Wednesday morning I arrived early intent on using the new gym. The room was in full swing. Employees on every piece of equipment working hard.
I finally commandeered a treadmill and was able to get in a few miles. The room itself was relatively quiet. There was the metal clinking of machines and the occasional grunt, but mostly just a lot of heavy breathing.
As I was finishing, Holly joined me on the machine next door. She looked amazing in pink lycra shorts and gym shoes. Her breasts were tamped down by a sports bra that must've been made of some kind of steel fiber. I smiled at her approvingly and hit the showers.
Again the room was full, nobody seeming to mind the coed situation. Employees were wall to wall naked. Again the unnerving silence. Just the steady beat of water on tiles. People seemed happy to simply clean themselves and get ready for work.
Leaving the shower room I noticed another new open doorway. This led to a set of carpeted stairs.
At the bottom was a large open area, there were tables and couches. A row of clear refrigerators, each containing either cans of Moist Drippings or the Rust bars. There were several televisions placed around the room all playing the same program.
On its surface it seemed like a sit-com, except there were no jokes. The entire show seemed to consist of Pam, Tina, Dan, and Bob working on the warehouse floor, exercising, showering, and eating. They had simple pleasant conversations. At one point, Pam yawned and stretched, proclaiming she was tired. The foursome rose from their couch and headed through another set of doors in the back of the lounge.
Looking around me I found a very similar set of doors and pushed them open.
Inside this vast room were rows and rows of tiny cubicle spaces with walls around four feet high. Each one contained a bed, a bedside table with a lamp. A bookshelf, and a set of drawers, presumably for clothes. The room itself was very dimly lit but I had the impression there were maybe a thousand beds here.
Nearby I saw Steph standing in one of the cubicles. I crossed a few empty cubes to her. When she noticed me approaching she smiled broadly at me,
"Thank you sir."
She gestured at the little room. I could see a couple of personal effects sitting on the bedside table.
"You're welcome." I responded taking credit for this new world.
She suddenly seemed nervous,
"Am I late for work?"
I spread my hand out in front of me,
"No, you have a few minutes. So this is your space?"
"Yes, it's great. I'm so glad I got into that white van."
I knew none of this made any sense. Why would the company so completely want to feed, cloth and house its employees? Why wasn't anyone nervous, worried or upset? And why had nobody told me anything? I was supposed to be in charge. But was I? All I had really done is spent the last week and half fucking, drinking, and smoking on the clock. Is that what being a boss was supposed to be? Why wasn't I more concerned?
Steph excused herself to go to the production floor. I allowed her to pass and then followed her through the grid of tiny rooms and up the stairs to the bustle of busy workers.
On the floor it appeared there were more staff than ever. It took me some time to find Brandi and Holly. When I did they had secluded themselves to a corner and were busy talking to each other. Something I hadn't seen in the last five years. Holly had swapped her workout gear for a tiny black mini skirt, a cream colored sleeveless top and matching knee socks. Her stature was augmented by a short leather boot. It was a hot outfit. Made hotter by Brandi wearing the exact same thing.
Brandi noticed me taking them in, she took Holly's hand in her own and smiled,
"We thought you might like it."
I told them I did.
Holly gave Brandi a dark look. Brandi nodded and continued,
"I don't like the way he looks at me."
She gestured to Ass Fucker a few tables away, and yes he was staring at her. An empty look with just a hint of malice.
I lowered my voice,
"I talked to him yesterday, it's like he's had a brain injury. I wouldn't be too worried. I think maybe he's just adjusting and trying to hold onto things that are familiar."
Holly interjected,
"It's weird, He's weird. I don't like him."
I agreed it was all strange,
"Speaking of weird, have you guys seen the dormitory downstairs?"
They hadn't, Brandi asked if they could be excused to look at it and I sent them away to explore.
Ass Fucker was tracking Brandi the whole time she crossed to the corridor. It did seem strange.
I stood blocking his line of vision, he actually tried to move to one side to watch her. I snapped my fingers.
"Hey!"
That broke his concentration, he looked up at me and smiled vacantly.
"Yes sir?"
"You're making her uncomfortable with the staring, please stop."
He struggled to connect what I was saying to his own behavior.
"Okay," He replied dully.
I still wasn't sure if he was clear on what I was talking about. His whole
affect was disturbing. I asked him again how he ended up here on the production floor.
He gestured to the elevator and said,