Cursed, Charmed, and Uninsured

Unicorn Management

Whoever this Leckermaul chick was, she was some sort of magical creature savant. Kay slapped the book closed and scrubbed her face. Squinting through the over-bright fluorescents of the locker room, she could just make out the time on the analog clock hanging on the wall. When did two in the morning happen?

Her eyelids dragged, but Kay's mind was wired. She dove into the Compendium of Wyld Lyfe hours ago, intending to read until she passed out. Time slipped away, her gaze drawn to the words as much as the creatures that slipped and skittered in the corners of her vision through the bordered pages until she read the final entry on Antarctic pixies, considered one of the few free range creatures alive today. The idea of any magical creatures still roaming the wild anywhere, let alone the harsh climate of Antarctica, was pretty mind blowing, but the Compendium offered her so much more. It wasn't just the descriptions of the creatures, written in loving detail, but the hand written notes throughout. Kay wondered whose handwriting it was; certainly not Stanley's barely legible scrawl.

Kay fingers traced the embossed lettering on the cover as she gathered her thoughts. Why hadn't Stanley given this book to her on day one? Why didn't he use the information to improve the Grid? Shaffer might have shot down her budget proposal to manage their food, but the tips and tricks in the compendium opened whole new avenues of cost cutting even the corporate higher ups would be remiss to ignore. Heck, they were general dietary changes they could sneak in without higher up micro- managing.

Not to mention the quality of life improvements. Kay gnawed on the inside of her mouth, her thoughts churning and turning, until they strayed to those pitiful skinny unicorns.

Unicorns weren't supposed to cannibalize their own. The Compendium was clear on that. It was clear on a lot of things that left Kay with a sense of uncomfortable complicity. There was some not so subtle and far reaching cruelty happening in the bowels of Fantasy Land Inc. Stanley and Shaffer might have insisted on calling the Grid a holding facility for 'dangerous creatures' but Kay's first impressions of a prison weren't accurate either. It was worse than either.

Kay was suddenly glad she missed dinner as her thoughts ticked through the conditions she'd basically ignored to secure her paycheck. Serena might be on the lowest floor, but the high security prisoners were the lucky ones. The worst of it was, the conditions didn't have to be like this.

She bounced to her feet; pacing was becoming a new past-time for her as she tread the level of the concrete floor. There had to be something she could do, small things she could change, that wouldn't ruffle any feathers. If she could implement a couple small ones, maybe she could present a decent case for an overhaul of the whole Grid. Stanley would support, maybe. He seemed to care about the denizens, rather browbeaten by corporate politics.

Kay wished she could talk to Jess about this. It hurt to think about the rift between them. For the first time since she'd cracked open the Compendium, she glanced at her cell phone, the notification light feebly blinking under the glare of the ceiling fixture. Kay turned on the screen. Her shoulders slumped at the terse answer waiting for her.

Fine. Whatever.

Jess was so hurt. That helpless sensation of seeing her best friend drift further and further from her threatened to put her in a downward spiral. Kay got herself into this mess, and somehow she would find a way out. Despite her silent resolution, her vision blurred under the threat of unshed tears. She thumped back on the bed, her restless energy rapidly drained by the problem that continued to weigh like an anchor around her neck. She couldn't keep doing this to Jess.

And she wouldn't. It was two in the morning. Everything Kay owned was in boxes. Even Jess had to be asleep right now. She could slip in and out with what she needed, the bare essentials, and keep them in her locker. Stanley wouldn't have to know she was living here. Tiny might say something if he noticed she didn't come and go, but, well, she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.