Allan ran his fingers across the dried mud on his face as tears filled the peripheries of his vision. The cracking brown shell was overwhelming, a layer of shame for all to see. There was no escaping it. Staring at his reflection, the mud was everywhere he looked. It was caked into his normally well kept hair, covered his weekend pressed suit, and under his manicured nails. Hell, even his mind was a bit muddy.

How did I not see this coming? How did I end up here?

Today started like any other over the last 200 years. Allan had reported for duty the same as always, early and with an extra coffee for his Lead. Two sugars and a splash of ecto for taste. There was the usual morning meeting with corporate and the new, ever changing, deity regulations. The first report due by noon and then the quarterly earnings meeting at 2pm. Nothing unusual, just a normal day at the office.

Allan’s hands shook as he turned on the tap and started to wash his face. The clear water began to do it’s work and he felt it caress his skin and remove the layers of filth. With each scrub of his hands, he started to recognize the face looking back at him. The usual cooling sensation he was accustomed to was absent.

No matter how much he scrubbed, no matter how much shame he tried to remove, his face remained red hot. His breathing intensified and the tears completely had filled his vision. Because today had not been a normal day.

He reached for a hand-cloth in the towel rack to dry his face, but fumbled and it fell to the floor. Instinctively his hand clenched and his fist slammed into the counter.

DAMN IT! How the hell could they do this? How could they toss me aside like this? After all my years-

He slammed his fist into the counter again and wiped the tears from his eyes with his other hand.

Those fucking ingrates. After all the bodies I moved. My transfers were off the charts. But I lose 3 souls to the river in one quarter and THIS IS WHAT I GET? A fucking “We’re sorry Allan” and tossed out by security?

His face was flush and the sound of his pulse filled his ears. It was getting harder to focus on anything else but the rage building inside him. He held his breath and stuck his head under the faucet and to wash the mud from his hair. The cold of the water had no effect on him. He looked up and stared back into his reflection once more gritting his teeth.

TWO HUNDRED YEARS and all I get is “We’re sorry?”

He bit his lip and the taste of blood filled his mouth. He made another fist and smashed it into the mirror, shattering it as wrath boiled over within him.

Sorry? Oh, they’ll be sorry alright.