Feeling Reborn

Getting the Job Done

The lady breathed in, out, composed herself and restarted her apology/introduction with a timid smile.

"Hi, I am the employee who spoke out of turn, and I would like to turn a new leaf and try to be friends, y'know? After all, we will be living on the same floor from here on out, well, face to face neighbors, to be exact, so it will be nice for us to get to know each other a little..."

"aH... In ThAt CAsE, i'M ErRATuM. ERrAtUM MisCaLCulAtiOn. PlEaSED tO MeEt yOU...?"

She flailed a little, before nervously chuckling and sticking out her hand.

"Emma. Emma Brown."

Erratum stared at the hand. Was this a human custom he had missed out on...?

......

Holy shit was she scared; this monster, this skeleton, looked so imposing, with his posture, like a predator hunting for prey, but looking out for competition at the same time, with the battle scars to go along with the comparison.

At least the hardest part was over. Now, it was just a matter of getting to know them and hopefully receiving their forgiveness at her rashness. With luck, the box of chocolates would suffice.

It was weird that Erratum didn't recognize a handshake greeting, though...

-----

Little did she know, Erratum was having a nice internal panic fest while he graciously let her inside, and if you looked closely, a light sheen of sweat (how does that even work?) on his brow (hmmm... Skeleton logic).

He kept his magic lightly activated, just in case she tried to do anything fishy to his children. If she did, well, let's say that there wouldn't even be a body to bury. But for now, she seemed rather harmless, with her round visage and big dark eyes, paired with a nervous smile.

She... reminded him of what he could've been if he had been spared of the murderer's path. Just a normal civilian, with a shy streak and a curiosity to satiate, along with a strong sense of Justice.

Perhaps that's why he let her in.

Definitely not for the chocolate in her grip.

---
"Are you sure you just moved in?..."

"YeS."

"'Cause this looks like something you would put together in a week, not half a day..."

"I gUesS i'M a FAsT wOrKeR," he shrugged.

It was mainly true. Having strings to manipulate pieces with fluid grace made construction a whole lot easier.

At that point, Emma had given up on prying much common information or conversation topics out of him; everything about the skeleton was contradictory- and she was pretty sure that multiple others before her had thought the same thing.

This among other things totaled to a somewhat awkward and silent setting, but Erratum seemed to be impervious to it, or, at the very least, ignoring the fidgety mannerisms of the human facing him on the dining table, both acquaintances nursing a steaming cup of Golden Flower brand tea. She had already given him the box of deluxe chocolate pralines, which he had readily accepted, hence his invitation for some wonderful tea (having caffeine at night probably wasn't the best idea, but she wasn't exactly preservative of her sleep).

It was also imminent that he was (almost) entirely clueless when it came to modern society and customs. For example, the handshake, the obviously practiced greeting, the lack of knowledge on technology, the literal modern world of today.

A few minutes passed; the tea had gone from scalding to hot, and silence stilled any extra or unnecessary movements she might have made otherwise.

Spotting the kids sleeping peacefully of the couch, she inquired, "So, what are they called? They're so cute..."

Erratum's spine straightened a bit more, his stern, aloof expression softened (or was it a stern expression and an aloof aura, or vice versa?), and an almost motherly look crossed his face.

"The LiTtLe OnE Is DeViaTE. HiS siBLinG'S Nil." He smiled at their sleeping positions, Nil curled up upon himself in a fetal position, head propped up by a soft ivory pillow, and Deviate sprawled over him like butter on a pancake. Minus the melting, of course.

She smiled. Then an awkward silence bled into the warmth.

Seconds ticked by, numbered by the clock on the kitchen wall tiles.

"So, uh... What do you do for a living?"

Erratum froze for the first time that night.

"Uh..." He nervously scratched his nape, or the skeleton equivalent of the human name.

"I dOn'T ExACtly HaVE a joB RiGhT nOw..."

Emma choked on her tea, then stood up in disbelief. Her section of the table was soon doused in the cooling drink.

"Wha- then how are you going to pay for everything?!" she exclaimed.

Erratum seemed to shrink in his chair. "I hAvE enOuGH tO sUppORt uS fOr aT LeAsT a yEAR?..."

The human sighed into her hand. "Then what about after a year?"

He shrugged. "I'lL FigUrE sOMeThiNG oUt."

"Y-you'll figure something out?! That's your master plan?!"

The skeleton flinched (and almost unleashed his magic) at her loud tone and at her brusque movements as she searched through her pockets, finally (violently) taking out a slip of paper and slamming it onto the drier side of the table.

"Here. There was this school's employee handing out flyers for someone who could take up the position as supervisor and a co teacher for the subjects you choose. You only need to know the basics for this."

Story Shift Middle School Academy, it read.
Now hiring!
Open positions:
-Supervisor
-Co teacher
If your schedule permits, you can tackle both jobs at once!
Limited spots: 2 left for supervisor, 1 for co teacher
Apply now!
Call: (xxx)-xxx-xxxx
Email: xxxxx@xxxx.com
Or visit the front desk at xxxx, blv. Roferson, [city name]!

Details will be discussed in person or online.

"It sounds amazing, but what they don't mention on paper is that the academy's students are more on the... wild side." Emma shook her head at this. "Crazy things happen there. They're good kids, really, I volunteered there once in high school, but it takes a while to get through to them."

She sat back down, silently sliding the chair closer to the table, propping her head up with the palm of her hand.

"Most people quit right away... Especially part-timers and supervisors. But I have a feeling that you'll hang on to your job, for at least a year." She looked so hopeful that Erratum could only sigh in resignation, pray that he wouldn't blow this to hell, and accept the position.

"AlRiGhT."

"Great!" she grinned. "I'll write an email right away! Oh, do you have one?"

Erratum let out his deepest sigh yet since entering this unknown world, shook his head in response to the last question, and wondered if he could turn back time and, I don't know, find a better way to kill himself? Because, this was about to go wrong in so many ways.
-----

How's summer/winter/[season]/i have no effing clue how the earth works anymore going? :D
*vibes to the sounds of le pillow*
Also, I'm not a huge fan of OC-revolving stories either,  for all those who disapprove of Emma, but hey, I won't include her too much (hopefully, I can't promise you that).

Btw, does Storyshift Sans have a nickname?

Wear a mask, and stay safe!

(19/06/2020)