Older Man Is Fired 2 Hours after Taking Store Job, Receives $70K for Wife’s Treatment Next Day – Story of the Day

70-year-old Billy pays a hefty price for being honest and gets fired from a store job just two hours after being hired. While a desperate Billy is clueless about how he'd afford his wife's urgent surgery, he finds $70,000 and a chilling note in his mailbox the next day.

It was a pleasant Tuesday morning. Sunray Mart, a high-end supermarket nestled in the heart of the bustling town, opened its doors to its customers.

70-year-old veteran Billy had just started his first day on the job as the store's sales associate, and he couldn't have been happier. Getting a job at 70 was quite challenging, and Billy could not thank his fate enough for somehow bringing him this gig.

Flaunting a warm, immaculate smile, he shuffled through the aisles, arranging the new stocks, when he noticed just one customer, a man in a crisp black suit, approaching the store manager at the checkout…

"Excuse me, young man," the customer greeted the manager at the billing desk. "Could you please tell me how much this toy costs? I left my glasses in my office, so I can't see the price clearly. Would you please help me out?"

The man pointed the manager to a toy box marked 'latest edition.'

"It's $800, sir!" the manager took a look and said.

Billy was quite stunned and raised a brow. He had just arranged the toys from the collection the man had wanted, all of which cost at most $200.

So Billy lifted the exact toy from the lower shelf to double-check its price and learned that it was actually $200, not $800 like the manager had claimed.

Without further hesitation, Billy decided to correct the manager and approached the two men at the checkout.

"Excuse me, Sir. I think there's been a mistake...that toy costs $200, not $800," Billy said, pointing to the toy box his manager held.

Billy's manager frowned and was clearly frustrated as he stared daggers at him.

"I apologize on behalf of my new sales associate," the manager rolled his eyes and turned to the customer. "He's new here, Sir...and is probably a bit confused about the items listed for sale. The toy is $800. It's from an exclusive limited edition collection."

Billy realized that his manager was trying to deceive the customer. But he could not openly oppose him, and at the same time, he could not just stand there, watching a naive customer being tricked for extra money.

So Billy decided to gently remind his manager that he was probably mistaken and interrupted again before the customer paid the money.

"Sir, kindly excuse my manager. He's been dealing with a lot of items around, so he's probably confused with the prices. I may be new here, but I just saw the price of that toy clearly. It costs only $200," Billy told the customer.

At this point, the manager lost his temper and started yelling at Billy.

"You think you know better than me, Billy? You're just a newbie here!" the manager barked at a startled Billy, who had no idea what he had done wrong.

"I can't believe you'd undermine me in front of our customer on your first day on the job. You have no idea how things work here. Is this the gratitude you show me for giving you a job when nobody did?"

"But sir...I was just trying to help him, or he'd end up paying $600 more for that toy," Billy said.

"Enough! If you can't follow simple instructions and obey my orders, you can leave. We don't entertain rude staff...and definitely not ones who argue with their manager. I don't think this job is for you, Billy. And I doubt you'll find another one with your attitude and age."

"But, sir, you can see the price yourself if you don't believe me. I was just telling the truth."

The manager was seething.

"You know what, Billy? I made a mistake by hiring you two hours ago. You're making us all look bad with your stupid assumptions. The price you mentioned is for an old stock. This is a brand-new toy," the manager glanced at the customer to make sure he was convinced.

Billy's face fell. His eyes brimmed with a mixture of shock and desperation when the manager yelled:

"Get out. You are FIRED!"

"Please, Mr. Henderson, I can't lose this job," Billy quivered.

"My wife's life is hanging by a thread in the hospital. We've been waiting for a donor for so long...and now we finally have a chance. I need this job. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right at work. I won't argue anymore, Mr. Henderson. Please...just give me another chance, please."

But the manager remained stern.

"I did give you a chance, I thought you would manage...but it looks like you've lost the ability to think clearly," the manager yelled.

Billy kept pleading with his manager to reconsider the decision.

"Please, Mr. Henderson. I need to save money for my wife's surgery. I just found a donor for her outside the waiting list…and it costs $70,000. I need this job to cover the expenses. Please."

But Billy's pleas fell on deaf ears, and he was shown the door.

"Out of my store...before I call the guards and have you thrown out," the manager hissed, pointing to the exit.

Heartbroken and clueless about what to do next and how he was going to pay for his wife's treatment, Billy changed into his regular clothes and disappointedly left the supermarket with his lunch bag.

Billy trotted across the streets, desperately scanning the sidewalk for a 'We are hiring' signboard outside coffee shops and stores. He spent the rest of the day walking up and down many buildings, hoping to find a job, but in vain.

Nobody was willing to give Billy a spot, considering his age. People wanted a young and energetic worker, and Billy certainly did not fit their expectations.

After facing a string of rejections, Billy disappointedly returned home that evening. He was haunted by the need for money to save his wife, Cynthia. However, he held his hopes high and was determined to find a job soon.

Billy spent a long, sleepless night just thinking about what to do. Soon, it was morning.

While waiting for the paperboy to deliver the newspaper so he could look for any new job postings, Billy casually approached his mailbox to see if he'd gotten any mail.

What Billy found in that rusted old mailbox paralyzed him with shock.

"Such a bulky mail? Who is it from?" Billy's curiosity peaked as he pulled out a thick brown envelope. There was no address of the sender mentioned on the cover.

Only the words in cursive bold 'To Billy' were written in a blue marker.

Billy grew curious to see what was inside. He carefully tore open the envelope and clutched his chest tightly when he casually peeked inside.

A thick wad of money was stashed inside the brown cover.

"Is...is this...is this real?" Billy stuttered, unable to believe his eyes. It was the kind of money that could have taken him several months to save.

His hands trembled as he stood frozen, just staring at the money for a moment.

Overjoyed by the unexpected windfall, Billy peeked into the envelope and found a note with the words:

"The $70,000 is for your wife's treatment. It's all yours, Billy. But it's just a small part of what you can actually get. Come to the park tonight at 12 sharp. You have the golden chance to get $500,000 more. Come alone."

Billy hurried inside, and the first thing he did was count the cash. A whopping total of seventy thousand dollars in several hundred dollar bills stared back at him, and it all felt too unrealistic.

"I don't know who did this. But thank you...thank you from the bottom of my heart, whoever you are!" Billy whispered as he gathered the money in a bag before calling the doctor. He was one of the most sought-after doctors for this kind of surgery, and the only one who was willing to perform this risky procedure.

"Doctor, I arranged the money for my wife's organ transplant. I'll pay $70,000 right away...and we can start with Cynthia's surgery without further delay."

Billy was thrilled to say those words, but there was an eerie silence on the line before the doctor began speaking.

"I'm so sorry, Billy, " the doctor said as Billy listened.

"The prices in the market have gone up a lot in the last few weeks, and now Cynthia's surgery will cost you more. You're going to have to pay $100,000. It would help if you hurry and arrange for $30,000 more. We don't have much time, Billy. Make it fast."

The doctor's words jolted Billy like a bolt of lightning.

"But you told us that $70,000 was enough for the surgery, doctor..." Billy desperately said.

"I know...but there's nothing much I can do about it, Billy. Please arrange for the funds so we can start the transplantation," the doctor coldly replied.

"Oh...okay, doctor. I'll get back to you as soon as possible," Billy dejectedly hung the call and stared at the blank wall in front of him.

Billy realized that the doctor was deceiving him and trying to profit from his dire situation after learning he somehow managed to arrange the money out of desperation.

But he could do nothing about it other than arrange for the remaining money. Time was running out!

Billy thought long and hard. He remembered the anonymous note that mentioned the chance of making $500,000 and the meeting at the park that night.

He quickly stashed the $70,000 in his closet drawer and locked it before leaving for the park later that evening.

Billy couldn't have guessed how everything was about to change that fateful night.

After a long walk along the winding streets, Billy arrived in the deserted park.

The eerie stillness of the midnight hour unsettled him when he found himself standing all alone at the entrance. The only sounds were the shrill chirping of crickets and his own nervous breaths.

Billy looked around, but there was nobody in sight.

Suddenly, a burst of blinding headlights sliced through the darkness, startling Billy from behind.

Before Billy could turn around or think what was going to happen, a shadowy figure in a hoodie and mask emerged from behind and, without warning, thrust a black sack bag over his head.

"Hey! Let go of me...who are you? Let me go!" Billy shrieked and struggled to break free, begging the person to leave him.

But his cries went unheard.

The bag was fastened securely around his neck, and as Billy cautiously listened to more footsteps approaching, he realized he was being escorted somewhere.

Panic surged through Billy when he felt two hands grabbing his arms and guiding him into a van nearby. The last thing he heard was the engine roar to life as the vehicle sped away from the park.

"Where are you taking me? Let me go...let me go..." Billy pleaded. But his words echoed into a chilling silence.

Hours seemed to stretch as the van navigated along a winding route, stopping on the way and starting unpredictably.

Billy's mind raced with questions, but he dared not speak again when he felt something like a weapon near his hip. Fear and uncertainty gripped him tightly when he realized he was wedged between two men who never communicated with each other.

Finally, the vehicle came to a halt, and Billy was led inside an abandoned building. The bag was finally untied and pulled from his head, and his vision slowly adjusted to the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Wha-what is this place? Where am I?" Billy said as he blinked in the brightly lit building and anxiously scanned the area. It looked like an old factory of some kind.

Billy looked around, and his eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the sight before him. Nine other people stood there in the room. Ten neatly arranged beds lined one wall, and each of them had an identical black uniform placed on top.

Billy tried to make sense of where he was. But nothing came to his mind. The room had no windows, and the big metal door was locked tight, indicating there was no escape.

It was as if they had been thrust into a nightmarish limbo, cut off from the outside world.

Billy marched to the front door and tried opening it but in vain. Meanwhile, the others murmured and exchanged bewildered glances.

No one had any idea where they were, why they ended up here, or what was going to happen to them.

Suddenly, a loud, grim voice interrupted them from a speaker mounted on the wall.

"You all find yourselves in a dire situation and need money," the voice declared. "Our goal is to see the lengths you're willing to go for it."

Billy's heart pounded, and the room's occupants exchanged frightened glances.

"All you need to do is complete some tasks," the voice continued, sending shivers down their spines. "...and the winner will receive $500,000!"

"The first task will begin tomorrow morning. Put on your uniforms and be ready for further instructions. Rest well...because it's going to be an interesting day tomorrow! All the best!"

Billy's mind raced. He glanced at his fellow captives and saw the same fear and confusion in their eyes.

He shakily approached the bed with a black and white board bearing his name. With trembling hands, he reached for the uniform with his name badge neatly laid out on his assigned bed.

Nobody knew what time it was as the captivators seized all their watches and phones. They changed into their uniform the following morning and waited for the instructions.

A couple of hours later, the metal door swung open, and a man in a suit and a gas mask walked into the room.

"Get up and follow him," the voice on the speaker instructed.

Billy realized that the man in the mask was not the organizer but rather a supervisor following orders and keeping an eye on them.

"What's going on? Where are they taking us?" Billy whispered to a fellow captive.

"I don't know, but we've got to do as they say."

The supervisor remained silent, and the unsettling instructions continued to emanate from the concealed speakers.

"Hush! Follow the orders. Move quickly."

The ten captives were ushered into another dimly lit room. Their right hand was handcuffed to a chain dangling from the wall.

"Welcome to your first task," the chilling voice spoke.

"Find your key and set yourselves free within ten minutes or face the consequences. Your time starts in three...two...and Go!"

As many as one thousand keys dangled from various hooks on the wooden board before them. And they had only ten minutes to find the right key and release themselves.

Billy's soldierly instincts kicked in as he saw the commotion in the room and addressed the group. "Listen, we need to work together. Take a key each and pass it around. If it doesn't fit, toss it in the middle. That way, we'll be able to eliminate the wrong ones and find the right key. Hurry up."

The others nodded in agreement. They formed a circle and started passing the keys in a tense, terrifying fashion.

The first five minutes passed. Four participants succeeded in finding their keys and freed themselves, making a break for it. The circle was disrupted, making the task even more challenging for those left behind.

"Time's running out. Faster!" the voice said. "Four minutes left."

Three more contestants successfully unlocked their restraints and hurriedly exited the room. Billy was stranded with an older man and a woman who were still desperately searching for their keys.

"Billy...George...or Jessica! Who will make it out?" The voice continued its live commentary as the hearts of the three participants pounded with anxiety.

With just a minute remaining, Billy finally found the key and unlocked himself. However, instead of making a break for it, he decided to stay behind and assist the other two as their race against time continued.

"Keep trying! We can't leave anyone behind...Faster! Faster!" Billy shouted.

"We did it! I'm free!" the older man yelled. He and Billy frantically searched for the woman's key when a sharp siren pierced the room.

The supervisor reappeared, and the voice on the speaker ordered Billy and the other man to leave the task room right away.

"Not bad! I'm impressed!" the voice said. "We have our first eliminated contestant. Jessica! Those who are free...leave the room, NOW!"

Billy and the older man exited the room. The metal door slammed shut behind them, with the woman still captive. Suddenly, a jarring gunshot echoed through the corridor, leaving everyone standing outside paralyzed by fear.

"What was that? What's happening?" one of the captives shouted in terror.

"They sh-shot her," a contestant stammered, his voice quivering with fright and shock.

Chaos erupted. The contestants screamed and protested. "Let us out! This is madness...we didn't sign up for this. Let us out! Please...we don't want the money. Let us go."

"We don't want to participate in this deadly game. Let us out of here!" they desperately cried. They started running frantically, hoping to find an escape route, but in vain.

Soon, they were herded back into their room and locked up.

"What's happening here?" Billy gasped as he watched the heavy door clanging shut behind them. A supervisor stayed back to watch over.

Until that moment, nobody could have imagined that their fate was sealed in a sinister game of survival and that out of the nine remaining contestants, only one would make it out alive.

Billy sat silently as a rumble of whispers and cries settled in the room. He suddenly rose from his bed and marched across the room.

The guard hurried after him and blocked his path.

"Where are you going?" he asked Billy.

"I want to use the restroom," Billy told the guard.

The guard said nothing and nodded. Billy continued walking with the guard trailing behind him.

Billy knew this was his chance. As he stepped into the narrow bathroom, he quickly turned on the faucet to make some noise. He removed his shoes, leaving them neatly arranged in his cabin.

His heart raced as he cautiously crawled into the adjacent cabin.

Outside, the guard grew impatient and began banging on the door. "Hurry it up, old man," he barked.

Billy remained silent.

A few minutes passed. Billy was not yet out of the toilet, and the guard's frustration reached its peak. He crouched down and peeked under the cabin door. When he noticed only the pair of shoes, he grew suspicious.

"Are you taking a nap in there, old man? You better finish your business quickly and come out," the guard opened the door and barged inside.

In a flash, Billy emerged from the adjacent cabin and charged at the unsuspecting guard. He grabbed him and slammed his head against the wall with a sickening thud, using all the military strength he could muster.

The guard crumpled to the ground. Billy noticed the guy wincing in pain and landed a sharp, painful punch on his face. It all went black for the guard as he slumped to the floor, unconscious but alive.

"That's one down," Billy whispered.

Wasting no time, he quickly changed into the guard's uniform and secured the unconscious guy with his own restraints.

Mustering the courage, Billy put on the gas mask and emerged from the bathroom.

Billy stealthily made his way to the metal door and opened it using the guard's access card.

As soon as he stepped out, he aimlessly wandered down the hallway, searching for an exit. It felt like navigating a labyrinth, but Billy was determined not to give up. He pressed forward, looking for an escape route.

Suddenly, he ran into a guard on duty at a T-junction.

"Hey, hold on, man. Where do you think you're headed?" the guy stopped Billy.

Fear gripped Billy as he scrambled for a quick lie.

"I...I'm just following the instructions from our Boss, man. I was told to check the premises for any anomalies," Billy stammered nervously.

"Anomalies? What kind of anomalies? Did Boss say anything specific?" the guard asked.

"Not sure, man. But I got orders saying it's very important. I have to check the whole building and report if I find anything suspicious," Billy said, doing his best to sound convincing.

Tension hung in the air, and Billy's heart felt like it might leap out of his chest at any moment.

The guard finally eased off.

"Alright, go ahead. But be quick. Don't forget about the meeting with Boss. We have to assemble in the meeting room in an hour."

Billy nodded and continued down the corridor. He couldn't believe his luck. He had managed to evade suspicion...at least for now.

As Billy ventured further, he stumbled upon a dimly lit office and walked inside. His eyes anxiously scanned the room, and what he saw on the large screens left him breathless.

Video feeds from surveillance cameras displayed two guards surrounding the tied-up guard who was escorted from the contestants' bathroom. The other guards had discovered him restrained in the toilet's cabin.

Panic and chaos erupted in the building as the men began their search for the missing contestant—Billy.

Billy's heart raced in fright as he realized that his time was running out. He had no time to find the exit. Instead, he knew he would have to find a way to contact the cops and put an end to this grim game of survival.

Billy's eyes darted around the room, searching for a phone like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline.

Finally, he spotted an old telephone on a cluttered desk.

Billy nervously reached for the phone, and just as he sighed and began dialing the number, the office door burst open. A silhouette of a familiar figure emerged from the depths of the dimly lit hallway.

"YOU??" Billy gasped in shock.

In walked the man from the store, the customer with poor vision Billy had encountered the other day. His appearance sent a chill down Billy's spine as he tightened his grip on the phone receiver.

"We meet again! I see you have found our little control room, Billy," the man said.

"Who are you...and what is all this?" Billy nervously asked him, staring intensely into his eyes.

The man smirked. "Ah, you're a man of questions, Billy!" he chuckled.

"Well, allow me to enlighten you. We are but pawns in a game of survival...orchestrated by the wealthy elite, individuals who have seen and experienced everything the world has to offer. But they hunger for more...for the thrill of human desperation and survival."

Billy's eyes widened in disbelief as the man continued.

"You see, the participants chosen are carefully picked by them. They only choose those with nothing to lose...who are desperate for money…whose lives hold no value in their eyes. And they derive pleasure from watching their hand-picked participants struggle for survival...

...It's a game of the survival of the fittest, Billy. And only one emerges as the winner…alive…in the end!"

Billy's mind reeled at the revelation. "What do you want from me? Why me?"

"Your desperation to save your wife brought you here, Billy. Be glad because I want to make you an offer."

"What kind of offer?"

The man flaunted a sinister smile. "Leave that phone right where it is, Billy. I'll give you $250,000. It should be more than enough for your wife's treatment...and a cozy life until the end of your days…

…You put down that phone, and the money is all yours. You get to leave home...today."

"A deal with the devil! Your offer is intriguing. But it sounds more like a confession!" Billy grinned, showing the receiver in his hand.

Throughout the entire conversation, Billy had maintained contact with the cops, who were listening to the discussion and had already begun tracking their location.

"You think you can outsmart us, Billy?" the man barked as he lunged towards Billy to disconnect the telephone wire.

"Guards, take him away!" He ordered his men.

The men nabbed Billy, who feared for his life. He thought they would kill him. But a few minutes later, the building was filled with the sound of police sirens.

"No, but I believe the authorities can!" Billy smiled, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Panic washed over the men as they fled the room. The police sirens grew louder, and soon, the entire building was surrounded by cops and K-9 units.

"This is the police. Drop your weapons and surrender immediately," the voice over the loudspeaker echoed through the premises.

The flashing lights of police cars and the barking of K-9 units offered a glimmer of hope in the captives' eyes.

The cops carefully combed through the building, gathering evidence and data left behind by the organizers of the deadly game and the wealthy elite who had fled the spot.

Soon, the survivors huddled together and were led to the van outside.

Meanwhile, an officer approached Billy. "I'm Officer Clayton. Can you tell me how you ended up here, sir?"

Billy was still shaken and couldn't believe he had survived such a deadly ordeal. "I...I wanted to save my wife, Officer," he stuttered.

"She's critically ill and needs an urgent organ transplant. We needed money for her treatment. But I had no idea I was signed up for all this."

The officer patted Billy on the shoulder and led him into the van with the others.

A few days later, Officer Clayton approached Billy as he anxiously awaited the news about his wife's condition outside the hospital.

"Billy, I have some good news. We've gathered enough evidence to track down the organizers and rich people behind this," he said.

"And there's more news, Billy. You did everything and even risked your own life to save those eight people. Good always returns with good, Billy. Don't worry about your wife's surgery. I'll make sure she gets the help she needs."

Billy's eyes glistened with tears of joy as he watched Officer Clayton leave in the police cruiser.

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