“Why are your nails black? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you paint them.” Janey had a tendency to ask exactly what she was wondering at any particular moment in time. It’s a point in her personality I’ve always liked.
“Yesterday my three o’clock had her nails painted like this and I thought I would try it.” I smiled a little remembering my three o’clock. Eyes wide and dark, pale skin with the black of her nails looking soft and wet against it. I had pale skin but I didn’t think that the black nails looked as good on my as they had on her. I probably wouldn’t pain them again.
Janey tried to hide the cringe but only managed to isolate it in her eyes. But that was understandable. She was a nurturer, she was supposed to leave her three o’clock happy and healthy, focusing on their longevity and ability to do their work. Nurturers appointments tended to survive. But that wouldn’t keep me from liking her as I thought it didn’t keep her from at least trying to like me. even now I watched her fight down her revulsion and show a shining smiling face to me.
People tend to flock together with their workmates, finding comfort in spending time with people who know exactly what you do every day and why. Give me someone I don’t understand, give me a puzzle to untangle, unravel until every swirl of personality was bright shining and uncovered for me to see. When we’d reached that point of our friendship it would be time to find someone new. Maybe one of the miners, I befriended one several years ago, but individuals tend to vary even in their specialties.
It was coming close to that time with Janey, she was after all a very simple being and I felt secure in my ability to recognize the thoughts and feelings that crossed her face. Soon I would break ties and she would feel a combination of sadness regret and relief at not having to deal with me anymore. She would return to her fellow nurturers and be welcomed back. They would pat her on the back and in a week her stay with me would be forgotten. Until then we were walking back from lunch together.
“My stop, see you at dinner Janey.”
“See you then.” She didn’t linger in the hallway. We were taught not to lest you hear something scaring. But of course I had and so had every one of my order.
I opened an airlock and walked into a control room. There were cameras set up to record each of the sessions and five rooms had been prepared for after lunch. I could see the individuals tied up each in their own rooms each in some particular fashion. The one to the left was tied face down with her legs and arms spread apart. She was naked except for a black hood covering her head.
I opened a second airlock to get into the room and the woman immediately started screaming.
“shhh shhh it’s going to be okay, I’m going to get you out of this.”
I pulled off her hood. She turned her head and looked into my eyes.
“Thank you.” The relief and hope there was amazing. People were so trusting.
I smiled “Just kidding, but please don’t scream, if you scream I can’t hear my music.”
Her eyes widened in horror and she started whimpering. Whimpering was okay. I clicked a button on the wall and a soft melody filled the room.
“Now let’s get started. Now as I understand it you’re a nurturer?”
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