Paperwork and Curses (Otherwise Untitled)
#4 of Short Stories
A rabbit tries to finish the paperwork in time to put a cursed item into a safety deposit box where it can't hurt them.
~ The ferret stared with apathy mixed with a dash of impatience over her glasses, and sighed. "Sir, you'll need to complete that form before you can make a deposit." There were always customers, there had always been a process, and the two never seemed to align on time. She slid the small stack of bills back towards the rabbit, adding a pen to the pile.
~ The hurried rabbit was striken with just a moment of panic, clutching his shoulder bag a bit more tightly. "I don't need to put money in here.. I, um.. need to get a deposit box for... not money. You said it'd cost seventeen quids to rent the box for a year. That's.. seventeen quids, right there." His ears perked suddenly, and he glanced about the lobby and up at the clock anxiously. He was all nerves and rush, and wanted so very badly to be rid of the bag's contents on his own terms.
~ Glen took a drink of her mug, settling into her seat in the way that only ferrets could seems to manage. "Yes, it costs seven quids to rent a box. And the most basic account has a minimum starting balance of ten quids. So there's the two steps. Two forms. Account. Box." She leaned forward a bit to glance down with disinterest at his satchel, "..and if that thing is magical, I recommend you spring the extra three quids for an iron box." She sipped the coffee. "Cursed counts. It's all magic. Doesn't change the paperwork, either way. I'll show you the box to check on the next form."
~ The rabbit took a moment to collect his thoughts, composure, and the pen. He began scribbling furiously through the form, the tip of the pen a blur as he voraciously fulfilled the bureaucratic template. "Ah.. yes.. can I have that second form? Now?" The rabbit didn't even look up from the final boxes of the Account Creation Form. Glen rolled her chair back, pulling open a drawer to riffle to the correct form. The rabbit could at least understand process when it was presented, for this she was thankful. By the time the mustelide placed the second form on the desk the stack of money had gained three more quid. She highlighted the box to check for 'Iron Upgrade'.
~ As Glen reviewed the first form, the rabbit's progress through the second was interrupted with a bit of a yelp. He grasped his bag, giving it a shake. "No.. no! I still have time!..", he squealed in panic. The ferret continued her review of the first form, "The clock in the lobby is seven minutes fast." She leaned forward to verify the rabbit's chair was now empty, "A sorcerer will be in to sort you out next Tuesday. This is a complementary service we offer to all of our customers", sparing a moment to glance down and verify that he had in fact signed the first form, "No matter how recently they've become one." She slid the pile of twenty quids into a deposit envelope, stapling it to the first form. On her way to file the completed paperwork she left the second form to the attentions of the shredder.