1 Lizard Beards

"IF I WAS A LEADER WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENT?"

"I guess it had to happen one day. "Tenka" is taking a break"

"I was really surprised when I heard it"

My coworkers are being extra again. My name is Tenka Yevià and after 5 years of working I'm taking my first vacation.

"I thought the entire building would come down from all the shouting"

"Is that how happy they were to see me leave?"

"No offense bro but if you weren't you, you'll understand"

What does that even mean?

"I didn't think the boss would kneel and beg you to stay, haha"

Well that's because he didn't want me to leave him alone with these slackers. I almost felt bad from how much he begged.

"You just called us slackers in your mind, didn't you?"

"Quite perceptive as usual"

This is Diana, nothing gets past her. She has a very serious face so most people find her unapproachable but unlike her looks she's very lax with her work. She's one of those people that look like they're doing something important but aren't really doing anything. We've been friends since I started working here. We were hired around the same time together with Steven and Farhad.

"We're not slackers, you just work too much. Thank gosh you're going; the work load will go back to normal".

"Let's not ruin the night with work talk. Cheers!"

"Cheers!!!"

We clinked our drinks together and drank. We said our goodbyes soon after since tomorrow was still a work day.

It's not that I love to work hard it's just that since I was little I've had this mental illness. The doctor says it might be an unknown variation of OCD but since he hadn't seen a case like this, he couldn't be sure.

It's like this basically, I live my life via a progress bar that I see in my head. I don't see it physically but I can tell it's there. The more I do something or achieve a goal the more it fills up and if I do it wrong or if something is amiss the progress doesn't go up. Sometimes I might perform to the best of my abilities but the bar won't go up until I try even harder. It's like it knows me and my capabilities more than I know myself. Other than that the bar empties itself every day whether I fill it or not. They're no rewards for filling it before the days' end but if I don't I feel restless and agitated just thinking about it.

I've been repeatedly filling the bar every day and working filled the bar easily. My doctor said that such habit of waking up every day filling the bar just to wake up the next and do just the same would only increase my dependence on the bar. Also my one tracked mind of filling the bar without rest was bad for my health.

Even I think I might have overdone it. I didn't even take breaks during break time.

"I understand why they complain but I can't let them find out about this freaking bar in my head"

I hit my head out of frustration. I might have done it a bit too hard since I staggered a bit and had to leaned on a car by the side of the road. The car beeped loudly and then I heard a sound at the other side of the road.

CRASH

It sounded like something knocked down a trash can. I thought it was some kind of animal, possibly a raccoon.

I pulled out my phone and switched on the torch light pointing it at the source of the sound. I was right, something knocked down the trash can but what?

I stood on my toes trying to make out what was hiding behind the fallen can and heap of trash. There it was a creature I've never seen before. At first I thought it was just a snake but when I saw it had limbs, I thought maybe a lizard but what kind of a lizard had 3 pairs of legs. It was as big as my forearm and had a thin tail twice its size.

"Wow"

I really liked animals since I was small so I had researched about a bunch of them so there was no way I wouldn't have heard about such a special little guy.

The creature realized I spotted it and it folded itself to appear smaller and maybe become less noticeable. As I got closer my shadow was cast upon the creature and it visibly shivered. I heard somewhere that animals appal shadow. I backed off slowly.

"Sorry sorry. It's okay little guy, I won't hurt you"

I spoke softly. I could hardly hear myself. I proceeded as slow as possible. Not a single sudden movement. I might just spook it, if I'm not careful.

My intensions where clear, the creature unwind. i could get a good look. It had a black sclera, tiny blue balls swimming freely within a rectangular eye. The a grey mucus separated the pupil from the black abyss.

It stared at me with one pupil stacked on the other.

"Cute"

I smiled. stretched out my hand.

"would you like to come with me"

it straightened, I could make speculations about it's size now.

Like I thought it was as long as my forearm excluding the tail, I guess about 15 inches. It had hard spiny scales, Iike an armadillo lizard.

It slowly approached me.

It stretch its neck over my palm. It head darting back and forth. the creature judged it was safe, placed a limb on mine.

It smiled at me. A bit surprised to see an animal express itself so masterfully. The entire face muscles were in motion.

I hesitated, pulled back my hand. It noticed this motion and scurried up my forearm.

It was so spontaneous that I fell. was I being attacked? No, it latched onto my arm, docile.

It stared meekly, I could it was just a baby. Whatever it was.

I picked myself up, lifted my right arm with all my might. Almost punched myself in the face.

"Light" mumble in surprise. It weighed close to nothing.

i hurried home.

I made it home in record time. I didn't have much time to congratulate myself, good job.

I tore open the door in a haste and it made the loudest squeak. It wasn't a problem before but it was especially loud today. Like the world know my secrets.

I locked the door behind me. unbeknownst to me the creature had already scampered off somewhere.

"Cyclops! Cyclops, where have you gone?"

I ask, even waited for a reply. It's a weird mystical creature, it could probably speak Rut'vit, maybe.

Better yet, I'll use this time to change my clothes and get ready for dinner.

I named the creature Cyclops because of its beautiful big one eye. It didn't have eyelids I wonder how it sleeps.

My mind full of questions, hungry for the answers.

Anyway I bet Cyclops is hungry, poor thing.

I quickly whipped up something to eat. Though, what does one eyed snake, lizard, baby dragon things eat?

I guess I can't go wrong with milk for babies. That's only true for mammals, maybe an insect? it is reptilian.

Cyclops scurried from the wall. It really os expressive, like those cartoon animals on TV. I bet it would get into kinds of shenanigans.

It took a whiff of the air and its eyes lit up.

You've got no nose though.

I might have over thought. It doesn't mind human food. I put some food on a plate placed it in front of Cyclops. It didn't rush the food unlike expected.

"Was I wrong?"

I push the plate closer, Cyclops pushed it back.

Cyclops latched on again.

"I really can't let my guard down around you"

Cyclops tapped on my hand continuously.

"are you trying to tell me something?"

Cycloos gesture at the plate on the floor.

"Aha, you just wanted to eat from papa's hand hehe. What a cutie"

I picked up the plate, scoped a spoon full.

I tried to feed it to no avail. It pointed at me.

"Oh I should eat first?"

such a leery little thing. From how you latch onto me you'll thing we had a special relationship. I bet you do this to every human you meet.

"Ok watch, I won't do it again so don't miss it"

I put the food in my mouth, chewed it up and then swallowed. I opened my mouth and showed it the empty chasm. It recoiled its head and looked at me weird. I got self-conscious and closed my mouth.

My stomach grumbled relentlessly. What the hell, I was just out with the guys a while ago.

"what's hap…"

An unbearable hunger befell. I scuffed down the plate of food. It wasn't enough. I went straight for the pot.

I ate the entire thing.

Enough portion to to last use till breakfast. I wolfed it all down. Never has this kind of appetite before.

PURP

I heard a pop from cyclops.

"is this because of you? … whoa"

I felt really sleepy all of sudden.

What was happening? On my arm a black statue of Cyclops had replaced it. I couldn't even question it before drifting into a coma.