"I'm in Law Enforcement," Sloish said, pulling out a badge. "I need to know if people are being straight with me, or if they are lying. I need to know if someone is serious about doing something, or bluffing. Sometimes, I need to know if a terrified human witness is simply too terrified to talk to me, but might be willing to talk to a human officer instead." Sloish put the badge away. "At this moment, you're showing a number of signs of psychological trauma, and the fact that my mere presence has brought them out tells me that a Reptilian did something to you."
Corrine looked at her communicator, and decided to respond to some person's question about virus protection upgrades.
"I won't ask you what happened," said Sloish. "I won't even use department resources to look into your past. That being said, I might be able to help you."
Corrine paused. "Why would you want to help me?"
"Because it's my job to help people," said Sloish. "Maybe I can't help you completely get over your fear myself, but I can at least point you in the direction of those who can. Maybe you'll never get over your fear, but at least you won't freeze like a deer that has a light shining in their eyes."
"Freeze?" Corrine asked.
"Some people respond to fear by fighting, others by fleeing, and then there are those who freeze," said Sloish. "Basically, you're hoping that I'll ignore you, and leave you be, and once I'm away, you'll be able to relax, and you won't feel like you're trapped."
"How do you know?" Corrine asked.
"You're not the only one who is afraid of Reptilians," said Sloish. "I mean, we're bigger, stronger, and, let's face it, we do eat humans at times."
"Yes, your kind does eat humans," Corrine said, as she got back to her typing.
"Someone tried to eat you, didn't they?" Sloish asked. "You can feel their claws, their teeth, their tongue on your body, along with saliva, as well as their warm breath as they try to swallow you. Even now you feel these very things."
"I don't talk about it," said Corrine. "I don't even want to think about it."
"Then how are you going to get over it?" Sloish asked. "I want to help you through it."
Corrine turned and looked at him. "Why?"
"Because it's my job," said Sloish. "I can see that you're in trouble. If I can help you lead a normal life, then I'll have done my job."
"My life is just fine," said Corrine, turning back to her communicator.
"How many friends do you have, Miss Jones, specifically ones that don't need to come right to your room, or use a communicator, in order to talk to you?" Sloish asked.
Corrine paused. There wasn't any she could think of offhand.
"Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Friend with Benefits kind of friend?"
Corrine shook her head.
"You deserve to be able to go out there, and live your life, the way you want to," said Sloish. "You desire those things, but your fear has left you trapped in this place, at the whims of a landlord who is going to get a rude awakening if things aren't up to code."
"What do you mean by that?" Corrine asked.
"Something tells me that when a Reptilian expressed interest in renting a room here, he suddenly got a new refrigerator, freezer, and oven," said Sloish. "I want to make sure that he got the Safe ones."
"Safe ones?" Corrine asked.
"Suppose some kids are playing, and lets suppose that one of them decides that those items look like good hiding places, I'd sleep better knowing that the kid can get out without needing help from the outside," said Sloish. "Otherwise, they might suffocate, freeze, or get cooked to death, and none of those are pretty pictures, and that's just when it's just pictures."
"So, how are you going to test them out?" Corrine asked.
"I could use a guinea pig, yourself perhaps," said Sloish. "After all, if you can't open them, a child certainly couldn't."
Corrine gulped at this. "Not interested."
"Too bad," said Sloish. "I was willing to pay the full rent of this room for six months if you agreed. Whole process would take no more than thirty minutes at most."
Corrine thought for a moment. Six months without paying for rent did sound like a good deal for just a few minutes of inconvenience. Still, was it really worth it, to be trapped in an appliance that was meant for food?
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