MSMF Prompt #85: Teddy bears
The whistle sounded for a new work day at the Fluffy Teddy Teddy Bear Factory. All the workers filed in and took their seats at their sewing machines. Among their number was a new worker, one who needed a small booster seat to reach the sewing machine easily.
She quietly bent over her work, lovingly crafting a bear. When the bear was stiched up, she jumped down and headed to the stuffing station. By the end of the morning, the new girl added her carefully crafted bear, dressed in red, to the finished pile.
Everyone filed into the cafeteria for lunch. The new girl quietly took a selection of the vegetarian fare offered, except for the bananas, and sat in a corner by herself.
"Hey you!" The newcomer looked up to see a pair of burly women towering over her. "You're sitting at our table. Move!" One of the women took the newcomer's tray and flung it onto the floor, then her companion forcefully knocked the newcomer down on top of it. They then sat at the table they'd forcibly vacated.
Suddenly they heard a loud screeching, and large yellow fists smashed their trays, splattering food all over. The quiet newcomer pushed politeness aside and went on the offensive.
"Aw, look Jude, we made the little monkey girl mad," one of the women said.
"Well Claude, guess we better teach her whose boss in this factory," Jude replied.
The two women stood and tried to attack their much-smaller target but the new girl was obviously a solid fighter. She held her own for much of the lunch hour, until the supervisor entered.
"ENOUGH!" she bellowed. "Claude, Jude, how many times have I told you, no fighting!"
"She started it, she sat at our table," Jude said.
"Nova is new here, she doesn't know it's your table. And Nova, you shouldn't have fought back," the supervisor admonished. Nova hung her head. "All three of you need to reign in your tempers, before I have to start handing out punishments. Now clean up this cafeteria and get back to work!"
Jude went and got three rolls of paper towels and handed one to Claude and one to Nova. They started mopping up the room, but as soon as they were sure the supervisor was no longer watching, Claude and Jude tossed their rolls to Nova.
"Since you're new here, you can learn your place by cleaning up all the mess!" Claude said. She started walking out of the cafeteria with Jude, laughing.
Nova watched them start to leave, anger in her eyes. Before anyone could react, she exploded, letting out a deafening yell and igniting the roll of paper towels in her hand.
By the time the Fire Department arrived, there was little left of the factory. By morning, all that could be found was a single teddy bear, dressed in red, being cradled by a yellow monkey hiding in a corner of the remains of the factory.
THE END
