Sebastian's Collection-Writer's Cramp

Sebastian’s Collection

    Sebastian sat shocked and listened while a supposedly grown man who was the CEO of a major software manufacturing company went on and on about something called a ‘Hello Kitty’. It was ridiculous. Sebastian wouldn’t know what a Hello Kitty was if it came and squatted on his face, but from the description his boss was giving, he figured it had to be some kind of toy. It galled him. This was the man that signed his checks for Christ’s sake.
    Since Sebastian hadn’t been at the company that long, (3 months) he decided to keep his mouth shut. He looked around at the crowd that had gathered to listen to this idiot spew this crap about a child’s toy. There were pained looks on most of their faces. Forced smiles and fake laughter when the story Mr. Brians was telling called for it.
    “Yeah, I get a lot of my Hello Kitty collectibles through e-Bay. There are tons of great things there. I actually got a Hello Kitty board game in mint condition, never opened. I was so excited I almost pissed myself!”
    Fake laughter, forced smiles, dazed expressions.
    Sebastian couldn’t take it anymore. He went back to his desk and got to work. At least he tried to. He couldn’t get that fucking Hello Kitty out of his head. He needed to see what it looked like. Maybe then he would understand why his boss stopped work to brag about how he’d just purchased a Hello Kitty watch on e-Bay for $300.
    He Googled it and discovered that the official web site was Sanrio.com. When he opened the web site, a cute little white kitty-cat skipped toward him, waved and winked. He smiled.
    When he got back to work the next day, he found that everyone was staring at him. He was kind of used to the staring by now because of the way he looked. He was 6’6” and weighed 215 pounds. His hair was so black that it almost looked blue. It stopped at his shoulders and he always wore it loose and flowing. It looked like silk and a few women had commented on how they would give there left arm to be able to run their hands through it. Even though he wore suits, (always Armani and always black) one could tell that he had a very muscular body. He looked as if he was in perfect shape. A lot of women wished they could find out just how perfect, and a couple of the men as well. His skin was like smooth cream and the contrast to the pitch black hair and suits was always a little shocking. He was beautiful.
    But today, no one was looking at his hair, or his skin, or trying to figure out what his body looked like under that Armani suit. Today their eyes were focused on the small Hello Kitty doll that was peeking out of his jacket pocket.
He said nothing as he walked to his cubicle. Let them stare, he didn’t care.
    “Hey Sebastian, what’s with the doll man?” his next-cubicle neighbor Mike asked as he approached his desk.
    “I don’t know. I was listening to Brians yesterday and thought he sounded like an idiot, but when I went to the Hello Kitty web site, I just had to get something. Isn’t she cute?” Sebastian asked pulling his doll out of his pocket. He rubbed her between her ears and put her back.
    “Yeah, she’s adorable” Mike said rolling his eyes.
    “Thanks.” Sebastian said smiling and completely missing the sarcasm Mike tried to get across.
    When Sebastian was on his way to lunch later on that day, he ran into Mr. Brians.
    “Oh wow Sebastian. That is the most adorable Hello Kitty I’ve ever seen. She’s so little,” Brians said as he gave the doll a little pat on the head.
    “That’s why I got her so I could carry her wherever I go.”
    “I didn’t know you liked Hello Kitty.”
    “I didn’t even know what she was until I heard you talking about her. I went and checked it out on the web site and I absolutely had to have her.”
    “I know what you mean. Umm, Sebastian, would you like to see my collection?”
    “Yes I’d love to. When?”
    “Let’s go now.”
    “Well, I do have a little more work to do.”
    “I’m the boss, remember?” Brians said as he rubbed the dolls head again. “Let’s go.”
    On the way to his house, Brians couldn’t stop talking about his huge Hello Kitty collection and how happy he was to finally be able to share it with someone that was over the age of 15.
    When they finally pulled into the drive that led to Brians’ enormous house, Sebastian turned to his boss.
    “Do you remember your old partner Reuben Dales?”
    Brians was flabbergasted because Sebastian knew Reuben and also because Sebastian was suddenly speaking with an English accent.
    “Yes, of course I know him, but where’d that accent come from?” he asked
    “It’s English.”
    “Why haven’t I ever…”
    “Reuben sent me.”  Sebastian interrupted.
    The blood drained from Brians’ face.
    “What?”
    Brians didn’t get to ask any more questions because the knife Sebastian sunk in his throat cut his jugular vein and lodged in his voice box.
    The chauffeur got sprayed by the blood of his boss. He was stunned stupid. He prayed he wasn’t next.
    Sebastian never even acknowledged him. He got out of the car and walked down to the end of the drive where his own limo picked him up. There was a change of clothes waiting for him to put on as he was driven to the airport.
    He was at his home in London 8 hours later. In his bedroom, he took his Hello Kitty doll and placed it on a shelf that held the rest of his collectibles.  Each one represented a job well done. There were hundreds.

995 words