Welcome to Stories from Among the Stars.

You're listening to The House in the Surulian Sea by T.J. Clune,

narrated by Daniel Henning.

Three.

The next morning, he was early to the office by nearly two hours. No one else had yet

arrived, most likely still tucked away safely in their beds without a care in the world. He went to

his desk, sat down, and turned on his computer. The familiar green light did nothing to comfort him.

He tried to get as much work done as he could, constantly aware of the clock above, ticking

by each and every second.

The room began to fill at a quarter till eight.

Miss Jenkins arrived at precisely eight o'clock, heels clicking on the floor.

Linus slunk down in his seat, but he could feel

her eyes on him. He tried to work. He really did. The green words were a blur on the screen in

front of him. Even the rules and regulations couldn't calm him down. At exactly 8.45, he stood

from his chair. The people in the desks around him turned and stared.

He ignored them, swallowing thickly as he picked up his briefcase and walked down the rows.

Sorry, he muttered with every desk he bumped into. Apologies. So sorry. Is it just me or are the

desks getting closer together? Sorry. So sorry.

Miss Jenkins stood in the doorway to her office as he left the room, Gunther beside her,

scratching his long pencil on the clipboard. The offices of extremely upper management were located

on the fifth floor of the department in

charge of magical youth. He'd heard rumors about the fifth floor, most of them downright alarming.

...