Elle's Martian Frenzy

“I hate this planet,” Elle said to herself.

It was her fifth day on Mars and she already hated it. She hated the way everything moved slowly, she hated the air, and she hated the gravity that made even simple movements exhausting. She also hated her job; there wasn’t anything to do, but at least it paid well and there was a coffee machine in the room.

Elle sighed as she sat down and pressed a button on her desk, checking if any of her clients had sent her messages.

Nothing new. She placed her bare feet on the desk and closed her eyes for a moment. Her heels were still dirty, but she didn’t feel like wearing them again today; they were heavy and uncomfortable, and they made her look like a real bitch. Maybe I should buy some normal shoes while I’m here, she thought as she started scrolling through a list of nearby shoe stores on her terminal. But then again, what's the point? They'll just get covered with Mars dust anyway...

She felt suddenly tired so she leaned back to lay flat on the couch behind her desk. It felt good to stretch after being bent over the screen for hours. The sunlight was beaming through the window, making Elle feel warm and sleepy. After a few minutes of lying there motionless, she finally opened her eyes again and tried to focus on something in front of her.

Suddenly she noticed movement on the other side of the office: one of her interns was moving around with more energy than usual. He was taking papers from Elle’s desk and putting them somewhere else in the room; he also took some things from his own desk and put them into another drawer before closing it carefully with both hands. What is he doing? Elle wondered. He never does anything useful... Maybe he just doesn't want to be seen by my client when he arrives? Maybe he wants to make sure that my work is tidy? I don't know... Maybe... She looked at him again as he walked out of sight behind a tall cabinet next to the door leading outside; sometimes he would hide there so that no one could see him or talk to him while his boss was working with clients in the room next to his office — how sad!

Elle closed her eyes once more as she heard a faint noise outside: someone was entering through that door right now! Shit, he's early! I need to wake up... She tried shaking herself awake even though it felt almost impossible at this time of day — too hot for human beings, too cold for Martians...

She opened one eye only slightly at first — someone had entered the room! From what little light got into Elle's eyes between lids half-closed shut, it looked like one of their clients was standing in front of her desk looking around curiously at first; then his gaze fell upon Elle herself — still lying motionless on the couch behind her desk — and his face lit up suddenly into an unexpected smile!

She tried opening both eyes immediately now — but it was no use! The client smiled even wider now while taking a few steps towards Elle's desk; he ignored everything else in that room entirely as he kept staring at Elle until he reached the edge of the couch whereupon he kneeled down beside it calmly — with an expression full of joy on his face — looking straight into Elle's still-closed eyes with an knowing smile almost touching his ears! His face was just inches away from hers now! He whispered something quietly into her ear which made Elle shudder with fear! And what did I say? Oh yes — "I'm a Martian woman!"