Good Luck

The year is 3085. The month is March. The day is the 30th. The time is 6:30 in the morning. I've showered and am dressed. I've had my breakfast sausage links. I'm out the door. A quick walk and I'm at the Lightspeed Train Station. I'm on and off the train in about 15 seconds. I'm at my stop, which is about an hour walk from my job. Even though I could just take a hoverbike and get there much quicker, I like to use my walk as a time to reflect. 

Today is the day I've been dreaming about for as long as I can remember. Today is the the day I get to help a person from a time long before my own, adapt to a world unknown. Heh, it rhymes. That world unknown is the future, the time we're currently living in. It's a time worthy of inhabiting all of who have lived. I studied many long years, learning everything there is to know about the past. Nothing in my life so far has compared to the joy I got from my hard work paying off and being accepted into WTF. The past couple weeks have been a thrill, working to learn the ins and outs of my new job. But today I get my first real interaction with the history I so adore.  

"Oh wow," I exclaimed reflexively as I lost my train of thought. 

There was a coin on the ground up ahead. I haven't seen one of those in a really long time. Someone must have dropped it. Even though they don't really serve much purpose in a peaceful world with infinite resources, some people keep them for the nostalgia or for playing games. And for a history geek like me, it's a very cool find. A long time ago, it was believed that finding a coin with the heads up was considered good luck.

As I got closer to the coin, I was able to see what side was facing upwards. 

Darn, it's tails. I guess I'll flip it over so the next person can get the good luck.

"Wha-"

It's... tails on both sides?? Why?? I mean, this could be a super rare minting mistake, but it's more likely that someone's pulling a prank intended for fools like me that'd bother flipping it over.

I wonder if anyone was watching me fall for it. I look around but it doesn't seem like anyone's nearby. 

I guess I'll just pick it up and throw it away to spare anyone else from the embarrassment. I scuttle over to a nearby disposal unit.

As I toss the coin into a disposal can, I hear a noise.

"Meow"

Huh? What was that? A cat? Where?

I look around but it can't seem to find it.

"Meow"

There it is again. Where could it be? 

That reminds me. Another superstition from the past, regarding luck, involved cats. Apparently, if you saw a black cat, you were gifted with good luck. Or maybe it was bad luck? I think it depended on the time period and country. 

"Meow"

Oh that's where it was coming from. The cat was stuck under an upside down box. I wonder if it's a black cat. Not that it matters of course. Since I don't believe in those silly superstitions. I go ahead and lift up the box so the cat can get out.

"Awww"

It's a cute little orange cat. Even though personally, I'm a dog person, specifically a Weiner dog person, I can admit that cats are adorable as well. It lets me scratch it's tiny head.

"I've got to get going to work so bye-bye kitty," I tell the cat, with the type of intonation you'd use when talking to something so cute, before turning to walk away.

After a little while, I hear something again.

"Meow"

The cat is following me. I guess that's fine. No reason it can't.

As me and my new feline friend keep walking, we come across a man painting a wall high up on a hover-lift. Even though robots exist that can do any task a person wants or needs, many people like to do things themselves to keep busy.

"WATCH OUT!" the man on the hover-lift yelled out as we were passing below. A bucket of black paint was plummeting towards us.

I threw myself at the cat. I scooped it up and jumped as quickly as I could out of the way.

"That was close," I say as I lay on the ground with the cat in my arms, the black paint splattered all over the street, the closest drops only a few inches away. We just barely avoided getting covered in all black. 

I get up and set the cat down. 

"Meow"

It doesn't even seem fazed by what just happened. I bet it wouldn't have even been bothered if the paint fell on it. Regardless, I've got to let this guy on the hover-lift know he's got to be more careful.

"Hey man, you've got to-

"BZZT"

A bolt of lightning came down and struck the cat. After getting dramatically shocked, it flopped over, scorched and steaming.

"WATCH OUT!" The man on the hover-lift yelled out.

It was his fault again?? How do you even drop a lightning bolt while painting??

"A LITTLE LATE DON'T YOU THINK!?" I retorted.

"Don't worry, I'm a professional!" exclaimed the man on the hover-lift as he jumped down and landed next to the cat he just killed.

Professional of what?? 

"Stay back!" he yelled, as he waved me away. He then clapped his hands together and raised them above his head. He interlocked his fingers and turned his palms outwards, and like a hammer, swung down on the cat, yelling "RISE!" as he slammed into its lifeless body.

.....

"Meow"

The cat's.... alive?! Well, that's a good thing, but poor little guy, having to go through that.

"Even though the cat's okay now, you've got to be more careful, dropping buckets of paint and lightning bolts onto the street isn't safe," I told the man, who was still in the same position.

With his back turned to me, he slowly got up and crossed his arms.

"7 to go" he exclaimed proudly.

7 of what to go?? 7 of the cat's lives?? I thought they had 9?? What happened to the first one??

Whatever, I don't have time for this, I've got to get to work. The cat, with its hair burnt black, is now entertained by the man who both killed and brought it back to life. 

.....

I finally arrive at WTF headquarters. After greeting some people I know, I walk through the front doors.

"Hey Orion, ready for your big day?"

It was my friend and WTF desk clerk, Ferris. I'm happy that he remembers that today is my first day of doing an assignment by myself. Although, I did kind of make it hard to forget. I've talked about this day nonstop, to the point where even I knew I was being annoying. But I don't care. I was excited. 

"Yup, although a bit nervous," I tell him as I scan my ID to check-in.

"Don't worry about it man, you got a job here for a reason," he reassured me.

"Yeaaa, but still..."

"No buts. You got this. Good luck."

"With the morning I've had so far, I need it." 

I thank him before going on my way.

.....

I should probably head to the bathroom real quick to make sure I look good. I did have quite an eventful walk to work this morning after all.

No one else is in the bathroom. I check myself out in the mirror. Play with my hair a bit. Strike some poses. Flatten out any wrinkles on my uniform. I double check to make sure none of the black paint from earlier got on it.

"Alright, alright, alright, looking good my friend," I say with my head tilted, finger guns pointed at the mirror, and my best attempt at a sexy facial expression. 

"Pff-" 

A guy was standing at the bathroom's entrance looking at me as I stood there in my ridiculous pose. I didn't have to turn around, I could see him holding back his laughter as I looked straight ahead into the mirror, frozen in embarrassment, shame filling my eyes. Before I could even say a word, he walked out of the bathroom.

I stayed in the bathroom a bit longer because I didn't want to run this risk of bumping into him. Hopefully he'll forget about what just happened.

......

Hmm?

There's a little crack in the bottom corner of the mirror. 

I wonder how that happened. Oh well, I'll let someone one know later.

It's about time that I head off to my first assignment.