My Co-Worker is an Elf Girl?! (#thewattys2024)

Chapter 20 - I'm Glad We've Finally Connected!

OUTSIDE HOKIEN MEDIA GROUP - EVENING
The duo makes their way to the front of the media conglomerate's building. Through the glass walls, life-sized models of random characters from their properties guard the lobby.

SAMARA: "I'm not going to question your strange fascination with my world because I'm beyond lucky to see someone like you here."

Remy beams with a radiant smile.

REMY: "Do you really mean it?!"

SAMARA: "Of course, but as someone who has lived in this world my entire life, I don't share the same excitement for it as you do."

REMY: "Can I ask why?"

Samara grows pensive. She takes a deep breath before responding.

SAMARA: "Every human is trapped in the same cycle for their entire life. We spend our childhoods cramming for entrance exams to a select few places. If it doesn't look good on a college application, there isn't time for it."

Samara stares off into the distance.

SAMARA: "We then graduate and get a high-paying job at a company. You begin to volunteer more and more of your free time to prove to people you're a hard worker so you can get salary raises to buy things to post on the internet to impress people you don't like. Then, we pop out an average of 2.5 kids each, and we abandon whatever dreams we had because 'our bundles of joy are our greatest creations after all.'"

Remy averts Sam's gaze.

SAMARA: "Then, at our old age, we retire from the workforce, sitting on our massive pile of wealth like some dragon. We have our break when our bodies begin to fail, and we no longer have much to contribute to the economy."

Samara closes her eyes in contemplation.

SAMARA: "We humans live planning and sacrificing things for 'tomorrow.' But 'tomorrow' isn't really real. It's a concept. One day, we each will realize that life is nothing more than a series of present moments leading to death. When we do, we let out a 300-decibel scream inside because we've spent half of our life pouring it all down the drain."

Samara turns to Remy and smiles.

SAMARA: "But since you're all so willing to join us in this fate, I am more than happy to be your buddy for the time being!"

REMY: "I see your point. To me, however, I am only hearing positives."

Samara sighs.

SAMARA: "Of course you would.

REMY: "The Human City of Âru..."

SAMARA: "It's 'Ûr.'"

REMY: "Huh?"

SAMARA: "Not 'Âru.' It's 'Ûr.' Two letters. The first one is 'U' with a funny hat."

REMY: "This PLACE is not short on tasks to take up one's time. May they fill up every second of my existence. May I be so lucky to drown in a sea of errands and busywork!"

SAMARA: "Why? ...Why would you ever wish for that?'

Remy stares deep into Samara's eyes. The elf smiles.

REMY: "To deliver myself from the agony of having a single thought in my head."

Samara and Remy share a moment of silence.

It is late, and people have left the financial district of Ûr to go home for the day.

SAMARA: "...Do you even have a place to stay?"

REMY: "No. I usually sit out here until the place opens in the morning."

SAMARA: "Since you've committed yourself to a dreary life of white-collar work, you might as sleep inside. There are showers and nap pods for employees who work overnight."

Remy gasps.

REMY: "How much does one night cost?"

SAMARA: "Huh? It's free, Remy."

REMY: "Free?! How does this inn make any money?!"

SAMARA: "It's not an inn. It's a media company that publishes a variety of creative works. That's why they have all of those characters and set pieces standing in the lobby."

Remy gives Sam a look of surprise you can only make when you find out the stripper wasn't really in love with you.

REMY: "I thought they meant that elves and other beings from The Middle Realms were allowed to work here!!"

Sam gives Remy a look of incredulity you can only give a jeweler when told the store doesn't accept refunds on engagement rings.

SAMARA: "REMY THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE."

REMY: "It does to me!!!"

Samara lets out a long sigh. She clearly has much to teach her elven friend.

SAMARA: "Whatever. How about this? Get some rest, and we can meet up tomorrow to work on our project. Do you know where the nap pods are?"

REMY: "They're the things on the 2nd floor that closely resemble honeycombs, right?"

SAMARA: "Huh, that is pretty spot on. How did you figure that out?"

REMY: "I see tired, grumpy people go in, and energetic people come out. I thought it was some kind of teleporter that humans use to commute to and from their homes, but people taking naps in them probably make more sense."

Samara goes quiet. The human then bursts out laughing.

REMY: "What do you find so amusing?!"

Samara wipes a single tear from her eye.

SAMARA: "Never change, Remy."

The two part ways for the day.

HOKIEN MEDIA GROUP LOBBY - EVENING
Remy walks through the security checkpoint. The SECURITY GUARD on duty picks up his phone.

SECURITY GUARD: "Yup. I'm sure it is her."

He hangs up.

Not much later, red and blue lights flood the lobby, and 3 police squad cars stop at the entrance.

The OFFICERS come out of their vehicles.

They enter the building in single file.

To be continued...