spirited away

the big tub/1036\

I was back at the room another night of work and it was pouring rain outside

Lin: where were you Kerrigan I was really worried..!

Me: I'm sorry.

Is all I say and continue to hand her the futons to put away the stairs and halls now filled with workers I flip my name from white to red showing that I'm signed in and start working with some of the other younger workers who were scrubbing the floors I was at their pace the whole time while scrubbing the floors everyone looked at me sort of surprised after a while I was done and ringing out the rag

Lin: wow Kerrigan you must've worked pretty hard at your house back home...

Me: yeah mom and dad were always at work so I did most of the chores like cooking and cleaning..!

I say and suddenly someone comes up to us with a book and quill

Aniyaku: Kerrigan Lin you've got the big tub today.

Lin: what-?! No way that's frogs work..!

Aniyaku: orders from the top so don't complain to me...

I sighed and walked my bucket towards a screen door sliding it open I dump the water I look up to see the same Kaonashi from before and bow my head a little

Me: hello aren't you getting wet out here?

I ask no response

Lin: Kerrigan hurry up!!

I heard Lin shot

Me: coming-! I'll leave the door open for you..!

I say to the Kaonashi then move my bucket out of the way heading towards Lin we walk past a bunch of workers who were cleaning the floors and tubs running water could be heard as it filled the freshly cleaned tubs which was pretty much all around the room

Girl 3: heard you got the big tub Lin!

Lin: leave us alone...

Once we make it to the tub it was covered in a lot of things making it really messy

Lin: those jerks haven't cleaned this tub in months..!

We heard some laughter behind us and look to see to frogs me and Lin glare at them making them hide behind the walls when me and Lin look to each other we start laughing and once we're done I tell her

Me: come on Lin we can do it!

With a big smile on my face

Lin: alright let's get to work-!

After some sweeping and scrubbing

We had been scrubbing the big tub for a while and what had seemed like a few hours

Lin: we only use this tub for our really filthy guests...

She says her voice straining

Lin: this is disgusting the sludge is so caked on it'll take days to scrub..!

Aniyaku: Kerrigan Lin you've got some customers on the way.

The same guy who gave us the big tub shouts

Me: wait give us a minute-!

I shout but he's already gone

Me: this is clearly harassment...

Lin: guess we'll have to soak it off..!

She says and cups her hands to give me a boost I climb out of the tub as she says

Lin: go get an herbal soak token from the foreman.

I nod and run off

Foreman: I can't waste a token on you relax good morning...

He says smiling at some workers and guests

Foreman: relax have a nice bath..!

Girl 2: for the radish spirit-..

Foreman: one sulfur soak why are you still standing here scrub it yourself I am not giving you a token... Relax good morning I said scrub it yourself!

Me: but I was told it needs an herbal soak..!

Foreman: ah-? Mugwort bath?? Relax and enjoy it!

He says handing tokens to everyone but me suddenly the Kaonashi appeared and bowed her head I bowed my own head the man looked behind him then at me when suddenly his phone rings

Foreman: hello foreman speaking yes..?

Suddenly a token is tossed towards me and into my grasp I catch it and bow to the foreman

Me: thank you very much sir-!

I shout then run off

Foreman: get back here wait a minute!

I ran as fast as I could back towards the tub looking for it as best as I can once I find it I give the token to Lin and she holds it seeing it's pattern

Lin: wow Kerrigan you got a really good one..! Now just clip it on and let go...

She says and it disappears she closes the secret hatch and some sort of tube appears from the wall hanging over the bath

Lin: it goes straight to Kamaji and he sends us our water.

She climbs up the tub and shows me a rope

Lin: you tug on this to get the water flowing give it a try..!

She says and I step up to the rope giving it a good hard tug and the water starts filling the bath

Me: what's in this stuff??

Lin: dried worm salt it's supposed to be good for you...

She says looking at the tub then looks at me which I look back and smile

Lin: the good thing is with water this murky you can't see all the sludge in the tub..!

I only nod as she climbs down the tub

Lin: yank it again when bath is full the water will stop I'm going to get us some breakfast.

Me: ok!!

I shout back and let go of the rope when I go to climb down the tub I see the Kaonashi standing in the corner of the room I climb down and walk towards her

Me: um-.. I'm sorry ma'am but the baths not ready yet...

She gives me a bucket and it's filled with bath tokens

Me: there's so many..!

She ushers for me to take them I do and tell her

Me: thank you but I don't really need anymore-..

I say and place the bucket down and just like that she disappears again I sigh and climb the tub again stopping the water just before it overflows after a while longer it was really chatty when I peak around the wall Aniyaku walks up to me

Aniyaku: Kerrigan Yubaba wants to see you!

Me: yes sir..!