Recruitment Bonanza

A young man sits in a cold room at night. Eyes hollow, void of seemingly anything. A bottle in one hand, a biscuit in the other. A knife lay next to him. Tiredness came over him in waves.

Liquid trickled down his throat.

"Guess that's it huh? Hm."

There was a knock at his door. He thought for a moment, then shrugged, and went to open the door.

He was greeted by a woman in a black top hat shuffling a deck of cards. She waved at him and whispered, "Could I come in?" While gesturing inside.

The man opened the door properly and let her in. As she stepped in, he put water in the kettle and it started to boil.

The woman took in her surroundings and she nodded to herself.

There was a small table before which she sat on her knees.

"How many teaspoons of sugar?"

"Two would be much appreciated."

The man brought two cups to the table as he kneeled before it.

The woman in a black hat laid the deck of cards on the table.

"What's your business with me?"The man asked quizzically.

The woman smiled as she said "Would you like to change your fate, the current course you are rocketing down?"

"If I could, I would. But there doesn't seem to be a chance of that."

The woman in the black top hat sipped her tea. The cards began to swirl in a circle around her body.

"I'd rather you not give me false hope of anything."

The woman in the black hat smiled and appeared behind him, resting on his shoulder.

"Then I won't."

The man showed slight surprise, before going back to looking hollow.

He nodded.

"Is there anything I must bring?"

"Just yourself."

The two of them stood up straight. The woman in the black hat stretched downwards and to the sides.

"What am I to call you, supposed life changer." The man said.

"E-ri-ca."

10 children crossed their legs in a room. Cold and hungry. A woman called out for them, and they went towards the door.

2 men stood at a counter, imprinting their signature on a tablet.

"How is your signature so bad?" One said.

"You're one to talk Zenith. I'm surprised you don't use another identity verification method with that, monstrosity."

"Shush, the kids are here."

The children stared blankly at these two men who looked them up and down.

"Each of these men will take five of you and care for you. It'll be sad to see you go." She said, with no apparent emotion.

The woman arranged five children in front of each man. Two children swapped with each other in the lines, but apart from that, there was no apparent objection.

As they walked out, the woman smiled and waved at them. None of them waved back.

The children were filed into a van. Inside, a variety of snacks were laid on the chairs. Each of the children picked up the snacks and put them in a pile in the centre of the van before then sitting down and turning their heads towards the two men.

Zenith showed a pained smile.

Zenith stated "They're yours to have."

The children blinked, confused. One of them walked slowly forward towards the pile of snacks, constantly checking for approval from Zenith. Seeing no displease coming from him, he grabbed a handful of snacks, and started tearing into them, devouring them extremely fast. The others soon followed suit.

They arrived at a set of houses. The children walked out the van and then stood in the two lines in which they were placed in the building in which they once inhabited, showing slight satisfaction after their meal.

A woman walked up towards the two men. She nodded at Zenith, before turning to the other man.

"Anthony, you can't start training these children right now. Not like," She gestured to the children, "Not like this."

"I know." He whispered. "I know…."

A female child sat in a cold cupboard, tears streaming down her face. Shouts pierced the air, and the fear that engulfed her was only building evermore.

The door of the cupboard began to slowly open, and she quivered, covering her head with her hands, her cry becoming audible.

The person who opened the cupboard though, was not the being from whom her fear stemmed. But another man, with a war smile on his face.

He held out his hand, simply saying, "Would you like to come with me?"

She nodded, and grabbed his hand.