- Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
On the surface, average was the word to describe Tyler Allen. 25 years old. Average height. Average build. Average looks. Average guy. Average job. Tyler spent most of his life not letting anyone look deeper than the surface. Maybe that way he could actually be average. After all, being average had to be better than what he was.
Life at the office was uneventful, to say the least. The job itself was simple, stress free, and he was well compensated. His employers thought him a valuable asset. He had been there for four years, and although he knew he would never climb the corporate ladder he did have great job security. Really, there wasn't much to complain about.
The "work", however, was mind numbing. A website offered contracts to companies like his to be fulfilled at a pre-arranged price on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tyler simply monitored the website all day, every day waiting for a contract to become available that would be profitable for the company. Once one popped up, it was a simple race to answer an endless array of queries and fill in informational fields before hitting "submit". Tyler never lost a race. He was vigilant and an incredibly fast typist. Not a very exciting skill set perhaps, but the company once went three weeks without getting a contract while Tyler was recovering from a car accident. They even put three people on full time shifts to monitor the website. 2 or 3 contracts was an average week for Tyler.
Tyler brushed off the implied praise the day of his return when management told him of the company's foibles in his absence. Tyler said that the website had slow periods and he was sure his replacements had done a great job. Management knew better of course, and somewhere deep down Tyler probably did as well. He just didn't see much point in praising himself. For what? Being good at a job no self respecting person could endure for a day, much less years?
*Beep. Beep. Beep.* The monitor was flashing with an available contract.
"Huh. A nearby scrap yard needs a wing flap for a plane delivered to the Air Force base in Illinois. Heavy freight. Wow, look at the pay. We could definitely find someone for this..." The next 10 minutes were a frenzy of keystrokes and mouse clicks. There would be hundreds of others vying for this particular contract.
*Contract Accepted. You will be contacted shortly by a company representative with further details. Thank you!*
Tyler sighed and looked at the clock in his small office. That was his sixth contract of the week and it was only 1:15. Still a few hours to possibly get one more to finish the week and break his own record. Not likely, but at least a small ray of hope. Ray of hope? Really? How sad is it that-...
His internal monologue was disrupted by the sound of heels on the marble floor, maybe 15 yards down the hall. It was a sound Tyler knew well, one he heard nearly every time he acquired a new contract. It still sent his head spinning and put his heart in a frenzy. What are you, twelve? Get a grip. He took a deep, disjointed breath. It didn't help much.
There was a light knock on his open door. "Hey Tyler. I heard that the higher ups at corporate are planning a sacrifice in your name. Would you like a goat? Or something else?" The smile she gave him didn't belong on her face. Or at least, he knew that's what the rest of the office would say. She was harsh, stubborn, never afraid to call out an employee for their failures in front of co-workers. Tyler wasn't a gossip but he'd heard enough to know most of the office despised her.
But here she was, with a smile that turned his brain into jelly. Her hair was shoulder length, straight, parted off to one side, and a deep brown to match her eyes. She had a habit of brushing it behind her ears with her fingertips when she was talking. Her skin was slightly tanned and she had light freckles across her nose and cheeks that you couldn't see if you were more than a few feet away. She had the body of, well .. someone who cared. Someone who ate healthy, who exercised at least a few times each week. Fit. Her lower body was exquisite, with a tight bottom and shapely legs. Her breasts were modest, but to Tyler they were perfect. She stood in the doorway, looking at Tyler quizzically. Her head is only a few inches from the top in those heels...
Dimly, Tyler was aware that a space of time had stretched on and her expression had gone from smiling, to questioning, to something darker. "You know, I wouldn't expect to get a laugh when I make a horrible attempt at a joke, but a simple 'Just doing my job, Nicole,' would be enough for me here. Especially from you, Tyler. I thought I had at least one person here who - who..."
"Oh, no, I - I, uhh. It was funny, really. I'm sorry." He was genuinely apologetic, but realized he had tried so hard to sound collected that it came off as emotionless. Her anger seemed to fade and the flat look she had now suggested disbelief, but there was something else there. She looks disappointed. What am I doing? The look went on for another few seconds before she started to walk away. Christ, say something! She had already disappeared from view.
"Virgins!" What?
There was a terrifying silence. Five seconds felt like an eternity. He heard her approach his office once more. She came into view and with a furrowed brow. "Excu-"
Tyler interrupted her quickly. "F, for the sacrifice. Uhh, you asked if I wanted something else, m-maybe. Oh my God, that was awful. I-I'm not that crude, really. I don't know why I sai-"
Nicole put her hand to her mouth. Laughing? "Wow. Well, whatever floats your boat. I guess when you're the one getting the sacrifices you get to call the shots. I'll see what I can do... Perv." The smile came back and Tyler's terror gave way to relief. And confusion. Nicole raised a finger and pursed her lips. "Come to think of it, it's been a long week. I'm going to call everyone to the brief room now, and we can get out of here a few hours early. Unless of course, the Virgin Devourer has objections?"
Tyler felt the heat rise to his face and knew he must have been blushing furiously. He shook his head 'no' in answer and couldn't keep himself from smiling. For a moment at least. No? Why don't you just tell her that you would rather stay here, spend your Friday trying to get a meaningless number, for your meaningless job, for your meaningless life? While everyone else went out and lived theirs.
"That sounds great. I'll shut down and be right there." She nodded, and made to leave. She hesitated for a moment, eyes cast to the side, lost in thought.
"Actually, umm..." She brushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Do you think, after, you could meet me in my office? Err, after the briefing, I meant." She looked at him.
"S-sure."
"Okay. See you in a minute." Nicole left.
Tyler turned his computer off, sat back in his chair and folded his hands on top of his head. He closed his eyes and waited for his heart to stop trying to hammer its way out of his chest.