ASTRID KAIJA-E

Astrid waited for a good 30 minutes before she climbed down the tree. She checked her watch and it was already 10.30 am. Gosh, so much of time wasted helping an ass, she thought.

She walked to the bus stop and looked at the buttons. She pressed the yellow button indicating a nearby bus for a passenger waiting at Route 3. Her luck was good, and the lines on the road turned green. A bus arrived shortly and she climbed in.

`What happened there sweetie?' the bus driver mouthed to the distorted bus stop and the expensive car beside it.

Astrid smiled cheerfully and replied `I have no idea' and selected a seat at the back of the bus to avoid any more Q & A.

She slumped in her seat, fixed her hair, and touched her earrings. One of her ears did not have an earring. Where did I drop it? she panicked. I must have left it at the accident site, she concluded and sighed at her bad luck. 

Astrid further slumped into her seat and removed her other pair and placed it inside her wallet. She looked at the scenery outside and soon trees were replaced with the concrete jungle. Astrid was feeling tired already with all the lumping and dragging.

Once, she reached her destination, she alighted and searched for McPearson Fast Food chain. She knew she needed quick buck and the fast-food chain was the easiest to apply. She pushed open the back door where there was a signage stating job opening for the kitchen crew.

'Hi, I am looking for kitchen crew job opening?' Astrid said to anyone who was willing to listen. It was almost lunch hour and everyone seemed busy. No-one stopped nor bothered to look at her.

Astrid cleared her throat again and this time an elderly man looked at her and summoned her to follow him. He was on a call with someone and Astrid followed him into a small cubicle.

' I'm looking for…' Astrid spoke.

'No need repentance. Just a rapid-fire Q&A, if I'm satisfied you will get the job', the elderly man spoke looking straight into Astrid's eyes. It was then Astrid realize she needs to be alert and answer as soon as she is questioned. She took a deep breath and nodded her head.

`Okay'

`Name?'

`Astrid Kaija'

`Student?'

`Part-time night school at Lacroix Business School'

`Age, human or vampire, family members, lodging?'the manager enquired while writing something rapidly on a piece of paper.

`25, human, grandfather only, parents are dead, no siblings, no baggage and a house at the outskirts of Anubia.'

Upon hearing her mentioned her parents as dead the manager looked at her face and Astrid smiled politely as if assuring him its not a big deal. He nodded and continued.

`Any boyfriend, pregnant?'

`None. Not pregnant'.

`You are aware the work here is not easy. You work along with vampires and you need to match their speed. We have rush hours and off-peak hours, days, etc. Besides the daily wages, you will be bound to work for a year, any severance and you will be penalized by not being able to work in any McPhearson Fast Food outlet in Anubia. In a nutshell, I am not looking for a wimp'

`Try me, Mr Davis and you won't regret it', Astrid spoke confidently always looking into his eyes.

The manager contemplated and noted that she was attentive enough to catch his name on his badge. He made up his mind.

`Welcome abroad Ms Astrid. Don't disappoint me' Mr Davis smiled and motioned her to fill up some paperwork.

`You can join us tomorrow at 9.00 am. Be punctual. After done with the paperwork look for Ms Reanna Kree. She will assign your shift, uniform, and shoes' with that being said the manager disappeared to the front of the food counter to attend to a pesky customer.

Astrid took a copy of the employment and stashed it inside her bag. She walked back to the kitchen and leaned at a wall to observe the kitchen crew. There were 7 people in total and 4 of them looked like vampires judging by their speed and agility. She noted that the vampires stared at her for a few seconds before continuing their work. Did she look weird? She thought. Or was it my bushy eyebrows? I must have looked like a jungle girl, Astrid sighed.

She also noticed only the females where stationed at the ordering counters. So much for feminism, she noted sarcastically.

Satisfied with her observation, she looked for Ms Reanna and found her right away. She was the only plump lady with a round face and ruddy cheeks. Astrid introduced herself and Ms Reanna went to a small cupboard to collect her new uniform, shoes, and a monthly time-table. After bidding farewell to her, Astrid walked to the nearest shop to look for food.

She saw a small stall selling fried rice with vegetable dumplings and the sweet aroma of it pulled her towards it. She marched towards the stall and stood in the queue patiently. Her stomach was grumbling. Arghhhh, she cursed silently, all that running around made her hungry.