Searching for employment

[red-war.livejournal.com]

Date: August 8th, 1999
Setting: Lobby of Tadfield Manor
Status: Public
Summary: War decides to move on to a new job...


War drove her bright red pick-up truck up to the main gates of the Manor, parking it in a haphazard fashion. Now, she thought, this was a grand opportunity to find a brand new job. Her last one as a war correspondent had lost its glamour after National World Weekly caught on, and actually started to publish her reports.

She pushed her sunglasses up so that they rested in her hair, and strolled into the main lobby in a manner which clearly said 'I'm here. You can all start applauding now.' Unfortunately, not a soul was there in the lobby to applaud, or otherwise give her any notice. She frowned slightly and wondered where everybody was, but then noticed the silver service bell on the front desk. Walking over to it, she hit it lightly with her palm, listening as the soft 'ding' rang out over the empty lobby. And then, just in case, she hit it a few more times, a bit more violently this time.

While she waited, she had in her hands (all filled out) the application that had been posted earlier. She had obviously taken some liberties with the answers, and even lied blatantly; but then again, she didn't really care. What she did care about, and was currently worrying over, was whether or not there was a position open in the Manor for an arms instructor; It hadn't been listed on the advertisement in the paper. Still, she really needed this job.

[The application reads as follows:]

Name: Ruby
Age: 25
Type of being: [a slight scribble here] Human
Job desired: Weapons instructor and/or cleaner
Previous work and/or relevant experience: Arms salesperson, war correspondent
Work availability (please indicate preferred days and hours): All hours

Please list your references here:

[Name blocked for safety purposes]
New York State Prison
Maximum Security Ward

National World Weekly magazine
Tel: 020-77332437

Comments

[sister-mary-laq.livejournal.com]

Sister Mary had been lounging back in her office, a cigarette dangling from her mouth. It was a rather new habit - one that, for whatever reason, she associated with hiring her new server, Belial. Ah well, she thought, no matter. Smoking's quite nice. Nothing to worry about...

She had been drifting off into a bit of nicotine-induced stupor when she heard the insistent clanging of that shrill bell up at the Front Desk. Once again, she wondered, as she hastily put out her cigarette, where that damn bell had come from. She was sure it hadn't been there the day before....

On her way down the stairs to the Front Desk, she ran into the that ghost Agnes Nutter. That woman-witch- discorporeal being! really got under her skin. As she bypassed the ghost, she envisioned kicking the old woman down the stairs. Of course, it would be difficult to do damage to someone who was already dead. But that certainly didn't dissipate any of Sister Mary's murderous urges.

As she came around to the front desk, she saw a red-haired woman clutching one of her purple lilac-scented applications. Sister Mary quickly plastered on a smile and hoped that she could get her temper under control enough to give this poor dear a proper interview!

"Hello there. Welcome to Tadfield Manor. Let me just glance at your application before we start talking."

Sister Mary read over the application quickly, excitedly noting that "Ruby" was undoubtedly PERFECT for the Entertainment Program Position.

"Oh, my, Miss ...er... Ruby. Your qualifications are quite impressive. As it so stands, my former Entertainment Coordinator just up and left not but a couple of hours ago -- seems he's come down with a dreadful disease of some sort. Poor dear, they don't expect him to pull out of it. Now he had been in charge of our successful Guns & Crossbow Program. It seems to me, that'd be something you could take over, right? But I'd also just like to offer you the larger position of Entertainment Director."

Sister Mary paused in her speech to give the woman a moment to respond.

Meanwhile she looked up, seeing the gardener out in the front lawn. She felt such a wave of hatred for him. Why couldn't he keep the bushes trimmed at precisely 3/4 meter? She'd show him... And she nearly missed what Ruby was saying as she was becoming lost in a fantasy of chasing the gardener with his hoe.

"Sorry?"

[red-war.livejournal.com]

War took a brief moment to think over the offer, affording the tiniest of smirks at Sister Mary's sudden increase in aggression.

"Oh dear. So sorry to hear about that other bloke." The sarcasm that dripped from her voice was fairly obvious. "Fortunately for you though, I'm willing to take over the job. I just have one tiny question.--"

Midway through her reponse, War noticed that Sister Mary was more interested in maiming the gardener than listening to her, so upon request, she repeated what she had said, and continued as well.

"--How much vacation time do I get? You see, I ... travel. Quite a bit. So, the schedule'd have to be fairly flexible."

[sister-mary-laq.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's fine, Ruby. May I call you Ruby?" Sister Mary said with a smile, relief evident in voice.

"We can certainly either get you an Assistant or perhaps a Co-Director."

Sister Mary's attention wondered from her new Director of Entertainment just briefly to follow the motions of her gardener. But she bit her bottom lip and forced her thoughts back to the task at hand. She could berate her gardener soon enough...

"Well, let me give you a tour. I can show you the grounds, the armory, and then your suite. All full-time employees have their own suite. Some live here at the Manor- others just use it when they work late hours. The choice is yours, of course."

Sister Mary gestured to the tall set doors that led out to the East grounds.

"Please come with me... Do you have any questions, so far?"

[red-war.livejournal.com]

"Ruby's fine. And that sounds excellent." She smiled, following Sister Mary to the doors. "No, no questions so far. Everything sounds great."