Colleagues (Part 8) - Good Man

You woke up from hearing the cage being unlocked, it was morning, Naomi had thick socks on, she pulled them off and placed her feet on the table, she sighed in pleasure, “brrr, so cold, I love it”, she turned on TV and it was some Christmas movie, Jonathan was right, you didn’t even notice the last 3 christmases.

You weakly went out of your cage and got to her foot, it was warm, you hugged it and placed your chick on the surface, it felt good, she ignored it.

“Babe, wake up and go to my foot”, she ordered Jonathan, but he didn't respond, “Babe!” she shouted and pushed the cage gently with her foot. *snap snap* she snapped her fingers.

“Greg, go fetch him for me”, she ordered and you quickly approached the cage, you had never climbed to his section before.

“Hey man, come down please”, you called, he replied with silence, you started having a bad feeling, you quickly climbed up, you saw his cage’s bars, there were counting marks everywhere, he really counted every single day, and he was sitting there, leaning over the bars, his eyes aimlessly looking up.

You covered your mouth with your hand and touched him, you shrieked and quickly climbed down, falling on your back and crying.

“What’s going on?”

“H-He’s dead! J-Jonathan!” You cried and crawled away from the cage, pointing at it in panic.

“Oh my”, she said and examined closely, she flipped the cage and his lifeless body fell down, “poor Johnny”, she made a sad face, but she bit her lower lip.

“W-What are we going to do!” You shouted.

“That’s so sad, right?” She asked, flipping him over with her finger, “do you know how it happened? Did he starve?” She asked calmly.

You stood up, crying, you tried to adjust your breath, “h-he was sick, he coughed a lot lately, oh my god.. oh no”.

“Oh, that’s a shame…” She took her phone out, then took some photos of him.

You looked at her, her face didn’t seem sad anymore, she was so casual about it, “w-what are you doing?” You asked in a whiny voice.

"Well, I need some photos for the insurance company I guess, no more salary but at least he had his life insurance”, she said calmly.

You looked at his body, she didn’t even care, she only cared about the money.

“Naomi please, I’m begging you, I don’t want to die like that”, you fell to your knees and begged her.

“Hmm?” she looked at you arrogantly.

“I’ve been working so hard, please, just let me order the cure again, I will do anything you say, I will take care of your feet in normal size if you want”, you cried.

“Aw, Greg, that’s so cute of you”, she said and took another photo of Jonathan.

“Please”, you pleaded again.

“Ok Greg, you know what? Let’s try ordering the cure again, what do you say?” She suggested with a smile.

Your heart was pounding, “r-really?”

“Yeah, of course, I mean you worked so hard, my feet aren’t perfect but you definitely made them look so much better”, she said with a giggle.

"Oh my god… thanks Naomi, so much”, you said with a shaking voice, she smiled and brought a little broom and a dustpan, she cleaned Jonathan off the table like he was dirt, then placed him inside a bag and sealed it.

You looked at him for the last time, nodding, he was a good man.

She went and came back after a while with her laptop, she placed it on the table, “so I’ve been thinking, let’s order more than one?” She suggested.

You nodded.

“Is it ok if I enter your account and see what’s going on there?” She suggested. Last time you just made the transfer without entering your account.

You nodded again, she entered the bank website and you couldn’t remember your password, so you guided her to enter your email notes, she entered your bank account, then your investments, she started selling everything and added it to your savings.

“Naomi, really, thank you so much for doing this”, you thanked her, excited for being able to try the cure again.

“Of course, so it looks like you have 223k left, this is 4 bottles and a little bit of change, mind if I take it?” She asked with a smile.

“t-take it?” You asked.

“Well, I took care of you for so long, I think I deserve something in return, right?” She giggled.

You nodded, “Yeah, you are right, of course, you can have it”, you said and you started handling the transfers, your account was finally depleted, all your life, everything you worked for, every single penny you ever earned - was gone.

“Ok so I suggest that every week I will buy another cure and we will try all over again until you grow back”, she said with a smile.

“Yes, thank you”, you said and nodded again, excited.

“Ok cool, can you take care of my feet while I do that?”

“of course Naomi, you know you don’t need to ask”, you said with a smile.

“Haha, that’s right, I don’t need to ask”, she said and placed her feet on the table and her laptop on her lap, you approached her feet and did what you know best, licking and grinding your teeth at dead skin clusters, eating whatever you can, happy you don’t need to worry anymore about exterminating those completely.

After a few hours you looked to your side and were reminded of Jonathan, you were used to seeing him licking between the toes of her other foot, it was hard to perceive that he was gone.

—---------

After a very lonely week, Naomi came back with a bag again, soaked in sweat after jogging. She took out the bottle and it seemed different, everything seemed different than what you used to remember, she opened it and filled up a spoon, then placed it next to you.

Filled with adrenaline, you bowed down and started eating it, the weird taste of her sweat again, but you didn’t care, finally, fucking finally - you are drinking the cure.

“Another, please”, you asked and she casually filled the spoon again and placed it down, looking at you eagerly eating it.

“Ok Greg, back to work”, she said and placed her toes in front of you.

“Can’t I have more?” You asked.

“Nah, that’s enough, and I need space in your belly, there’s a disgusting blister underneath my second toe, take care of it please”.

You obediently nodded and got to work. You are so close, tomorrow you might finally be a free man.

“So umm, I’ve been thinking, maybe it’s time to get you a new cage?” She said.

“B-But why? I’m finally going back to normal”, you said with hope in your heart.

“A-Ah, yeah, right”, she looked sideways and giggled, “totally forgot about it”.

You finally ripped off the blister and started licking around it, tending to her beautiful skin, you got so good at it, and you were really proud of the way her soles look now.

She sighed and leaned back, “honestly Greg, it’s been such a pleasure having you, it was really entertaining”, she said with a smile, you kept eating dead skin, she smelled her armpit and made a disgusted face, “so what will you do when you get back to normal size?” She asked, “won’t you miss my foot sweat?” She giggled.

Her question confused you, only now you realize that you never really thought about it, you have no money now, and you have no one waiting for you, your rented apartment is probably long gone.

But that’s a problem for another time, you must stay focused on growing back first, and you start feeling something in your belly, a warm feeling, you thought the cure might be working.

She stopped giggling and relaxed herself, you naturally kept on licking and treating her feet.

Happy that things are finally moving forward, you felt stuck for so long.

—————

End of part 8