The Ordinary Haunting

00. The Old Shoes - Part 1

"Speaking of new."

I glanced up from a manuscript, scrubbing absentmindedly at the blue marker all over my fingers. Off was leaning on his elbow beside me, his shiny black loafers stacked atop his computer tower -- he was supposed to be reading the first draft of a novel from a rookie author over my shoulder -- but his head was turned away towards the main office doors. I straightened up in my chair and craned my neck to see what he was looking at. Ms. Godji, our boss, was leading Mr. Wilson, our boss' boss, through the foyer and onto the floor. Godji was clearly chattering away, her hands moving animatedly and wisps of her hair falling loose from her bun as she bobbed her head this way and that. She loved her job, it was a plain and simple fact that she openly promoted, and she was my favourite person in the whole building for that. Mr. Wilson, on the other hand, had a perpetually shrewd and yet nervous expression, his sharp eyes never falling on anything too long before flitting to the next thing. On the few occasions I'd talked to him, I'd keenly felt two conflicting discomforts. One: he stored away everything I said and would one day dredge it back up to use against me in some compromising situation, and Two: he didn't hear a single word at all. He appeared much the same today, his glasses reflecting the white lights on the ceiling as he stared up at them three too many times.

What was new was the small group of awkward people walking in the pair's wake.

"I almost forgot," I muttered as I checked my calendar.

"Yup," Kay chirped gleefully, slinging an arm around my neck from behind us. Luke had turned his chair out and was crossing his arms beside Kay. "Intern season."

The four of us scanned through the newbies closely. It was a relatively boring number -- just five to choose from. We'd had eleven last spring, and competition had been spirited.

"The little one. He looks about twelve years old with that haircut." Kay snapped his fingers and pointed at his temple knowingly. "Total mummy's boy."

"Nah, that kid's a psychopath, trust me," Off interjected with a sniff. "He'll probably be our boss in two years if he sticks around. I don't think this place'll be enough for him. Same for the girl. She's got a real tough scrunch to her nose--"

"You got him started," I yawned at Kay.

"I got him started," he echoed willingly. "Agree about the girl though. Wish we'd get a few more girls, scrunchy noses or not..."

"Wilson couldn't handle it. He has no control over his bon--"

"The big one, then. By Jumpol's logic." Luke's eyes followed an unnecessarily tall guy with an equally intimidating tan. He had thick, dark hair and thicker, darker eyebrows.

Off hummed thoughtfully. "I won't argue with basing a decision on my logic, but he looks pretty stable."

Godji and Wilson came to a stop at the printing station in the middle of the office floor and the interns gathered around them like little puppies at feeding time. Well, four of them did. One stood slightly apart from the rest, his chin tilted up and his big brown eyes roaming the office. He was wearing a black suit that still showed the creases of having been folded in a box. As I watched him, I felt a subtle sense of confusion drop over me.

He was moving his eyes robotically. There wasn't a bit of emotion in them at all.

"He's a pretty one," Kay said back by my ear, breaking my gaze. I gave a little cough.

"Looks solid, though," Luke added.

Off nodded and tapped a pen on his desk impatiently. "A guy with a face-body combo like that is someone who works really hard, specifically against his face. Godji will like him. He'll be fine."

I listened to Off with a weird feeling of relief, and as the others discussed the fifth intern -- a handsome youth with a skinny frame and bright eyes -- I let myself look at the robot one once more. He seemed to have joined in in listening to Godji's orientation spiel, so all I could see now was the back of his round head. The group started making their way towards the bulletin boards on the back wall, and I caught a flash of white with their steps.

My eyes moved downwards to see that the robot was wearing a pair of old sneakers with his new suit.

~~~~

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