all of his important legal documents, so that would be safe. For now, he just had to leave quickly.
Grabbing the door handle, he pulled the door open. It was only then that he noticed the wet towel holding the door closed. With a swift kick, he pushed it out of the way and ran into the hallway. He pulled the handle to the fire alarm, alerting the other residents of his building to the fire. Running down the stairs and into the parking lot, he dialed his phone to emergency services to report the fire.
Engines were on the scene in less than five minutes, and the blaze was quickly contained. No other apartments were damaged, save for the plumbing and electrical work that ran in sequence with Nikolas's abode. Despite the quick response, almost everything he owned had been destroyed. He found his landlord and told him that he would send for his belongings as soon as he found a place to live. The landlord was very pleased to be rid of him, after this incident.
Nikolas went to his local department store. He was only barely clothed, and he would need to remedy that situation right away. While he didn't appreciate the dirty looks given to him by the clerks, he didn't really care. The sooner he put on pants, the better off he'd be. He hadn't even left the store before he was wearing his new clothes, consisting of a pair of blue carpenter jeans, a grey pocket tee shirt, black crew socks and a comfortable pair of non-slip shoes. He'd also bought a new hair brush and comb. He was glad to have had the idea of setting aside five hundred dollars in his bank account for emergencies.
He decided to head into work early, reasoning that he needed some time to think and someone to talk to. He knew his manager would, at the very least, give him advice. He signed in, left his recent purchases in the plastic bag from the department store in his locker, and made his way into the kitchen. To his relief, his manager was already there.
"Afternoon, Nik." James clearly enjoyed his desserts. He was hefty and fairly sweaty. His chef's jacket and commis cap were stained yellow from years of absorption. His cravat would have been, too, were it not a dark blue. Despite how stained his jacket was, it was still clean. He washed them regularly, he was just a sweaty guy.
"Afternoon, Jim."
"You're certainly here early."
"Yeah, some circumstances arose, and I felt it best that I come in early and talk to you."
"In that case, grab a peeler and work on those carrots. I need about four pounds."
Washing up and donning his hair net and jacket, Nik took his place at the table. Without a moments hesitation, he dove into his task, finding a comfort in the simplicity of his labor.
"So, what's on your mind, Nik?" asked Jim. "Something bad happen?"
"You could say that. My apartment went up in flames this morning."
Jim dropped the potato he was peeling in shock. A moment later, he picked it back up and continued peeling. "How'd that happen?"
"I don't know. One minute, there's nothing wrong, the next, there's a loud bang, and fire everywhere."
"Are you injured at all?"
"Tinnitus and a few light burns. I'll be fine."
"Yikes." Jim shook his head. "Do you need a place to stay?"
Nik nodded. "I was hoping you'd ask. Don't worry, I'll find a new place soon. I just need a place to crash until I can start moving in."