Work In Progress II

Work In Progress II
Dark Dreams

Another sleepless night as I stand from my computer chair, and scuff towards the bathroom, sliding off my top and my panties, letting the water in the shower warm. Dropping my clothes into the basket I step into the shower, the warm water trails over my body, taking the shampoo from the ledge I pour some into my palm and run my fingers through my hair slowly. The liquid now forms a lather, which I leave in my hair. Taking a razor and some soap from the ledge I continue with my morning ritual of shaving my legs and other areas. Finally I rinse the shampoo out of my hair and brush my teeth, washing all the shampoo, toothpaste and soap off my body I turn off the water and take a towel from the rail. Wrapping the towel around myself I walk out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, checking the water in the kettle, seeing it is sufficient and turning it on, walking to the lounge room towards the stereo, turning it on and hitting the play button for the CD player, my fingers trail naturally towards the volume control, the music now loud enough to cause the bass in the songs to make the windows shake. I idly walk back towards my bedroom taking the first bra, panties, short skirt and button up top I see in the vicinity, it doesn’t really matter what I pick up, its all black. Sliding my silver bracelet onto my right wrist I finish getting ready, first my bra, then I slide my shirt on, leaving the buttons undone for now, my panties and skirt are next.

I walk out of my bedroom towards the bathroom once more. Hanging my towel back on the rail I take an eyeliner pencil and heavily draw around my eyes, with one single line leading down from the outside of my eyes to my cheek on each eye. Taking my lipstick and putting that on, which is black also. Running my fingers through my hair to remove a couple of the main knots I shake my head and scrunch my hair slightly. Putting on some deodorant and walking out of the bathroom towards the lounge room I pick up a pair of socks on the way. Sitting down on the couch I slide on both my socks. Picking up my boots I put them both on, they lace and buckle up to my calves. I smirk as Trent says something amusing and harsh on the CD which I still have playing. Leaning forward I take a dog choker and put it around my neck, with the ring hanging at the front, then a few other random dog chains I slide around my left wrist. I stand and glance at the clock on the wall. Realising the time I grab my bag and turn off the stereo and the kettle and leave, turning off all the lights and locking the door behind me. Dropping the keys back into my bag I finish buttoning up my top, leaving the top two buttons undone, and walk along the street towards the delicatessen where I buy an iced coffee and continue on my half hour walk to work.

The same tired faces greet me everyday, I smile and nod in their general direction, everyday seems a repeat of the last. I continue on my walk until I finally reach my destination, a small building which most mistake for an office block, I push the door open and walk to the back, dropping my bag on the floor. I open the iced coffee and slide the straw into it, sipping it slowly. I smile at my co-worker as he comes into the staff/storeroom from filling the shelves with CD’s. I put my iced coffee with the straw into the mini fridge and gather a box of CD’s that need shelving and walk into the store. I carry the box to a set of shelves and begin setting them into the racks by alphabetical order. The store is painted black; floor is covered in a dark grey carpet; the shelving is made of industrial like steel, with the non-slip surface. The CD shelves are put on two of the four walls, one left for the counters at the back of the store and the other the doors, which, after refilling the shelves I pull and lock open. A cool breeze enters; I shudder as the chill hits my skin and walk to the back of the store. My co-worker flicks the light switch and all the down lights turn on instantly. I walk over toward the stereo and plug it in turning it on also. I rummage through the CDs that the manager decided was suitable for all ages; I pick up a new one in the collection and place it into the stereo. Pressing the play button and setting the case on the counter for those to see what we have playing, I smile as the sound of a mandolin is strummed lightly. Near the open doors at the front of the shop I pull out some shelving that can be locked up or down and lock them up. Putting all the “reduced for quick sale” marked CD’s in them. I smirk slightly, they’re only reduced because no one wants to buy them, but people seem to think they are getting a bargain when they see a “reduced” sticker on a product so naturally, they buy it.

After filling all the shelves in the store, I walk black to the staffroom and take my drink from the fridge and sip from it again. I hear the scuff of someone’s shoes and look into the store, there is an older woman browsing in the instrumental section. I set down my iced coffee back in the fridge, take my ID ticket, which is on a rope to hang around my neck and walk over to her. She looked a little shocked at my appearance, but smiled graciously and asked for an instrumental compilation she has been looking for. I flicked through the shelves and took out what she was looking for and handed it to her and smiled. She seemed to be shocked at my efficiency and said “it’s not often I can come into a store like this and have the assistant find what I want so fast”. I smiled again, this time it wasn’t a façade. She handed me some money and I walked to the counter and finished the transaction for her, dropping the CD and receipt into a bag and bought it back to her. She thanked me once again and then left the store.

My co-worker finished refilling the shelf he was working on and stood behind the counter next to me. His name was Xanthous, roughly 26, he had brown spiked hair, with piercing green eyes, an eyebrow piercing with what looked like a drill bit through it, a tongue stud, and single silver chain hanging around his neck. He wore a burgundy button up shirt with a black tie; which he never did up; long black dress pants, and a pair of black boots. His attire never changed, the only thing that differed from day to day was the colour of his shirt. He bought a couple of chairs from the storeroom and set them down behind the counter. Sitting down in one he grinned and put his feet on the other.

I sigh softly and move to the shelf to my left and light a candle. It is musk scented the aroma slowly travelled around the store, touching everyone and everything inside. I had previously asked the manager about lighting a candle in the store he wasn’t too impressed, he said that it was alright to trial it for a week, but for safety precautions it had to be kept behind the counter on a shelf where no one could get burnt, we agreed and since then people seem to buy instead of just browse. I’m not saying that’s why, but its an observation I made, the manager seems to think it is due to the scent of the candle and is now a fanatical candle purchaser.