The train was surprisingly yet immensely cold today. I tugged on the bottom of my camouflage hoodie, pulling it down over the shorts I was wearing.
"Stupid shorts... no wonder I'm so cold..." I mumbled to myself, looking out of the window nearby. The train's wheels crackled against the rails, making me occasionally bounce in the air. The station was coming up shortly; I could tell because another numerous other Inklings were standing at the platform not too far from where I could see. I gathered my things and stood as the train chugged to a stop, opening its doors so I could swiftly exit. I sighed monotonously.
Today was going to be a heck of a day.
It already started out as a weird one.
-~-
"AIIIEEE!"
My scream echoed throughout the dim apartment as I fell out my bed and onto the shaggy carpet floor. I raised my hands to my face, seeing them as they were before I went to sleep. I grabbed at different parts of my body, scared that other parts of my body had changed. Suddenly, my brain snapped on a subtle thought.
The thought of being a squid.
"Did I... finally do it?" I asked myself aloud, rising to my feet and heading into the bathroom.
The only way that I could tell that I had the power was water. Although it was true that 'our kind' doesn't like water, but we can sustain ourselves in it for about a couple of minutes without us going totally insane.
I turned the knob of the sink to wash my face, continuously dousing it. The same yell I emitted earlier became audible once again as I yanked my hands from the sink moments later. I stared at them intently.
They were light blue, slimy tentacles. I quickly looked up into the mirror.
My hair was the same blue color as well.
"BOOYAH!" I shouted, jumping up for joy. I dashed to the phone and punched in my mother's phone number on the home phone. However, my happiness soon turned into somberness as the phone went straight to voicemail. I sighed, pressing the end button on the phone.
"Geez... Well, I hope you're doing alright, Mom..." I muttered as I put the phone back into its holder. I crawled back into bed, but not before looking at the clock.
4:39. The warehouse opened up at 9.
"Dang it... I have work..." I agonized over this fact for a couple of moments before drifting back to sleep.
You see, I was never able to turn into a squid until this morning, which is what all of the kids are able to do around fourteen and fifteen. I guess they would call me a 'late bloomer.” I tried and kept trying ever since I turned fourteen, but it just wouldn't click.
Until this morning.
Waking back up again at about six, I took a nice and rather hot shower before heading into my closet. The shorts we wore were all the rave these days (and warehouse uniform mandatory), so I threw on a new pair and slid into my favorite camo hoodie. I sighed and headed back into my bathroom to look myself in the mirror.
"Listen, Devonne... you're going to have to make a choice... are you... a squid... or a kid?" I chuckled at the statement and turned into a squid, swimming around my room happily.
"I'm a squid! I can finally turn into a squid!" I shouted freely. I jumped up into the air and turned back into my cloth-wearing self. Unfortunately, after turning back into myself, I crashed right into my dresser, making me fall back down to the ground. "Ouch... " I moaned, holding my head. I flicked my head at the clock, which read 7:12. I got up and made my way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
-~-
After going through many options, I decided to settle with a bowl of cereal. It was quiet this morning, as it usually was when most people got up. I started to ponder about my parents quietly, staring at the sink. I accidentally left it dripping, making me drift back into my past.
Drip... drip... drip...
"Dad... Dad, are you alright?" I questioned as my mom was helping him into the house. His cane wasn't doing him so good by supporting him. He needed a new one.
"Honey, are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" my mom asked him calmly, with him ignoring my subtle question. He cringed and stumbled, but continued to move towards his bedroom.
"I need... something... to give to... my son..." my mom guided him into the room carefully, my dad reaching for the top of the closet. He pulled down a black yet sleek suitcase, clicking the locks open and pulling out pieces of paper. He quickly scribbled something on the last of them. He then slammed the case shut and shoved towards me.
"Here, Devonne... it's yours now... go to the Warehouse, they'll be only ones who might hire you..." He moaned to me silently. He turned to my mom and nodded. "Let's go to the hospital now." I stared at him with shock in my eyes, clawing at his pants as he walked out.
"Dad, wait! Please don't leave...!"
But all I saw was his trail of ink and the door slam shut.
The papers that he was writing on was my work permit papers, allowing me to get my job at the Warehouse. That trail of ink was the last I saw of him. My mom came home bawling the next day, my dad's squirt cane tight in her hand. It didn't do him much good, either for blasting Octarians or for mobility.
I shook my head and went to turn the sink off, as well as placing my bowl in it and rinsing it out. I took a deep breath and let it out, traveling through the dark hallways of the apartment to go back to my room to get my phone.
Even though I thought about them a lot, I shouldn't worry about my parents now––my mom was probably in another business meeting. I gathered my Inkphone with my earbuds and bag and headed out, locking the door to the apartment.
Off to work, Dad. I'll see you when I get back. I thought before skipping down the stairs and to the train station.
-~-
The warehouse hasn't been this busy in weeks. There were jellyfish and Inklings helping out, putting things in crates and driving cranes. Sweating profusely, I picked up yet another heavy box and heaved it to another location. I wiped my head as I heard yelling coming from where I retrieved my box from.
"Wow, nice shot!" I heard a jellyfish say as I approached him. I looked down at him, then looked down at the main part of our building.
He was watching other Inklings playing Turf War from the outside. I smiled as the purple team was dominating the green.
"I wonder if green is going to make a comeback..." the jellyfish grumbled, sliding away from the window and back to work. There was only glass that stood between us and ferocious battle. I raised my hand to touch the glass, sighing. Suddenly, I saw someone dip down into their own ink and come towards me, rising back up in front of me on the other side of the glass. It looked like a person who has just respawned. It was a girl Inkling with a sweater and beanie on. She smiled as she grazed the glass as well, placing her hand where mine was. She grinned as she parted ways with me, swimming down to the bottom level of the Warehouse. I blushed madly and turned away from the glass, walking away from the scene.
You know you can do that, right? I asked myself in my head. I sighed and picked up another box, placing it on a crane. I climbed on top of the box and sat there as the crane lifted me up in the air.
After work... I thought as I stared down at other Inklings at work.
I'm heading to Inkopolis Tower.
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