Author's Note- Ok, this is my first time posting anything and the only story I've ever let anyone see. No doubt the instant I submit it I'll realize I did something extremely stupid and I need to change the whole damn thing, but anyway. Title and last names will probably change, but the first names are here to stay. I don't own Neopets, although I do have three or four accounts there. The characters, however, are mine, although I may not have the pets with those names. Or Zoe's name as an account.
"Yes. I understand. Goodbye." Zoe said, trying not let the sadness she felt show in her voice. She hung up the phone and laid her head down on the table, the tears in her eyes spilling onto her cheeks. She sighed sharply and ran her fingers through her hair, making it stand up in black spikes. She was jolted out of her thoughts by a pair of large purple paws thumping onto the table near her head. "Irene, paws down," she said automatically, looking up at her pet and wiping her eyes.
"Awwww..." the Eyrie said, putting her paws on the floor and cocking her head to the side. "Not finding any jobs, I suppose," she said.
Zoe nodded, wiping her eyes again. "I don't know what to do. I can't DO anything but bartend, and nobody will hire me for that."
The Eyrie shrugged and nuzzled her owner. "Hey, we have an apartment and we can eat, so we're better off than some, hmm?"
At that, Zoe burst into tears and dropped her head to the table again.
"What did I say?" Irene asked, looking startled.
"We d-don't have any money left in the baannnk. We can eat or stay here but not both. I need a jooob," Zoe said, trying to control her sobs.
"We'll find--" Irene started, but before she could finish her sentence a scarlet blur dove into the room and slammed into Zoe.
"Mum! The new Indiana Jones movie is out, I GOTTA see it. It's sooo cool!" Whooped the ex-blur, now revealed to be a red Kyrii in her teens.
"Ughh... Indiana, you just crushed a few vital organs, I think." Zoe gasped.
"Sowwy," Indy said, moving down to the floor.
A few seconds later, a creamy yellow Nimmo bounced into the room, a fluffy blue ball of feathers cradled in the crook of her arm.
"Sorry Zoe, I couldn't stop the little beast. Did she break anything?" the Nimmo asked.
Zoe shook her head.
"No, MossyRock." Indiana said, sticking her tongue out.
The Nimmo gritted her teeth. "My name is MossRose," she said.
"Fine, ThornRose." Indy chirped.
Mossrose gritted her teeth and patted the little bird she held. As she did so he looked up and blinked cutely. Seeing Zoe, he chirped and started to flap his wings. He jumped out of Mossrose's hands and flew towards his owner... for about thirty seconds before he dropped like a rock. Zoe winced and Indy dove forward to catch him.
"Owch, Terri. You really have to stop that." Zoe said, leaning over to see if he'd hurt himself.
"No. Gonna fly!" Terri said, pouting.
Zoe picked him up, sighing. "Guys, I've called on every job in this paper and haven't found a one to take," she said.
"What, even this one that offers a million NP?" Indy asked. "I mean, I know it looks like a scam but it can't hurt to try..."
Zoe shrugged and sat down again, pulling the paper forwards and dialing another number. On the other end of the line, the phone rang twice before it was picked up.
"Hello?" The woman's voice on the other end managed to hiss even a word with no sibilants.
"Hello, I'm calling about the job in the paper." Zoe said. The voice gave her the crawling creeps, but if it meant she'd still have a place to live...
"Ah, the necklace. We have had very few callss about that. Perhapss we can arrange an interview? Ass ssoon ass possssible?" The woman hissed.
"That would be wonderful. My name is Zoe Roberts, by the way. Would this afternoon be ok?" Zoe asked.
"Oh, forgive me for being sso rude. I am Ophelia Hawthorne. Thiss afternoon would be perfect... jussst perfect. About three, perhapss? The adressss iss 1368 Sspider Lane, Sspooky Woodss." Ophelia hissed.
"Three iss... I mean is fine." Zoe said.
"Goodbye... and good luck," were the last words Ophelia said before she hung up the phone.
Zoe hung the phone up and turned back to her pets. "Well," she said. "She didn't laugh in my face. I have an interview at three."
"Coolies!" Indiana whooped.
Zoe shivered. "Her voice gives me the creeps, though... I have a bad feeling about this."
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