Kelly (24, brunette, a sweet girl who everyone likes)

Kelly was 24, slim, with a long neck and big brown doe eyes. She had long brown hair, the thin kind that the tops of her ears peeked out of. And she had a big wam smile that she used often.

This morning, as every morning, she nodded at herself in the mirror, slipped on her work uniform and walked out into the kitchen to have some breakfast with Dad.

“I’m worried about you going into the city every day, especially the way things are now.”

“It’s okay” Kelly said, optimistic as ever, “we live in the most progressive city in the country. People aren’t like that here.”

“People are like that everywhere.” Dad said, grey, bearded, sitting in his wheelchair.

“I’ll be fine. There’s bacon out there and I’m bringing it home. Literally if you want.” She winked, kissed Dad on the head and flew out the door to work.

She pulled into the science museum a few minutes early and smiled at the security guard at the gate. “Hey Dwayne, the Clippers lost last night. You owe me a candy bar.”

Dwayne smiled back at her. Everyone smiled when Kelly was around. “You know that wasn’t a real bet.”

Kelly’s mouth dropped in faux shock and she put her hands up in an old-timey fighting stance. “I’ll come to collect if I have to.”

On her way to the cubicles, she saw Andy, a shy new hire who she’d told herself to make a point to be welcoming to. “Hey new guy!” She shouted, fishing in her bag and taking out a mango. She tossed it at him. Yesterday he’d seen her eating one for lunch and said “I don’t remember the last time I had a mango” so she made a point to bring him one today.

She had time to clock in, check in at her desk, and then scurry into the floor for the first demonstration of the day. About 16 families watched her do some tricks with dry ice. The kids especially loved her energy.

“My grandson always tells me he hopes your here when we come” one of the nice regulars said.

“I’m so glad” Kelly answered. I love watching the faces of kids when they see science happening. Kelly had a bit of a nerdy streak to her. She had Star Wars and Legend of Zelda posters hanging in her cube. People didn’t often think that about her. Probably because she was so pretty, which she felt ambivalent about.

Her boss called her into his office. “I think we’re going to be looking to promote someone to demonstration manager. You should consider it.”

“I will,” she said. Promotions were nice, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend more hours here and away from Dad. She was the only one around to take care of him.

It was an okay problem to have. Life was good. Work was fun and fulfilling. She liked people and people liked her. Even as the world around got stranger and stranger. Be kind to people and they’ll be kind back, she thought. She had to believe it was true.

She didn’t know, how could she, that right now, all the men in her life, her boss, the regular museum patron, the shy new hire, the friendly security guard, and her dad, were all looking for ways to enslave her.