Chapter 5: A Hard Day's Work

Before long, it was time for their class to head outside. They tromped out more or less in time to Ashley's rendition of "The Ants Go Marching One By One," but with trolls instead of ants. It was a fittingly fantastical spin on the old classic.

The outdoor play space was split up into three distinct areas, each one intended for different age groups. The current one was used for the two- and three-year-old classes—Wyrmlings and Dragonlings, if she remembered correctly. A wide field of soft grass stretched out before them, naturally shaded by arching trees above. A sprawling playground of draconic slides, cavelike crawlspaces, and interactive panels sat atop a bed of woodchips in its center. A rack of whimsically colored balls, jump ropes, and other assorted toys stood to one side. It was all fenced in by a tall wall of river stone that matched the walls of the daycare itself.

Sofia had already seen it, of course. Ginger had given her a tour of the entire facility once she'd been hired. But she still found herself impressed. The playground was far larger than any she'd ever seen, not to mention well-maintained.

Then again, I'm not exactly an expert. But if I were a kid, I'd be absolutely stoked to play on this.

True to her word, Ashley allowed the class to bring their newly-made kites with them, each with new ribbons and strings courtesy of some adult help. As soon as they were released into the playground, most of the kids immediately began sprinting and squealing with excitement as their decorated bags fluttered along behind.

Sofia let out a long sigh as they began dashing about. Finally. Maybe they'll tire themselves out…

After her harrowing experience inside, Ashley had managed to set the class back in order with seemingly little effort. However, things hadn't completely returned to normal. She'd begun to notice a lot more small instances of kids misbehaving—especially when Ashley was preoccupied with something else. It was as though they'd smelled her weakness an inexperience, like sharks sensing blood in the water.

"So, are you enjoying your first day so far?"

Sofia looked toward the dreamy-eyed woman and smiled tiredly. "It's, well… it's been a lot. A lot to remember, a lot to get used to…"

Ashley let out a light laugh. "Oh, I certainly remember those days. Don't stress too much. Like I said, you'll get the hang of it. There's always a bit of an adjustment period. They always like to test new teachers when they come in, push their boundaries just to see what they can get away with."

"Miss Ashley!"

They looked over to see Lina's blonde form standing at the base of a small tree. There, tangled in its branches, hung her pink-and-purple spotted kite.

"Oh, no!" Ashley made her way toward the girl unhurriedly. "It's stuck! What should we do?"

"Can you help me?"

"Hmmm, I can," Ashley mused, "But let's see if you can do it yourself. Go on, ask nicely."

Lina craned her head up to look at the tree. "Mister tree, can I have my kite back?"

Sofia watched as the tree's limbs waved and bent. The tangled kite dislodged itself from its boughs, fluttering softly into the little girl's hands.

"Wonderful!" Ashley smiled. "What do you say?"

"Thank you!" Lina grinned, clutching the kite string as she resumed her running.

Huh. That was a really well timed breeze… Guess it wasn't as stuck as it looked.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a little strange about the exchange. In case it wasn't abundantly obvious, trees couldn't talk. And while she understood the comfort that came with assigning human characteristics to inanimate objects and animals, surely there were limits. There was a difference between imagination and delusion, after all.

They are pretty young. So I guess it doesn't hurt to indulge them a little bit… I just hope they don't grow up believing in too many fantasies.

"Teacher?"

Sofia felt a tug on her hand and looked down. A boy's round little face peered back up at her. His tiny hand still held on to Sofia's.

"Come play with me!"

Sofia opened her mouth, looking to Ashley for guidance. The brown-haired woman shook her head, putting her hands on her hips in mock dismay. "Well, I suppose there's no helping it. It is part of the job description, after all."

The boy tugged on her hand again, a little more insistently. Sofia turned her attention back to him. "Well… sure. What do you want to play?"

"Let's play race!"

"I want to play!"

"Me too!"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

In moments, Sofia was swarmed with tiny figures, their kites dragging behind them or lying abandoned near the side of the play area. They grabbed at her hands, ushering her excitedly toward one of the walls.

"Well, ok," she let herself be led forward until they were all gathered against the wall.. "Then… let's race to the playground, ok? On three— one, two, three!"

A small crowd of children began sprinting across the grass, screaming in delight. Their stubby little legs pumped as they rushed to close the distance determinedly. Of course, they were no match for Sofia's light jog. But she made sure to make it close.

The group raced back and forth across the grass until Sofia became genuinely winded. All the while, Ashley watched on with an amused smile, her gaze surveying the rest of the playground. After they were done, the kids continued to crowd around her like she had suddenly become the most interesting thing they'd ever seen. It was a complete one-eighty from how they'd acted only this morning.

As Sofia did her best to meet the myriad demands of the three-year-olds, she couldn't help but grin. Sure, they were little terrors when they wanted to be. But they could also be pretty cute. She only hoped that they chose to be the latter more often.

***

Hours later, Sofia climbed back into the driver's seat of her old sedan. She let out a long breath as the door closed behind her.

Well… I did it. I survived my first day at Ms. Grimm's Daycare.

She slumped back against her seat. Now that she'd spent some time inside the daycare itself, the reality of the situation was quickly beginning to set in. Not just the fact that she had a job, but the actual nature of it. Working with kids was exhausting. It wasn't just because of their seemingly boundless energy, either. The feeling of constantly being on alert lest someone get hurt… it took its toll.

How in the world has Ashley been managing by herself? And for how long? If she ever has to take a day off or something, I'll be absolutely screwed…

Sofia sighed, shaking her head. She had barely even started working and yet here she was, already conjuring problems in her mind.

With an effort, Sofia pushed the negative thoughts into a corner of her mind and started the car. It rumbled to life with a series of dull thuds. Maybe this job would be more challenging than expected. Maybe she'd mess it up or find out that she simply wasn't cut out for it. But either way, she'd try her hardest to make it work. After all, it was the best option she had.

I'm still surprised at how good of a deal they offered. Not great, but when I came in expecting minimum wage? I'll gladly take it. Maybe its their way of making sure people don't quit right away when things go bad…

The number had definitely raised her eyebrows. But considering that the place seemed well-kept and full of kids, perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised. It seemed like they were doing quite well for themselves, business-wise. It certainly conducted itself like a high-end establishment.

As she pulled out of the parking lot, Sofia spared one more look around the forested clearing. Everywhere she looked, small animals flitted among the trees and scampered across the ground. There were even a few deer lingering near the edge of the treeline. The forest was absolutely teeming with activity.

…Come to think of it, there's a LOT of wildlife here. Even for Mistlewood. I wonder if there's a hunting ban or something around this area? Sofia watched a pair of iridescent blue butterflies twirl around each other. Probably, with the daycare and all.

She frowned, keeping her speed low and eyes peeled just in case any of the animals tried to bolt in front of her car. Today had gone well enough, aside from a few hiccups. But tomorrow? Tomorrow, would be even better. She'd make sure of it.

***

"Say bye, Vivi."

"Bye, Miss Ginger!"

Ginger waved a cheery goodbye to the smiling Vivi and her mother as the pair stepped outside. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving the daycare quiet and still. Only the soft fluttering of Ginger's wings filled the silence.

The older woman stretched toward the ceiling, her wings fluttering behind her as she did. Despite all the work she'd gotten done today, it felt like she never managed to get ahead. There was always more paperwork to handle, another issue to address… At this point, she was certain she had enough vacation hours stored up to take a whole month off.

Not that she'd ever use them, of course. She was far too busy for that.

A door slammed shut, followed by heavy footsteps that echoed down the empty hallway. A hulking green figure dressed in a tank top and jeans appeared around the corner. Her muscular arms hefted a trash bag over one shoulder and a drawstring over the other, both items appearing comically small in her grip. Her midnight black hair was bound back in a high ponytail.

Ginger sighed and pushed back from her desk. "Are you ready, Marge?"

The orc grunted. "Yep."

Ginger made one last sweep of the place and refilled the bowls of milk beneath the front desk—one whole, one lactose-free—before nodding in satisfaction. The pair headed out, locking the door behind them.

"Saw the new girl started."

Ginger nodded. "Why, yes she did. She's with Ashley for the moment, but I plan to have her help out here and there once Tasha's back. Have you had a chance to introduce yourself?"

"Nope." Marge paused. "She's a human."

For most people, Marge's bluntness might be off-putting. But they had worked together for long enough that Ginger knew better. It was just how the woman was. Around adults, anyway.

"Yes, she is." Ginger quirked an eyebrow as she fluttered through the air alongside the orcish woman. "Well, partly. But it's not as though she's lacking experience with the supernatural. Yelena's her mother, after all."

"Huh." Marge snorted. "Think she'll last?"

"Oh, I think so," Ginger chuckled. "She may not have quite the same motivations as the rest of us, but she seems like a sweet enough girl. Besides, our threes are a fairly good class. Now, if we started her with your little ones…"

"They're good kids," Marge said simply. "Just need to know how to handle 'em."

The brawny woman heaved herself into her car—a highly-customized jeep with electric blue accents—and started it up. A line of rubber ducks in various costumes and colors adorned her dashboard.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Marge!"

Marge raised a hand in farewell as Ginger fluttered high into the air. The winged woman soared over the treetops, a faint trail of pink dust shimmering in her wake. It was good that they'd managed to close up early today. She had a long laundry list of things to take care of at home—prepping dinner, cleaning the bathroom, tending to her garden… Maybe if she managed to take care of everything, she could even get ahead on those reports.

Tucking a loose strand of hair back into her bun, Ginger focused on planning out the rest of her evening—starting with what to have for dinner.