Arriving At Work

Sophie Danials worked at Daniel's Grocer (No relation). It was a small, out of the way shop. Not really worth the name ''grocer'' if she was honest. The whole store had room for only a few measly shelves, a section for frozen food, and various odds and ends. It was small enough that there were usually only one or two assistants working there at any one time, Today, she was working with a girl called Anna. Anna was new to this, but had been recruited only a few days ago and was a bit nervous about her new place.

Probably more nervous now if her changes had actually happened. Sophie felt a moment of guilt and doubt. But she reasoned that Anna could simply leave the job if she didn't like it or try not to make a mistake. Sophie had stuffed the crown into her bag and was already on her way to the store. If anything bad happened, she could undo it when it came up. There was no reason to slow or stop now. The guilt she was feeling ate away at her for a little while, but was soon swallowed up in turn by the excitement which rushed through her at the prospect of the day ahead.

The journey was more or less the same one she took every single day. It was a short trip by car, but that whole time was filled up with nervous anticipation. Sophie wondered if the crown had done what it was supposed to do. She wondered if it had, would she really enjoy it as much as she did in her deepest fantasies? She felt nervous, tense, and full of anticipation and dread in equal amounts. The closer she got, the more aroused she became until she could feel the tips of her hardened nipples pressing into the inside of her bra. It was as if she was being carried forwards now, propelled like a ship along a river due to the rushing currents which bathed and pushed it onward.

By the time she arrived, her whole body felt hot and tight. Sophie did her best to pretend that it was just a normal day for her, but her nerves were stretched. As she entered the door to the store, people turned to look at her, and she wondered if they were sizing her up or if she was just exaggerating things due to her own desires. It was hard to say, and she didn't know which she would have preferred. Her heart beat faster as she approached the counter and the check-out desk. Each step was harder than the last, and she was breathing faster.

Was anyone seeing just how excited this was making her? She hoped not. She was desperately trying to pretend that everything was normal. Had the desk always seemed so large? Had the looks that the customers were throwing her always seemed so sharp? She felt like she'd been tossed into a tank of sharks! Like she was treading water desperately, but still feeling herself spiral lower and lower into the waiting depths below.

Anna was sitting by the front check-out, wearing the same uniform as Sophie was. A dark jacket and skirt which bore the logo of the grocer's. She had rich red hair and freckles which dotted her face. Her eyes were a cool blue colour as they turned to meet Sophie's.

"Sorry I'm a bit late," Sophie said. "Anything interesting happen while I was away?"

Anna shook her head. She was still a bit shy when it came to her job and was clearly glad that Sophie had arrived before she'd had to do much.

"Not much," She said. "Um, the new rules came in. D-did you see them?"

Sophie felt her heart skip a beat, but carefully schooled her face. Did Anna mean what she thought she meant? What else could she possibly be getting at? She was looking directly at the ground, trying to avoid Sophie's gaze. Was there a hint of red to her cheeks?

"I did," Sophie said. She decided to try and risk it a little. "I didn't expect you to come in after...well, you know. It's not really that great for us."

"Yeah, you can say that again." Anna said. "But I sort of need the money, so..."

She looked up suddenly.

"Do you think it's real? Do you think they'd really make us do that sort of thing? I mean, how did that even become legal?"

"I don't know," Sophie lied. "But don't worry too much about it. If you don't make a mistake, they can't do anything to you."

"That's easy for you to say," Anna mumbled. "You've been doing this for ages. I'm new here. I'm going to make mistakes!"

"It'll be fine," Sophie said firmly. "Look, most people won't enjoy teasing you so if you make a mistake and apologise, I'm sure that they won't ask too much."

Anna gave her a look which showed just how much she doubted that. Sophie felt a certain amount of guilt. It was dawning on her now that she had caught up other people in her fantasy too. Her fingers itched, curling and uncurling. The Crown was in her bag, and she could reach it easily to fix things. She almost did it then and there, but there was a line forming to use the check out, She didn't have time to duck away, and she didn't want to use it in front of anyone for obvious reasons.

"I'll take over the check out," Sophie said. "You just check the stock on the shelves for now. That's an easy job."

Anna nodded gratefully, hurrying towards the back section of the shop and leaving Sophie to take care of the customers. Sophie watched her go and then, once she was alone, turned to the forming line of people.