A Good Scratch

Another of the stories and images from that discovered archive.

Bridgette had dropped out of school in grade 10. It had seemed the right choice at the time. She was always fighting with her mother and her father was a stupid fool who refused to take his medications. He was domineering and she had hated that, too. So, on her sixteenth birthday, she'd walked into the Legal Aid office at the local mall and filled out the forms to have herself declared an emancipated teen. Her boss at the local grocery store had offered her full time work a month prior and she'd arranged an apartment for the beginning of the month and had been moving her things in.

This had been alright for the past three years but Bridgette found that a grocery clerk really had no future. Oh sure, she could eventually become head clerk with all the headaches that involved. But without a high school diploma and some kind of advanced schooling after that, she was stuck. Bridgette hated being stuck. It reminded her too much of her parents and their stupid rules. She decided there had to be a way out.

She decided to scan the job sites on the Internet. There had to be something for someone like herself who was willing to work hard even if she didn't have fancy schooling. For weeks, she found nothing though and almost decided to start taking night school (but she hated school) when the tiny advert showed up. It wasn't long but it was right up her alley. It seemed there was a special zoo that was searching for people. Their wages were huge compared to what she was being paid as a checkout clerk. She decided to check it out. When she phoned, the voice on the other end described a position in a zoo. They'd train her and provide her with room and board at their facility's apartments, too. She verbally agreed to take the position and agreed to meet the director the next day at 11 AM.

The next day, dressed in what she hoped was professional looking clothes, she got off the bus (who could afford a car on a clerk's wage?) near the downtown address she'd been given. She walked to the address and soon found it. It was in one of the smaller buildings at the edge of the high-rise section and looked a little old -- almost antique. Still, the zoo could not possibly be here. This must be just an office they'd rented for the recruitment drive because the advert had indicated that many openings were available.

She half expected to have to wait in a line but she was the only one around. She entered the room, half expecting an office of some sort. Instead there was an empty waiting room with a door at its rear.

"Do sit down. I'll be with you in a moment," a voice called from the back.

Bridgette did so and was soon joined by a older man in a white coat.

"I'm Dr. Hildaria. I understand you'd like to join our little zoo."
"Well, yes. I'm tired of my current job and yours pays so much better. You sure I son't need anything in the way of degrees or things like that?"
"Heavens no. We'll get you all trained up on the job. Don't worry. Are you still interested in the job?"
"Very much so. Can I have a few days to move into your facility's apartment?"
"Oh, you won't need that. I'll send our movers over. They'll box things up and get them to your apartment as safely as you would yourself. Would tomorrow be okay with you?"
"I have to give my current employer notice. Can I start in two weeks?"
"Surely, my dear. I'll have the movers show up on the 17th. You can make sure they get everything boxed up properly. Once everything is set on that end, they'll take the boxes to your new apartment."

Bridgette became increasingly excited by her new job, so much so that she began to make mistakes at her current job. Her boss had to call her attention back to her work any number of times. He'd had many people leave but never one so excited about a new prospect. Still, to fire her now would likely cause more problems than it would solve. After all, he didn't need to get a bad reputation when everyone was short staffed.

The morning of the 17th came and so did the movers. They were extremely careful and Bridgette scarcely had to assist them at all. Her belongings, safely packaged in solid crates instead of cheap cardboard boxes, were soon in racks in their truck. A quick check around showed nothing had been forgotten and, with three hours, the truck left for her new apartment at the zoo. She phoned the number she'd been given and a striped vehicle arrived an hour later. The trip out of the city was without incident and Bridgette soon found herself outside a gleaming new building. She pushed open the glass doors and was met by a receptionist.

"Dr. Hildaria will be with you shortly," she stated calmly.
"Okay," Bridgette said. She'd been expecting an underling to greet her. Obviously, they treated their employees very well.

Only a few moments passed before Dr. Hildaria pushed aside a pair of glass doors at the back of the reception area.

"Your move went well?"
"Couldn't be better."
"Okay, let's get you started on your new job."
"Right!" Bridgette's excitement spilled into her voice. Dr. Hildaria just smiled.

Just then his cell phone went off. He talked a few moments on it.

"I'm sorry. We'll have to have you wait here a few minutes. Something unexpected has come up. Get something to drink if you'd like. I'll be back in about ten minutes."
"Certainly."

Bridgette walked calmly over to the indicated waiting area and its supply of coffee, tea and water. Deciding she was a bit thirsty, she poured herself a coffee and sat down to drink it. Within minutes, her head swam and she found herself collapsing on the couch she'd been sitting on.

"Okay," Dr. Hildaria's voice through the fog in her head. "Let's get her to the OR."

Though Bridgette fought the drug for a few minutes, it was a losing battle. The last thing she remembered before passing out was a strange animal smell.  She awoke, lying face down, on a strange rocky surface. She tried to push herself up and made her first discovery. Her arms were short and had clawed paws instead of hands! As her head cleared a bit more, she discovered a fine fur coat covering her body. It thickened into dense fur where her waist had been. As she got a closer look at herself, she discovered she was now more beaver than woman! Great paddle tail and all! Her new apartment, it seemed, wasn't as she'd expected. She was working for the zoo but not as an employee. She was now one of the exhibits!