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Log: Day 1!
I’m super excited to be here! There’s so much to do! I was told I’d be working with things called… abnormalities… they’re pretty weird lookin. There’s faeries… a skull with a cross in it… all kinds of crazy things going on. I was told this job is dangerous but so far nothing “dangerous” has happened yet!
Thank goodness. I’ve made a few friends in the break room. One of the old timers, A man with a permanent mean mug etched onto his face in a blue jacket with a musket. He told me to not get too attached to people as he took a hit from his pipe. He sighed and told me that nobody lasts long here. His eyes looked… tired. Exhausted in a way that sleep couldn’t possibly fix.
I hope he’s doing okay.
Log: Day 2
Today we got a new abnormality… they announced a… “first trumpet” and said some kind of name that… almost made me retch when I heard it. Is that the power of the abnormality? It must be one of the dangerous ones. If I can I’ll try to steer clear of something like that until I get stronger….
Ah! Yeah that’s right! Yesterday I was promoted to a level two employee! The guy in blue told me that level 5 is the highest. Apparently he’s one of the strongest people in the training department. He must be wickedly strong.
Today I met a “Sephirah” , one of the bigwigs around here. She seemed super nice, and even though she tried to be serious with me I could tell she was just as afraid of everything here as I was. She’s trying her best. I can tell just from looking at her.
Log: Day 10
Today I became a supervisor for that level 5 everyone was talking about. His name is Jacob! Some of my other friends tell me that I’m the only person Jacob really talks to. Even when he does talk to me it’s mostly just cautioning me to do things… Today he was sent to work with an abnormality called “Nothing There.”
It looks like a weird mash of clay a kid made… it pants and breathes weirdly. It’s flesh… breaks as it moves… or are those its bones?… I don’t think it has any though. Jacob handled the work effortlessly. Staring at the thing the entire time. Occasionally taking a puff of his cigar before looking back at his billboard and scribbling something down.
After he came out Jacob told me “These things aren’t human. They only want to kill you. To make you one of them…” Jacob is always so serious. I told him that as long as he’s here we’ll be fine. He stared at me and sighed before walking off. I could’ve sworn he smiled before he stomped off.
Log: Day 11
Today I finally got a new uniform! It’s… kind of weird? After doing a ton of work someone just told me that I have a new uniform? Issued to me by the “Manager.” Everyone says he’s a mythical being that saves people in danger and creates weapons. Some say that he doesn’t exist at all…
But surely if he’s given me this then he must be real. He gave me… armor that kind of looks like the abnormality I’ve been working with lately. It’s called… the Meat lantern or something. I also got something new other than my baton… when I had to put it away I was kind of sad.
Even though it was a shame I could literally feel the change of power. Hell, after I put on the suit I accidentally bumped into a wall and I dented the wall instead of hurting my shoulder! This suit stuff is amazing.
Log Day 14:
I'm surprised we didn’t have any abnormalities since that last first trumpet. Now, we have something to actually fight! It was that terrifying name again. This time I actually threw up. This time, I felt stronger. Surely I could help. I wiped my mouth and waited for the announcements to say where the problem was.
“The abnormality is located in the Training Branch. All level 5 employees report to the site.” I furrow my brow. Surely they could use my help anyway. Level two it almost level five anyway! I ran to the site as quickly as I could to help. I saw Jacob firing his musket at something, I waved to him before taking out my weapon to help-
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21:
A new recruit joined us today. He seemed chipper. Too happy to be here in a place like this. I warned him that this job will only ruin his life. He waved me off with a happy spark in his eyes. I can only pray that this doesn’t backfire on him.
I’m not telling this to him for fun. I’m only doing this cause he looks exactly like me when I first came here.
22:
A trumpet went off. It escaped again. Some poor newbie decided to work with it as a joke and angered it. Now I’m sent to take care of it. I’ve done this before. I doubt we’ll have any casualties.
My teammates will not fail me. I will not fail them in turn.
31:
There’s rumors going around about the abnormalities getting angrier and angrier as the days progress. It makes sense when you think about it. Being poked and prodded by weaker life forms is surely bound to make them angry. I would be infuriated.
Hell, in that respect I can agree with them. After all, I want to escape from this hell hole too. I can’t. Not after what I’ve done back home. Not until I have enough money to move into a Wing. I won’t disappoint them. I can’t afford to.
34:
It breached again. I sighed and got up to run to the training branch before the announcement even went off. Even though I’ve fought this thing a couple of times over it still makes my stomach churn. I can’t give up. I shake it off.
I hear the door open behind me. There aren’t any more level fives in the building besides us three? Who could possibly be here? The newbie. He waves at me, taking out his weapon before laying eyes on it.
I can literally see the light in his eyes disappeared as his weapons drops and he clutches his head. He screams, slamming his head against the floor. I sigh, and against my better judgment I grab him and shove him into the room behind.
I scream at him “DO NOT MOVE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” His screaming stops the instant he hears my voice. I angrily turned back to it and continue firing.
Hopefully he’ll have learned his lesson and not disobey the announcements again. If he dies… my last hope will be gone forever. He can’t die. I won’t let him.
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Log: Day 14
I blank out. Screaming in pain until someone tells me not to move. My head still hurts after looking at that… thing. Even imagining it makes me start to retch. I can’t give up. I don’t have a choice. Going back to working in a syndicate or a fixer group can only end in one way… if I’m going to go out… it’ll be on my own terms. In here.
I won’t go out without a fight… but for now… I’ll sit and cry until I feel better. Until the image of that thing fades away… I’ll cry my worries away. Cry and cry and cry.
Log: Day 15
Today I talked to Jacob and thanked him for all the help back there. He looked a little annoyed but was relieved I was okay. Even as he tapped me on the head with his musket he smiled at me. “Be more careful. Listen to the announcements.” I nodded happily! I’ll be sure to be level 5 next time I see… that thing. He told me not to mention or describe it around the others.
Even the very description of it drives the lower rank employees insane. I could feel my mind wearing away just imagining that thing. He told me to be more careful again before walking off to work with another abnormality… I’m stronger than that thing. I guess I have a goal now… to fight that thing and win.