Across The Years (CITRUS)

Three - The Job

Yuzu's POV.

My funds were running low so I most certainly needed a job. While my college was paid for and I had saved enough for my room and board, I had little else to spare. My purchase of the things belonging to Mei used up a good-sized chunk of the cash I had.

I had spotted a note advertising a job as a lab assistant. It was a strange note stating the job had long hours and lousy pay, but possible great rewards. So, I called the number but got an answering machine. I left my name, number, email address and said I was interested in the lab assistant position.

I got an email 2 hours later.

"Come today at 12 noon to my lab for an interview. It's in an old factory on the east end of London. 320 Black Church lane."

Looking at my clock, I realized that I had to leave this instant to get there on time. I didn't even have time to change into something presentable. I was dressed in black leggings, a plaid skirt, and a green top.

"Oh well. You didn't give me time to change. What you see is what you get." I mumbled as I grabbed my keys and headed out. I made it down to the tube station in record time. Fortunately, luck was with me and I managed to arrive at the address with 5 minutes to spare. The building looked very old and appeared to be once a small factory. The area had several old facMeies that appeared to have been converted into lofts and small businesses. The front appeared to have been remodeled at some point and some storefronts put in. There was a dry cleaner and a Chinese restaurant in the only 2 that appeared to be occupied at the moment. 320 Black Church Lane. was at the end and I noticed immediately the glass was painted over. But over the doorway in faded letters read. "Atlas Records and Tapes."

I began to have a bad feeling about this job and reached into my leather Jacket to make sure my trusty pair of scissors were present. Knocking on the door got no response, so I tried the knob. The door was open so I walked in.

The front room was obviously a record store at one point in time. I saw a counter and empty racks which once held CDs. But besides that, there were boxes of what appeared to be electronic parts. Other boxes held papers and reference books of some technical nature. The whole place looked chaotic and unorganized. In one corner sat a cluttered desk that was covered with papers.

Before I could do anything, a woman who looked about 40 bursts out of the door in the back. The door itself said Keep Out. Her hair was unkempt and dressed kind of like a hippy.

Holding something in her hand he rushed up to me with an excited expression. "Tell me, what is this?" I noticed right away, she was Japanese.

I took a quick look at the object in her hand. "Um... It looks like a socket wrench that's half-melted."

She huffed and looked at the thing rather strangely. "I thought so too. At least it didn't melt completely melt this time."

She then pulled out a coconut from her pocket and took a sip while looking me over carefully. "Dressed in Goth clothing, hasty judgmental expression. Do you like science fiction?"

I shook my head. "Only when people die."

"Are you a patient person?"

"No!"

"Let me guess. You love horror movies and all kinds of morbid things."

"Yes."

"Are you a student?"

"Yes"

"What's your major? Please tell me it's not physics, mathematics, or history."

This was the strangest interview I've ever had. She didn't seem menacing, but just odd. "I'm majoring in Theatre, with a minor in writing."