Zach enters the TV studio floor room, having already punched in. He takes off his backpack and sets it aside, yet leaves his blue baseball cap and bandana on. After setting his stuff down, the fox then moves to his station, inspecting the contents on a laptop and a clipboard.
“Good morning, Zach.” The fox picks his head up from his clipboard to see a brown bear with blonde hair and jeans stand in front of him. “You have a good weekend?”
“Hey, Josh,” Zach says. “I… suppose…”
“That doesn’t sound too convincing,” Josh responds. “What happened? Did Willy get to you?”
“What? No… It was just… boring… Didn’t really do much, you know.”
“I hear ya. Can get dull around here. I mean, what else is there to do in Anitropolis, right? Anyway, hope you’re prepared today. The director wants us to add changes to the next ‘Wool & Wiles’ episode.”
“More changes?” Zach utters. “What happened to what we did last week? That wasn’t appealing for him?”
“Apparently not… He didn’t think it was dazzling enough… He wants us to really sell the audience on some of the effects.”
“Doesn’t he and the managers understand that some of the props are dangerous? Some of the lighting isn’t working properly… I inspected them weeks ago and found several issues with them. Put in a word because of how dangerous they are…”
“Yeah, well what do you think happened after? Production manager had us put them back up like they’re no big deal…”
“Someone’s going to get hurt, Josh… Doesn’t anyone see that…?”
“All they see are dollar signs… As long as it shines and work, it’s fine… They don’t want to replace them; says it costs too much… Don’t worry about it, Zach. It isn’t your fault.”
“Seriously, how many times do I have to fix something before it finally gives out and kills someone? This is ridiculous… And then the blame will be shifted onto us…”
“At least we get paid nice money, right?”
Zach lets out a sigh. “I guess…”
“Hey you two!” They are interrupted when a green raccoon approaches them. She is half of both boys’ height and dons a purple vest. “How’s it going?”
“Hiya, Rachael,” Josh says. “How’s it going?”
“Doing great! I’m excited to shoot the next episode of ‘Wool & Wiles.’ Hope you guys train that camera well on me.”
“We try to, but it doesn’t listen. We may need to bring it in for disciplinary action.”
The raccoon gives a laugh. “Well, I hope the camera doesn’t get fired.” She then looks to the fox. “Hey, Zach. How are you doing?”
“Okay, I guess,” Zach responds. “Been a quick weekend.”
“I agree; the weekend goes too quickly. I didn’t really want to come to work today. But if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get paid. Hope you guys have a good day.” She waves as she wanders away.
“I should get to my post,” Josh utters. “Sound manager wants me to inspect the recording equipment. Says it’s been crackling lately. Probably a sign that it’s old and needs replacement.”
“Hope the viewers like crackling in their episodes,” Zach tells him. “Because by the time he replaces them, we’ll be already replaced by robots.”
Josh lets out a chuckle. “Oh, picking up a sense of humor already, huh? That’s good. I’ll see you around, Zach.” He leaves the fox. Zach goes back to his duties of checking the equipment.
“Fox!” spurts a voice.
Zach turns to his right and finds the source to be a sheep, same height as the raccoon from before. “Oh, Willy Wool. How’s it going?”
“Cut the crap, Fox!” Willy crosses his arms. “What’s the big idea?”
“What are you talking about?”
The fluffy animal points at him. “Save it! I know you were trying to sabotage the show!”
“What? Willy, you’re mistaken.”
“Don’t lie to me! I know that’s your intention!”
“Why would I do that?”
“You want to be the star, is why! Besides, you’re a predator, and you predators are always targeting us prey in every way!”
“Willy…”
“Stay away and no more tricks, Fox!” He turns and ambles away.
Zach lets out a sigh. “Why does he always assume that…? I’m not trying to-”
“All right, people!” shouts the director. “Places! We’re about to start.” The other animals take their places. Zach and Josh ready themselves with the rest of the crew. The live audience all take their seats in the booth and wait for the start as the director finishes recapping what the current scene is about. “And… Action!” Zach watches as Willy and Rachael act their parts. The two animals are in the middle of a conversation scene when a loud snap causes them to cease. Both the raccoon and sheep stagger backwards after one of the lights hit the floor in front of them. “Cut!” shouts the director. The crew and audience all stare in shock. “What the hell just happened?!”
“Looks like the light broke off again,” says Josh.
“Again…? This is the ninth time!” He looks to the fox. “You, Fix-It Fox, get this off the set and see what’s wrong with it, will you?”
***
Zach stands in front of one of the vending machines in the breakroom. He bends down and takes a bottle of iced tea that was dispensed to him. He opens his drink and takes a gulp.
“Fox!” The sudden spurting nearly causes Zach to choke. He turns to see the little sheep in the doorway. “You have some nerve to pull a nasty trick like that!”
“What I do this time?” asks Zach.
“You could’ve killed me!”
“Willy, that wasn’t my fault. The light’s been doing that for months.”
“So, you knew the light was dangerous and you still put it back up anyway?!”
“The production manager already knows about it. I keep telling him, and he doesn’t listen to me.”
“You expect me to believe that?! You are a filthy liar and a crooked cheat! You think you’re so sly because you’re a fox!”
“Willy, stop it!” utters Rachael, who has appeared behind him. The sheep turns to her. “Zach isn’t the bad guy!”
“He’s a predator, Rachael!” Willy tells her. “You know they’re dangerous! He tried to have me killed by loosening the light above me!”
“Oh, stop it! Zach would do no such thing to you.”
“Are you insane?! Rachael, look at him! He’s got the face of a killer!”
“That’s enough! Leave Zach alone!”
“You’ll be sorry when he hurts you!” Willy wanders off and vanishes.
Rachael faces Zach. “Don’t take all of that personal. You aren’t a bad fox, and it wasn’t your fault. He just strongly dislikes predators.”
“I’m aware of that,” Zach says.
“Not all predators are vicious and horrible, though. He shouldn’t be prejudice, especially toward you after all you’ve been through.”
“I don’t blame him, Rachael… I’m sure he’s had some traumatic experiences in his past involving predators. Yet, he doesn’t know me very well.”
“Again, pay no attention to him, and don’t take anything he says personal.”
“I’m not… Besides, I don’t come here to start trouble… I’m only here to do my job, go home, get paid, and then that’s it.”
“That’s a good mentality to have.”
“I’m just afraid he’ll report me…”
“So, let him. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“And you know this?”
“You know how many times he’s told the managers off about you, Josh, or any of the other predators around here? They mostly think he’s just looking to get attention and play the victim. Besides, if you were in trouble, don’t you think you’d be pulled into the office about it?”
“Well… Now that you mention that, I guess…”
“Willy’s only trying to get under your fur and convince everyone that predators are dangerous. Don’t let him get to you.”
“I’ll try not to…”
“Have a good day, Zach.” She turns and leaves. Zach goes back to sipping his beverage.
***
Work for the fox had just ended about thirty minutes ago, and now we see him and his friends occupy a table in Pawbucks; a coffee shop venue on the corner of a block. Zach finishes up telling his friends about the events of today before downing a gulp of coffee.
“Wow,” Emma comments. “What an asshole. Who does he think he? Wasn’t your fault the light broke. You’ve been telling the manager for months now.”
“Yet, he thinks I’m trying to target him,” Zach implies. “He can make all of the threats and reports he wants, but I’m innocent.”
“You’re starting to sound like me,” Winnie adds with a chuckle. “I agree with you, though. Who does he think he is to pin it all on you?”
“As long as you do your job and what you’re told to do, you will maintain your innocence,” Ralph utters. “There’s really not much you can do.”
Emma faces the rabbit. “You suggest he waits it out and does nothing? What if that lamb does something to set Zach up?”
“And risk his reputation?” asks Winnie. “Willy Wool wouldn’t do anything like that. All he does is play victim and act like predators are out to get him. Ralph’s right; Zach’s better off doing nothing and keeping to himself.”
“And I intend to,” Zach says. “Yet, it’s proving to be hard.”
“Why not go to your supervisor?”
“He’s not going to listen… With Willy’s status and the number of times he’s tattled on me, I’m pretty much on my own.”
“Telling on someone’s boring,” Igor utters, sitting on the table with his drink in hand. “You should prank the little shit; teach him a lesson about messing with you.”
“I’m not doing that, Igor,” Zach tells him.
“Whatever, Dude. It’s your problem, not mine.” The imp downs his coffee. “Damn, this shit’s really good. I now understand why you mortals love this stuff.” Zach turns away.
Ralph puts his paw on the fox’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine, Zach… Just continue to do your job, and the right thing, and you’ll be okay.” Zach becomes lost in thought.
