The day was rough, a lot rougher than what I am used to. Turns out, the hold overs usually do that dirty work all the other students at this school haven’t noticed. They had me cleaning dishes from the cafeteria, taking out the garbage, cleaning and folding everyone’s laundry and ironically enough the bathrooms. Not just the ones I am used to cleaning, I mean every bathroom. Makes me wonder if they ever cleaned them in the first place with the condition they were in. I think about how much my other classmates would appreciate me if I always volunteered for this kind of stuff.

I was followed by a specific guard who never talked to me or ever addressed me. He would only approach me whenever my task was done or if a more urgent task had taken its place. The guard also ensured that I didn’t interact with the students at all, although it was pretty unlikely that it would ever happen. The hours in which I did my work ensured that I was never in a public place when the students would be out.

Despite that, they had put me in a new uniform, it’s a uniform that is designed that to keep me bound to the guard on duty so that I can lever leave their sight or stray too far away from them. The suit also prevents me from speaking and hides who I am entirely. It’s a purple striped jumpsuit with a round cat head and a cat tail protruding from my back. Although the cat tail is there to sell the innocent look while I work, it also acts as the leash in which the guard keeps in tow. It’s only partially visible but its energy extends to the guard’s hand’s, and he is able to keep me in taps.

I am to perform these duties until all tasks given are done, and there is no limit to how many tasks can show up in one day. Meaning I could work all day just to go back to my room, to sleep and immediately have to wake up and work all over again. As the guard would jokingly say, “Looks like you found a way to serve the lord despite failing huh?” It had only been my first day of actual work and I really have foreseen this perpetual paradox from work hell.

However, throughout my time I would see the only other hold over, the unkempt girl with the long hair. She would always make brief eye contact with me before running off out of view. Until one time near the end of the day when we stared at each other for a good second before I waved at her. Her hair looked like it began to levitate as her eyes widened and she shot off for the last time of the day. A weird and cute sentiment to see but it was ruined by the sudden thought, “why the heck isn’t she working!?”

I am finishing up my official last task for the day when I begin to hear familiar voices echo down the halls. I look at the guard and he gestures for me to stay down. I can hear them making their way down the halls and I begin to hear their voices more clearly. I can make out 2 or 3 different voices.

“Nice, it’s honestly amazing that all of us were able to pass and go to the same place.”

“Yeah dude, but did you hear what happened to Cr-155?”

“No what happened?”

“Dude completely blew his interview with The Vanarch, he’s currently apart of the hold overs now.”

“Well, I for one say, good riddance!”

“Yeah, that dude was always trying his hardest and volunteering for work, geez dude no one cares man.”

“Give him some credit, I mean look. Atleast the work he did, gives us more time to roast the little guy!”

They burst into sonorous laughs as that trail off and echo through the halls as they walk away. The words they say ring in my head and begin to rattle back and forth. I feel a burning sensation happening my chest, this sensation begins to churn and burn in my soul. My breathing become erratic, and my vision begins to blur as tears form in my eyes. What is this unfamiliar sensation, what is this feeling? I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all. My chest feels tight, and it continues to grow tighter, I don’t want to cry yet my eyes still flow with tears.

I am filled with energy that I don’t want and have no means of using. The guard hailed me over and escorted me back to the hall where my room is. He lets me loose from my tail leash and I begin walking back to my room. Eyes fixated on the floor, I begin gritted my teeth and rhythmically opening and closing my hands into a fist. My thoughts were running rampant replaying what those students had said in my head over and over, but they would be quickly interrupted by the sudden sight of feet.

My eyes trace the feet up the shins, up the thighs, past the chest until I was face to face with the owner. The unkempt girl and the long hair, she happened to have a noticeable breast size. Her eyes widened once again and her hair began to move even more sporadically similar to what I saw last time. She walked off without saying any word and entered her room. I opened mine and was met with a note at my feet near the foot of my door.

“Bloody mary, say my name 3 times in the mirror for some fun :D”