Chrysalis

“Are you sure you want to retire now? There’s so much uncertainty around town right now,” Terrence asked.

“Wherever there are people, there’s uncertainty,” Enid groused as she brought her tea to her lips for a drink. “Ah, that’s lovely. Is this a new blend?”

“The Colony delivered a few bags yesterday. They said it was a test batch. I’ll need you to fill in a survey when you’re done.”

“Hah,” she laughed. “I’ll be happy to. Drinking their tea has been one of the great pleasures of recent months.”

She picked up a biscuit and gave it a hearty nibble.

“And they bake so well. Who would have thought?”

“Mayor,” her secretary said sternly. “You haven’t answered my question. Are you sure you should retire now?”

“Of course I’m sure. If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t have done it,” she waved the man’s concerns away. “I’ve done everything I can for this place, more than I ever thought I could, but I’m old and tired. I don’t have much time left and I believe it's important to turn these duties over to the younger folk while I’m still around to offer advice.”

She eyeballed Terrence over the edge of her cup.

“And by the way, aren’t you the mayor's secretary?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you here? I’ve resigned.”

“I suppose I’ll have to take the tea with me then….”

said you have

The two chuckled together.

say thank you for all that you’ve done then,

“Pish! Call me Enid.”

to do in your retirement then, Enid? Now that you’re free of all

thought for a moment, a frown adding a few

the hospital, for one. It’s a joy seeing new children brought into the world. Even if all I do is chat to the parents, I think I’d enjoy that. I wouldn’t mind one last trip into the Dungeon either. I haven’t seen the Queen for a while, I’d love to have a chat with her again. Anthony as well, though that might not be possible.

make it sound as if you’ve got one foot in the grave,” Terrence said. “Surely

be running this place. I’ve done the best I can to get Renewal off to a good start, but it's time for someone younger, with a little more vigour, to take

She eyed him seriously.

happy being a secretary, thank you very much,” Terrence replied dryly. “I don’t have a way with people like

“if you put in a little effort,

the people going about their days outside the window. She could never have imagined she would have the opportunity to make something good, this late in her life. The satisfaction in knowing that she had done the best job she could do,

that deep into the Dungeon?”

Enid looked pensive.

easy, but that doesn’t mean it's not worth doing,” she huffed. “I’m old, not decrepit. As long as I take my time and adjust to the

the Dungeon. They had begun to build chambers with the sole

do you think is happening back in the council chamber?” Terrence mused,

Enid snorted.

with their heads cut off. But that’s fine, they’ll sort it out in

in the

“She can’t just quit!”

“This is a disaster!”

woman back in here,