The Master of Names

Chapter 5- Pep Talks

  "Alright alright, you can do this buddy. Just like you've practiced." Keldon said to himself, bouncing on his feet. He peeked around the corner, eyeing up the new recruits for sifting duty.

  "Ugh. Looks like another dead crowd today." Keldon thought as he scanned the bunch. Keldon was trying to pump himself up to give the usual safety and motivational speech he always gave, but his hopes were starting to dwindle. There were about 25 people in total, and the new recruits were mainly men in their mid-30 to 40's with a few women scattered around, all with the same hopelessly despondent look on their faces. Granted, Keldon never expected anyone to show up at the Hissings excited to work. But he'd hoped that a least once in a while, there would be a new recruit that would be at the Hissings that looked like they were at least capable of joy, and not just there to huff fumes and get high on the job.

  "Any luck?" Bertram asked, sneaking up from behind Keldon. Keldon yelped in surprise and span around.

  "AH! Oh. Man, It's just you Bertram." Keldon said, letting out a sigh of relief.

  "What's got you all rabbit-footed over there?" Bertram asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "It's nothing, just had a couple of strange dreams lately. Probably because I've been reading Magister Oliver's Folktale Anthology IV: Time's Past while working too many shifts at the Hissings. Messes with the mind and all that you know?" Keldon said, shrugging his shoulders.

  Suddenly Keldon's face lit up, "Oh right! Here Bertram." Keldon said, pulling out a small glass flask of clear brown liquid. Bertram reached out for the flask gleefully before suddenly stopping himself, remembering Hilda's worried expression.

  "*Ahem*. No need for that today boy. Just gonna tough this one out." Bertram said, looking away from the flask as if it would steal the discipline right out from under his nose.

  "But I thought you said "Anyfolk that'd work at this here hissings sober, *hic*, is either an idiot or a bastard. Probably both. Cept' you. Yerr just an idiot."" Keldon said, mimicking Bertram's demeanor.

  "I know what I said!" Bertram said, snapping back at Keldon." Maybe today I just felt like my ma was done in by the milk man."

  Keldon smirked and rolled his eyes. "Oh perfect, grumpy sober Bertram today. How lovely."

  "Where's Crumbs by the way?" Keldon said, looking around Bertram.

  "I've got 'im, he's just sleepin'." Bertram said, moving his cloak to reveal that the leather armor he wore normally was a touch too big for him. He took his finger and pulled at the chest piece of the leather armor, pulling it back to reveal a small brown fabric pouch where inside, laid a small fuzzy creature. The creature was rotund and roughly the size of a fist with silky crimson fur. Its face was small and feline-like as a small mane had begun to form around its neck as two small nubs, barely visible underneath it's fur,sprouted from the top of its head. It yawned, stretching in the small pouch and rolled around, trying to make itself comfortable and settling into a small nook.

  "Anywho, so? How's them new recruits?" Bertram asked, tucking away Crumbs back into the safety of his breast to sleep peacefully.

  "Looks mainly like lost causes again. Dead inside. Hopeless. Huffing hissings fumes already." said Keldon as he begun pointing them out to Bertram. He caught one of the recruits face first over a small hole in the ground inhaling deeply, eyes glazed over and empty.

  "hrm... Any tar-eyes?" Bertram asked

  "Just the one." Keldon said pointing out to a young man sitting on a box with sharp red lines covering his forearms as he scratched them erratically.