Tales of Nicky

Joe (pre-outbreak)

I grinned at the lady.

She stared at me with an expression that reminded me of when my mother finally gave up on me. It was probably my appearance. My red hair was all over, I was overdue for a trim and it never behaved even when it was the right length. I was wearing a frog costume I'd located...somewhere, and even though the hood part was down, it was a very creative costume anyway.

I grinned harder.

Finally, the secretary sighed and looked back at her computer, pulling up some strange program. "What's your name?"

"Nicky."

She started typing.

"-without the x." I finished.

She paused, frowning, and looking back up at me, "I...Ma'am? There's no x in Nicky."

I watched her for a moment. "Yeah. that's what I said."

"Alright, what's your last na- WHAT IS THAT?!?"

I looked at her in confusion, following her gaze to my hands which I had rested on the table. Or...no she was probably looking at the thing in my hands. "Oh! Do you mean Joe? He's my friend!" Joe was a frog I'd found right outside. This area was great for frogs. There was a reason for the frog costume. "You can tell he's male because he's so small!"

Indeed, he was perfect for holding in hands.

The secretary stared at Joe for a whole five seconds, not even blinking. I didn't blink too, wondering if this was a contest. She gave up though when matched with my superior staring skills. "Take that thing outside! I don't want it loose in my office!"

I sighed, at the middle-aged woman "Kids these days..." She did have a point though, Joe was squirming in my hands, trying to wiggle free. He wanted to be free! Just like me! Maybe we could be frogs together? "Alright, cancel all of my appointments! I'm going to liberate the frogs!"

"What appointments? Ma'am! I don't even know who you are!"

But I was gone, Joe had a family out there. He had a rock or something he liked to sit on. Joe deserved better than me. I slammed the door behind me, racing out into the muggy, humid air. Who was I to deny Joe his rock-sitting, fly-eating, fellow-frog-seducing, life? I wasn't!

"Joe! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I'll never kidnap your brethren again!"

It almost seemed like Joe was getting angrier. Oh yes he was getting angrier! He hated me! That was terrible! "Joe! I'll offer you...uh..." what did frogs eat? I didn't want to kill flies the rest of my life... "I'll give you bread!"

I stopped running, finding the canal. It was awash with life. Also water, it was awash with water too. I put him down on a rock and dug through my pockets, finding nothing but a banana. Did I...not even have my ID card? Huh. I'd get another one the next time I was arrested.

I set the banana down in front of Joe, "I can't find any bread, Joe, I'm sorry. Does a banana work?"

He hopped away.

I was not forgiven.

I hopped after him, finding it far more difficult than he'd made it seem. The cops fished me out of the canal three days later around twelve miles downstream.