Spinning Webs {Polly & Lorenzo}

As the years have gone forward, my employees have started to leave the company. They have never given me a particular reason for their departure, which is one thing they all have in common. Although, it makes me a bit suspicious that they may have somehow figured out exactly what goes on behind the scenes at Moon Outfitters, LLC. and decided that they weren't too fond of the reality. I have to prevent that from happening again. I have to make the idea of working for me so appealing that I can obtain new employees that won't leave, even if they discover the truth.

Today, I took a shortcut on my way home from work. I didn't have the desire to traverse the main streets of Eight, and therefore wove through the alleyways that I knew, but normally wouldn't be found in. As a wealthy man, I usually tried to keep myself out of these places, but I didn't have the particular desire to be on the busy streets today.

As I made my way through the alleyways, I didn't see many people. It was getting dark, after all, and not many people liked to be in these parts of the District as the clouds started to cover the sun. There was a man who watched me as I strode by. He was leaned against the brick wall of the large building on one side of the alley. I walked further, for another ten or fifteen minutes before coming across another person. This individual was younger, unlike the man I'd encountered before. She was likely of reaping age, and therefore, potentially of employment age. Maybe, I thought, I could scout her out as a potential employee if she seemed fitting enough for the job.

Hopefully she wouldn't be too offset by a well-put-together man in a suit who was walking through the alleyways of Eight.

I paused in my stride as I got closer to where she was, stopping a couple feet away from her to give her some space. I didn't want to seem intimidating, but still wanted to be close enough to talk to her.

"Miss, I have a proposition for you, if I may." I said this politely and to her in a way that if she weren't interested, she could just tell me such. I didn't want her to feel too pressured or uncomfortable. I also wasn't sure how it all actually looked and sounded, however.

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She spun to look at me.

The girl seemed sure of herself when she spoke to me, which seemed like a good thing, in my opinion. Those who knew what they wanted were exactly the type of people I liked to work with. Uncertainty just got in the way of hard work, as it caused people to question what it was exactly that they were doing.

"Proceed," she told me. Then, she followed it with a warning.

"But I'll warn you first. I may not look strong, but I did train with this tough guy one time, and he regretted it not too long after."

I wasn't surprised by the fact that she warned me. She was likely trying to avoid conflict, although there was truly no conflict to avoid. I wasn't after her as a predator. I wanted her on my side, as a part of my business. She seemed the confident type, and that would be good to have alongside me with the work that I do.

"Of course, I'm not here to cause any trouble," I assured her.

"I'm Lorenzo Moon, and Moon Outfitters LLC. is my company. I'm looking for someone to help me with my business. You see, I've had some employees leave recently- family troubles on their end, among other things," I explained, although my reasoning as to why they left was a complete lie. I truly didn't know what had caused their desire for departure.

"I need someone who's able to handle the demands of the job," I continued. "We're a clothing company- one of the biggest in Panem, and we've been around for over eighty-five years- but as you move up in the company, it takes more work. I need someone hardworking. Might you be interested?"

I realized it was a lot of information to be throwing at someone I barely knew, but at this point, I was desperate for employees so that the business wouldn't fall apart. Ever since my son, Zagreus, failed to come back from the Games as a victor, my chance of becoming more wealthy than I am now decreased. Now, unless Kro'ka or Bliss picks up the slack, I'm going to have to do most of the work from myself. It's not as if my wife Charlotte does much of anything, after all. She's proven herself to be quite useless since our son Zagreus and our nephew C'rizz died.

Although, I shouldn't be surprised that I have to do all of the work. That's just how life has always seemed to pan out for me.

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note: sorry about Lorenzo being such an ass about his wife and kids in the narration. He's rather abusive and also misogynistic, so he's not exactly the most fun relative to have, or person to have to live with in general.