Emotional support human. That was what the employees had called me after hiring me. For what? A 900lb play-dough experiment. I can tell you, it was not something I thought I would be doing in my entire life.

Though, I am getting ahead of myself. Let us start from the beginning...

--

You were looking through some websites for a job. After losing your last job, and you broke up with your ex, you had lost everything. To the sense you had no home and was struggling on the streets ever since. How are you able to find a job? The library. How are you even able to enter without showering? You took showers at homeless shelters, of course. Do not want to stink. Unless you like that kind of stuff.

Though, is this not how most stories about a company begins? You searching for a job? Well, guess this is cliche now. Seems that is how this story will start as well. You finding your job.

Yours eyes lands on a specific job. It required no eduction of any form. No previous job experience, and it seemed to play well. The only thing, it said it was an Emotional Support Human. That was what it required. You were human, right? What made it better was that it says that there was living, food, and hygiene would all be provided. What an odd description, but guess that made sense. Emotional Support required you to stay by the person's side. Not thinking too much about it, you signed up. Though, you did not expect them to return the call or message. Phones were out of the choice, so it was email only.

However... like any cliche story goes, you got an immediate reply. Opening up the email, you looked it over. Your eyes widened. You got the job. And! You start almost immediately. There was an address attached to the email. You copy and pasted it into the search engine. What popped up confused you. It was some kind of toy factory. Odd.

Not thinking too much about it, you gather up your things, print out the map and make your way over there. Well, to however long it takes you to get there. It was noon right now. And it was going to take you a couple hours to get there. The problem was, it either would take you all night to get there by foot or a few hours by bus. You scavenge your belongings for change. To your surprise, not you as in the reader, you had change. Enough to make it there. What a lucky day indeed.

Once you get to the bus stop, you waited for the vehicle to approach. Not being able to have time or schedule, you had to wait, impatiently, for the bus. With nothing to do but look around. When it does finally appear, you hop on, pay, and sit down. Now you were on your way. To Play Co.

--

Hours have passed and you had to hop onto three busses just to get there at all. You walk up to the building and look it over. Who needed a support human here? An employee? Maybe some children who needed it when they visited? You shrug at the racing thoughts. Whatever it was, you could live a decent life with this living. It hardly paid anything; but with food, hygiene, and living all free and part of the job, you did not really need the money. Maybe they had to place some money in to make it somewhat fair.

Once you enter the building, you were greeted by the front desk. A lady looks at you. Quickly, she looks at you with disgust. Probably due to the fact you looked homeless. "What is it you need?" Her voice seemed strained as she fakes a smile, trying to act polite.

You, for a few, hesitate before approaching the desk. "I um... am here for the job?" You say as you show her the paper with directions. "I had signed up to be some kind of support human?" You continue.

For a moment, it looked like the blonde did not believe you. Seeing you were not going to leave, she decides to pick up the phone, dial a number, and wait. When the phone picked up, she spoke into it with authority. "Yes, hello. This is Carol at the front desk. There is someone here claiming they had a job here? For some kind of support human," she listens to the voice on the other end. "Yes, sir. Right away," she says, saying a goodbye and hanging up. She looks at you with disdain. "Go right through these doors and someone will guide you from there," she informs.

Nodding, you make your way through the doors. "Thank you!" You call out before disappearing. Almost missing a muffled agitated voice from the lady.

As you enter through the doors, you were greeted by a giant Huggy Wuggy statue. It was massive. Easily reaching almost 13 feet tall. You stare at the statue. It stares back at you. Goosebumps run throughout your body.

"Hello," greeted a man as he approaches you. "Can I help you with something?" He asks you, bringing your attention back to him.

Startled for a moment, you realized this was an employee. "O-oh! Yes!" You squeak out as you scramble to show him the directions you had taken to get there. "I am here for the job..." you inform him.

"Ah," he nods, realizing who you are, asking it you if you were the person who signed up for the job. When you nod, he clasps his hands together with a big smile. "Great! I am Theodore. Follow me," and you do. You follow him, glad to get out of eyesight of the Huggy Wuggy statue.

Once through a set of doors, Theodore begins to explain what you are to be doing. "Here at Playtime Co, we pride in our way of doing things. Making sure our guests are having a great time! Your job is to support our employees, emotionally, to get through the day," he begins as he leads you through a series of doors and hallways. "We have some... employees..." you were confused why he brought employees up like that, "that need you to help make sure they stay calm."

This confused you more. Now put of sight and earshot of the guests ages ago, you decide to pipe up. "Mind if I ask why an employee needs such thing as an emotional support human...? Why not an animal...? I cannot see why a human is required for another human. Would it not just stress them out more...?"

Theodore admired your curiosity, questioning their motive for hiring her. "Well, as you think it seems odd to hire a human as an emotional support animal, they can be harder to care for than a simple human being. That... and an animal cannot speak while a human can," he informs. "So we thought best to find a human, that may not be missed, to help put our employees!" He beams.

Wait... not be missed? This was sending instant red flags, or maybe you were just overthinking things like you always did. "Not missed...?"

For a moment, he looked like he had made a grave error in his words. "Ah... right..." he tries to push away the thought. "You are to be here 24/7. We will give you everything you need. Let us say you get to live here for free?" Then Theodore's tone went dark. "As long as you do your job," he warns lightly. There was a darker tone to his voice that you could not shake off the ominous feeling.

You notice how deep you guys were going. To the point you noticed containment cells. Where was Theodore taking you?! What were they doing down here that news containment cells? You grew nervous at the idea of dangerous cell mates. Were the criminals down here? Why were the doors so thick?!

It was not much longer before you both stopped at one of the doors. You look at it. "You are kidding... right...?" You nervously chuckle. "This is not why I am hired for... right...?" You were sounding more and more desperate.

Theodore looks at you with a cold stare. "You are to help this employee with their anger," he informs. "When you go inside, you are to report anything and everything you both do. And we have cameras keeping an eye on you both," he informs. "Once you entered those doors. Accepted the job application, you have agreed to our terms and services. Go against them, and we are to dispose of you," his eyes stare coldly at you. "You are disposable. If you fail, we will always get us a new person to fill your place. I suggest you do as you are told and there will be no problems."

Fear strikes you with how he had just now treated you. Yeah, you had nothing to lose; but you never actually agreed to throw away your life. Though, now that you were here, there was no going back.

"And one more thing," Theodore decides to add. "Do not anger him... He has killed his parents in the past..." and with that, the door opens.

"Wait... What?!" You called out as two guards shove you into the containment. "What was that about killing their parents?!" You call out as the door closes on you. Your eyes were wide as you stare at the locked door. "H-hey! Let me out!" You cry out, fear suddenly taking over you. Was this how you were going to die?

"W-who... are... you...?" Came a weak voice from behind. The breathing was heavy.

You stiffen as you whirl around. Your eyes go wide as you look at who spoke. Fear grips you even more. What the heck?! Though, you hesitantly say your name.

AUTHER NOTES

Total Words: 1665

Just something I am trying. No guarantees I will finish this.