Treasure
Void
Paul Wronski adjusted the vase of flowers on the living room coffee table. Then he pushed it back just a smidge. There! Center. He brushed off his hands nervously and looked around. The small living room leading into the utilitarian kitchen was spotless and perfect. Other than the fat gerbil sitting on the stool next to the breakfast bar nibbling on the last of a handful of seeds.
"Everything has to be perfect, Mr. Kuzco," he fretted to the gerbil. "First impressions are everything! We are getting a new roommate, and we must not be weird, okay?"
The gerbil looked at him, tiny jaw moving at hyper speed as it chewed up the seeds. Nuts, it said.
"Yes, Mr. Kuzco, you are right, this is nuts, but what else are we supposed to do?" Paul sighed. "This town is too expensive to have such a nice apartment on our one paycheck!" He looked around morosely.
The apartment was not exactly a walk-up penthouse, but it was nice. Clean, quiet neighbors, two bedrooms, and a shared bath that was big enough for Paul to move around in with some comfort. That was no small feat for a six-foot-tall gorilla of a man. There was even a fire escape leading up to the roof! Yes, that was legally required, but he couldn't help feeling a surge of pleasure at that. Easy access to the roof for his garden... and other reasons. It was a good apartment.
Footsteps outside the door caught his attention. "They're here!" he gasped. "Oh no, they're here!" He scooped up Mr. Kuzco, swept the leftover seeds into his pocket, and dashed into his bedroom. The gerbil found itself unceremoniously dumped into its cage, which it expressed its displeasure at with some loud gerbil swearing. Paul ignored him as he ran to the door and slid across the floor. He stopped and caught his breath, smoothing down his hair before opening the door with a smile. "Hello!"
"Everything has to be perfect, Mr. Kuzco," he fretted to the gerbil. "First impressions are everything! We are getting a new roommate, and we must not be weird, okay?"
The gerbil looked at him, tiny jaw moving at hyper speed as it chewed up the seeds. Nuts, it said.
"Yes, Mr. Kuzco, you are right, this is nuts, but what else are we supposed to do?" Paul sighed. "This town is too expensive to have such a nice apartment on our one paycheck!" He looked around morosely.
The apartment was not exactly a walk-up penthouse, but it was nice. Clean, quiet neighbors, two bedrooms, and a shared bath that was big enough for Paul to move around in with some comfort. That was no small feat for a six-foot-tall gorilla of a man. There was even a fire escape leading up to the roof! Yes, that was legally required, but he couldn't help feeling a surge of pleasure at that. Easy access to the roof for his garden... and other reasons. It was a good apartment.
Footsteps outside the door caught his attention. "They're here!" he gasped. "Oh no, they're here!" He scooped up Mr. Kuzco, swept the leftover seeds into his pocket, and dashed into his bedroom. The gerbil found itself unceremoniously dumped into its cage, which it expressed its displeasure at with some loud gerbil swearing. Paul ignored him as he ran to the door and slid across the floor. He stopped and caught his breath, smoothing down his hair before opening the door with a smile. "Hello!"