#42 Polarity

Dear diary,

I can’t believe I was so naïve! There I was thinking Viktor was a tough but decent guy, and that Boudecia was an antisocial witch (in more ways than one). Okay, I might be right about Boudecia, but I assumed that because of that she was bad and Viktor was good. I think I need to rethink my thinking after today.

In the morning Talia, Shannon and I were called into Viktor’s office, where he an Boudecia were waiting for us. He invited us in cordially and asked us to each take a seat. There were only two and Shannon hurriedly stole the one closest to me, so I ended up sitting on the floor. Viktor poured us some drinks and handed them out wit that over-friendly smile of his. Boudecia sat and watched us like a hawk, or, to be more precise, an owl.

Viktor spoke at length about BiblioTech’s vision for the future of library services. It started off interestingly enough but soon I found my attention drawing a line, with it on the other side to Viktor. He concluded his speech by announcing that he ad Boudecia had come to a decision about who would replace Pepper while she was on leave.

There was one catch, tough. Since SIR had been introduced into the library there was hardly any shelving left for us to do. Also, there was little call for volunteers in a business such as this library. Therefore, one of the three of us would be asked to leave.

Talia and I exchanged horrified glances. Shannon stared straight ahead at the wall. Viktor pretended to look like he had just made a very difficult decision, but there was a twinkle in his eye. Boudecia’s expression was implacable and gave away nothing. Viktor reached into his drawer and pulled out an envelope.

“Best of luck to each of you,” he said, and I despised him so much at that moment. All eyes were fixed on him as he opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. Slowly and deliberately he unfolded it to read out our names and our fates.

I have to give credit to Boudecia for the next part. She told the three of us later, in private, that Viktor had asked her to make the decision and to type up the letter, probably so he could absolve himself of any backlash. Unbeknownst to him she had been prepared and had made the decision before BiblioTech took over, meaning they had no power over the matter.

She’d promoted us all to the ostentatious position of… Library Officer.

Viktor’s disappointment was evident, and he glared at Boudecia aggressively. She looked back at him, and time seemed to slow around the two of them. I’d seen her do this before and so had Talia and Shannon, by the looks on their faces. We walked out fo the room silently as the two bosses stared at each other, suspended in that moment of mutual hatred.

So now I’m a Library Officer! I… I… don’t know what else to say. If the circumstances had been different I’d be dancing around the house, but I’m just stunned by the weight of everything that’s happened lately. I think I… really need to… sleep…

-Jay