Colin got out of the shower and slipped on his uniform and looked to his name tag in confusion.
“Assistant Manager?” Colin asked himself “But isn’t that somebody else....”
Colin scratches his head as reality rippled, trying not to shatter.
“Oh right, yesterday’s... promotion?” Colin said to nobody in particular.
Everything about this morning seemed normal enough, Marinette and Lucy bickering, Angela brewing coffee, Sam gave him a kiss goodbye, and Tina drove them to work.
“Hey Chet, I’m here.” Colin smiles.
“Ah yes, just who I was looking for!” Chet smiled, “We have a couple new trainees.”
“Oh right, the trainees... lead the way.” Colin smiles, unsure why he was the one handling the trainees.
“Tina, we had a talk, and have agreed that you qualify for the pharmacy, here’s your coat.” Chet said to the goth as he walked away.
Colin smiles at the trainees, a smoking chick with a nose piercing and an old man.
“Okay, first things first, section twenty-two states no smoking indoors.” He said as he took the cigarette and stomped it out, “Only outside, only on your break.”
“Fine.” Huffed the smoker named Chara.
“So how’s this training gonna start?” Walt the old man asked.
“Well, since we have a cigarette butt on the floor, cleaning. Supply closet’s over by Ronnie, go grab a broom-“
Suddenly the air filled with the sound of cracking plastic and splattering liquid. “and take care of this, Chara. Walt, grab the mop and meet me over in the toy section.”
Slime.
Glittery slime of every shade of the cheap toy rainbow, plastered all over the floor and bottom shelves.
“How in the-“ Colin started.
“What?” Walt asked.
“Sorry, store policy, no swears within earshot of customers.” Colin said.
“It was over here, Ronnie.” said a wavy haired brunette with horrified hazel eyes.
“Fred... what did you do?” Colin asked.
“Okay, you’re gonna laugh when you hear this....” Fred chuckled awkwardly, “I was shelving the sunky slime surprises, kid hit me with a ball, I slipped...”
“One at a time.... we stock the fragile toys and ones with liquid components... ONE. AT. A. TIME.”
Colin smiles as he walks forward. “It’s so stuff like this doesn’t happen.”
“Ah yes, I know...” Fred stammered.
“So why didn’t you?!” Colin frowned.
“Well, I don’t know...” Fred started.
“YOU DON’T KNOW?! YOU DON’T KNOW?! How could you not know?!?!” Colin shouted. “Get this cleaned up! Go go go!”
Walt just stared.
“Sorry about that...” Colin chuckled.
“Is this your first day assistant managing?” Walt asked.
“Yes, yes it is.” Chet interjected. “Is there a problem?”
“Fred-“ Colin starts.
“Say no more.” Chet said. “Ronnie clean up on aisle 24!”
“Already on it.” The janitor said as he mopped up the thick, shimmering ooze.
The training carried on without major incident, cash register, cleaning the register’s space, the basics. He headed for the employee lounge until Chet lead him into the manager’s break room.
“Yeah, it’s time to let Fred go.” Chet said.
“I would say so...” Colin nodded.
“Who would we have to fill his job though?”
“One of our trainees, obviously.” Chet said, “Decided on one?”
“Well....” Colin pauses.
His brain told him Walt was more dependable and would be more cooperative. Chara was unfocused, made a rude comment about a customer’s kid, snuck out twice to smoke... his brain saw her as a problem, his dick presented her as an opportunity. Who to trust?