Infestation by T.K. Wrathbone

Author:T.K. Wrathbone [Wrathbone, T.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Royal Star Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

When Marlaine turned up for work on Monday morning, her boss wasn’t surprised to see her alive.

“Well, little lady.” Reginald accosted her at the utilities closet. “Your parents told me you made it out alive. And you got all the work done, I see.”

“Yes, sir.” Marlaine removed the broom ready for sweeping and closed the door. “I’d better get on with my work.”

“Yes, of course. Do you think you’ll be up to do the night shift again on Friday?” His actual plan was to get her to work every night, but he had to ease into that.

Marlaine deflated a little. “Do I have to?”

“Well…no…” Reginald kept his voice calm. “But you do seem to be a better worker than most of my men.”

“I’ll talk it over with Mama and Daddy,” she said. “I’ve got to get to work, Mr Sherriff.” Giving him a small smile, she walked off to the cotton mill to sweep the floor.

Hours later, she was dusting her mother’s office long after everyone except her father had gone home. He was chatting to Stewart when Marlaine spied Stumpy in the doorway of Reginald’s office.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, peering through the doorway to see where her father was.

I came to see you, he replied, racing up her side to sit on her shoulder. We haven’t seen you since forever. And you don’t need to speak, remember.

It’s only been three days. She giggled and got on with her job. Where is everyone?

Out scavenging for food. Stumpy licked his paw and rubbed it over his face. Fatso is hungry so we can’t hold off any longer. We’ve all been out every night looking for food, and if it’s not scraps, it’s the rubbish from peoples’ bins.

What about fruit from all the trees? Marlaine suggested. We have some fall off every few days. You could come and get those.

We’ve been doing that too. Stumpy twitched an ear and sniffed the air. We raid every fruit tree that we can. Fatso eats a lot of food.

Why do you call him that? Marlaine moved into Reginald’s office to dust.

Stumpy shrugged. Because he is. He’s big and fat and doesn’t stop growing or eating. And none of us have names, so he gets called Fatso.

But how did you know about that name in the first place? Marlaine slid the cloth along the top of the filing cabinet.

We hear workers talk, and other people, when we’re out and about. Some people were calling a rather rotund man that, and he was big and fat and didn’t stop eating, so we called him Fatso. He sneezed from the dust and wiped his face. Why do you call me Stumpy? It’s because I have a stumpy tail.

She giggled. Pretty much. Do you have a name? I can call you that.

No. We don’t have names, which is why we can’t keep ourselves straight. Sometimes, we have numbers. He nodded his head in time with her steps as they walked back to the utility closet for the vacuum cleaner.

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