Heat

Submitted for the Pod and Planet Eve Fiction Contest on November 5th, 2017.

Cradling the metal container of his coffee, Leucious lifted the steaming cup to his lips and inhaled the distinct aroma. He shook his head abruptly as the powerful aftertaste punched the back of his throat, fetching a sizable amount of sugar in response. Gently chiming, his apartment door alerted him to a visitor, and he began toward the door with a quick adjustment of his robe. “Uhhm… Hello. Do I know you?” Leucious inquired, shifting the drink to one of his cheeks for storage. “Mister Ackadash, I am Mihrandaa Lebonosk – Quafe representative,” The darker skinned woman gave an unnatural smile, bearing unrealistically white teeth. Leucious blinked several times and glanced about his surroundings, making a quick note of the dismal display of his living quarters. Despite the detritus, he gave a wave of his hand in response and began to make his way back into his quarters with the woman in tow. Circling his new thermochromic dining table, he set the steaming cup of coffee its surface and started off toward the kitchen. “Care for something to drink?” Leucious asked, fetching a glass in preparation. “I will have to politely decline.” Briefly widening his eyes in a hidden display of dismissal, he pivoted on his heel with a simper. Settling down onto the bench seating of his dining room table, Leucious gestured for her to take a seat. Quietly, the eccedentesiast settled down with her hands on her thighs, straight postured. Still steaming, his coffee had begun to discolor a ring in its proximity on the thermochromic table, the temperature offset from the beverage shifting its colors. “If I am to be blunt, we suspect that you have been stealing materials and assets from the corporation for your own interests.” She accused. “I don’t.” “An expected defense, but we have evidence, Ackadash. Several eye-witness testimonies, camera drones have spotted you outside of normal work premises during labor hours, and you have shown a marked reduction in performance.” “So, my co-workers hate me, I took some bathroom breaks, and you’re only now noticing that I’m becoming disinterested with your dead end job. Not sure how that makes me a criminal, Mihleena.” “Mihrandah,” She calmly corrected. “Mihrandah, whatever. Look, if you’re here to give me my termination papers, you could have spared yourself the trip and sent it to my datapad,” Leucious snapped back. “Quite the contrary, Mister Ackadash, we’d like to offer you a promotion.” Leucious stared blankly at the woman for some time before his eyelids slowly fluttered shut, drifting away in his thoughts. His brows hung low, bunched together as he tried to make sense of the logic. Canting his head sidewards, he threw his hand up in confusion and let it lazily fall back to his side. Shaking his head, he finally opened his eyes with a single raised brow. “In what world does that make any sense, Mihrandah?” He questioned. “We believe it will ‘jump start’ your ambition to work for us again.” “You’ll have to excuse me if that sounds somewhat errant.” “It is a bit unorthodox, yes, but nevertheless the powers that be at Quafe believe that this opportunity will afford you a certain…” She paused, pushing some of the trash off of his dining table to the floor, “Push.” Leucious lifted to a stand, shaking his head with a solemn groan, gesturing toward the door. Shifting his robe to cover himself, he held his beverage close as he awaited for her to take her leave. In the wake of his seated position, the table - likely the most expensive asset he had - left a discolored imprint of his ass from where he was seated. Accompanying the signature was a simple circle that outlined a much deeper color where his drink was. “Very well, Mister Ackadash, we will file your termination papers immediately forthwith, as you have declined the Quafe Corporation’s lavish offer,” She explained, lifting to a stand. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something peculiar in that she did not leave a print on his table. He narrowed his eyes briefly, confused, pondering what the meaning of it were. “No body heat?” He inquired, puzzled. Suddenly overcome by a sharp pain in his abdomen, he gasped, and his eyes went wide, blinking rapidly. Slowly, he turned to face her as she twisted the knife in his gut, feeling the cold of her hand he fully realized that she was not at all human. “Should have accepted the promotion, Leucious.”