Crack The Job

12- Chaotic First Day

Payal

Amidst the enchanting chaos of the jungle, my bewilderment only deepened. The absurdity of the situation seemed to escalate as I tried to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before my eyes.

I have no idea how to feel about this situation. I was around a whole jungle with all the co-workers as different characters from all fairy tales and kids' popular sections.

The joker hat was on top of my head and I ended up putting on an old magician coat, worn and torn from the ends as if it was pulled out every year on this day and then tucked back inside the forgotten cupboard.

While I was trying hard to absorb everything around me, I couldn't help but ask myself, Why is a joker there in a jungle out of nowhere?

And what am I? A joker or a magician?

Then again, nothing made sense because what were the Disney Princess Rapunzel and Cinderella doing together out in the jungle, chattering with a 30-year-old Mowgli?

I decided to look around a little more, only to see Snow White in the corner as if trying to push herself out of the window next to her as she was barely tolerating Mr Spiderman standing in his red and black outfit. I focused on his face and I managed to not stumble on my own feet.

"Why ... I mean, what is the manager... wearing?" Looks like he was having fun in that.

"Hey, new girl. " I turned to the voice. "Are you worried, miss...?" I wasn't shocked enough to scream but I would lie if I said I wasn't caught off guard. Of course, I was. Who wouldn't get scared to hear a human voice out of a parrot's head?

"I guess so. Ah, myself Payal... You are?"

She shook my hands and in that moment, it felt like my hands would fall off. "Akshara, new here too." She smiled as I forced a smile while wincing in pain inside. "Is that your husband? Wow!"

Her exclamation wasn't like wow-you-got-lucky but rather a completely different out-of-tone 'wow' that I couldn't decipher. Again, isn't it supposed to be the time when everyone is gawking over your man (in my case, fake husband) and you would seriously give a second thought on why in the first place he ever came to like you?

But nothing was like that. As I turned around, I was dumbfounded to see a tall catfish in the middle of nowhere. He stood in a female catfish outfit, trying hard to hide behind something. It's a bright pink, sequin-covered gown that could be seen from outer space. He's managed to pair it with high-heeled shoes that seem more like stilts, making him wobble like a giraffe on roller skates.

I swear this would give me some crazily funny nightmares at night. I couldn't help but crack up in laughter. I was still laughing as I rushed towards him.

"I was contemplating if I should call you she or he." I coughed, holding my stomach as I laughed, bawling my eyes out in the process.

He stood, sharing me up and down before sighing. "Is it that funny?" I took another look at him and fell off laughing. Even a real catfish would be jealous seeing this pretty human catfish. It was more hilarious to see the outfit fitting his body almost perfectly.

He clenched his teeth and uttered in the tone of suppressed rage. "I will not leave that rascal. How dare he? Abhiraj, I will kill you." He proceeded towards the manager's old cabin that was now used as the cabin for our young junior boss.

Before I could stop laughing and block his way, he was already inside the cabin. I pushed it open behind him to see Abhiraj leisurely dressed in a king's outfit. I couldn't close my gaping mouth as I saw his long robe touching the floor, the dress way more oversized than he could handle. The robe is made of a vibrant, neon-colored fabric that practically screams, "Look at me!"