Grunt Work

Paula

'Who are you?' I asked, though I think I knew the answer already.

She was wearing a trenchcoat and looked pretty guilty, jumping when I spoke. I didn't recognise her, but that didn't mean much.

'No one!' she shrieked.

'Oh yeah? Well, No One, what are you doing here? Not trying to steal my kraken, are you?'

'No, no, I just-' she stopped and looked at me oddly. 'How would I steal a kraken?'

'Buggered if I know, but people wearing that get up are usually here to steal something. I wouldn't put it past you to try to put Mr Huggles in your pocket.'

'That's...okay. Well, I'm just lost. So if you'll excuse me, I - are you okay?'

I realised then that I was probably a bit teary still, and wiped my cheeks and nose. 'I'm fine. So you're lost?'

She looked at me for a long moment, then beyond me, to the lift. 'You know what? It's fine. Would you like to talk?'

No. 'I'm just feeling a bit lonely, is all. Everyone's mad at me because people died and I was following orders but I could have helped but I didn't because I was told to wait so I waited and I did my job and I thought everyone would be happy but they're not and I just don't know what to do.'

I may have shared a bit too much.

'Uh,' she said, 'would you like a hug?'

No. 'Yes, please,' I said instead, and she walked up to me and gave me a hug. I crumpled up in her arms. I didn't mean to, but I guess I didn't know how much I needed a hug until she gave me one. 'Thank you,' I said into her trenchcoat. 'I just wish I had a friend, you know? I'm still pretty new here and don't really know anyone. Besides Mr Huggles, of course.'

'Mr Huggles?' she said.

'The kraken,' I said, and pointed at the pool. 'He's my friend. My only friend, really.'

'Aww, sweetie,' she said, giving me an extra squeeze. 'Everyone deserves a friend.'

'Mhmm,' I said, then stepped out of the hug, feeling a bit...not sure how to put it. 'So, what's your name?'

'Uh,' she said, looking at me wide eyed. 'Kaia?'

'That's funny, that's my name too!'

'Oh, no. I mean. I was just reading your name tag.'

'Oh.'

'My name is, uh,' she looked around. 'Pool. Ah. Paula.'

'Nice to meet you, Paula, I'm Kaia.'

'I know,' she smiled, then looked to the pool again. 'So, what do you do here?'

'Oh I look after Mr Huggles here,' I said.

'Oh,' she said slowly. 'You're the beastmaster.'

I don't know what it was about that, maybe it was how she said it, maybe it was the word 'beastmaster'. I don't know, but it felt like I'd been cursed at.

'That's me,' I said dully.

She reached out and placed her hand on my arm. 'I think it's really cool?'

'Say what now?'

'I mean,' she gestured to the pool. 'You get to ride on a fucking kraken. That sounds really cool, if you ask me.'

I felt myself smile, though I didn't quite feel like smiling inside. 'It is pretty cool,' I kicked the ground. 'Want to meet him?'

'I - what?'

I went over and patted my hands on the surface of the water, and a few moments later the water broke as Mr Huggles came to my call.

'Now don't be scared, he won't hurt youwhat?'

I was a  bit surprised because Mr Huggles had reached out a tentacle to give Paula a hug, before I'd even introduced her. That was strange, he's not usually so friendly to strangers. Even stranger, she was hugging him back. That was so sweet. No one ever hugs him back - besides me, of course.

'He's so beautiful,' she said, looking up into his large eyes. He couldn't hear her, of course, but he let out a happy trill like he had. 'So beautiful,' she said again, though a little bit sadly. I wasn't sure why.

'He's the best,' I said warmly. 'Would you like to ride him? He'd be happy to, honest.'

'I would love that!' she beamed, then looked behind me. 'But I should really get going. I'm sorry.'

'Oh, yeah. No worries. Of course,' I said, then I remembered. 'Oh yeah, you said you were lost?'

She started to speak, then stopped herself before she could say a full word. She took a deep breath, then started again. 'I'm supposed to be on guard duty, at the dungeon. Where the prisoners are kept. But I got a bit turned around.'

'Oh yeah, that happens to me a lot,' I took out my tablet, bringing up the map. 'Where's your tablet?'

She patted her trenchcoat. 'I'm afraid I lost it.'

'Ah, that's a pain. Winnie's going to give you hell for that. Hey, are you new?'

'Yes. New. Very new. Did you say Winnie? You mean Winifred the Ter-'

'Oh you know Winnie?' I asked, interested. 'Oh, you probably know her from the TV. I just call her Winnie. But anyhoo, since you're new she probably won't be too upset. She's a good boss, once you get to know her. Anyway, here's the dungeon. You want to take this lift down to sub level 13. Then you take a left, another left. Second right. Go straight for-'

'I got it,' she said.

'Wow, really?' I asked, very impressed. She must have a great memory. I still get lost going to the cafeteria.

'Mhmm. But what's that?'

'You mean the death rays?'

'I meant that big door like thing? Wait, there's death rays?'

'Yeah, but it's fine. They don't shoot at base personnel.'

'That's comforting,' she didn't seem comforted. I get that. It can be pretty intimidating, working here. It took me ages to memorise the laser grid pattern just to get to the fifth floor lavatories.

'Hey, do you know how to-' before she could finish her question, the alarm sounded overhead.

'Hey, hey, easy, boy,' I said soothingly to Mr Huggles, who was alarmed by the flashing red lights.  I patted his tentacle.

'What's that?' Paula asked nervously.

'Oh, just the intruder alarm,' I said. 'Someone must have snuck in their partner again. Happens all the time.'

'Really? Well, thank you for everything but I should get going.'

'Of course,' I said, but by the time I'd turned around, she'd gone.