I got to my feet and picked the premium piece of flooring up with me.

  “Will you look at that?”

  And I was surrounded by this essentially fucked floor anyway, so I might as well repurpose it in the best of ways.

  Now off to provide the Queen her tribute.

  Walking past Anna and Peek sitting in the Kitchen, both awestruck at my fast recovery.

  “Wasn’t your foot kind of… you know.”

  Maimed by an inanimate object, well yes. Thank you for asking.

  “Grazed?” I snorted.

  “Right. So why are you holding that piece of wood between 2 trembling hands then?”

  Another snort.

  Because it gets heavy—and that requires 2 hands.

  “Let’s just say, I’ve made progress in my ability to provide for another employee.” And at minimal cost no less. Double nice!

  Then proceeded up the stairs and back against the dented wall, eyes honed onto the crack.

  “You there Victoria?” I asked with a slight bit more enthusiasm than I meant to.

  “I’m still here, but it’s getting a bit cold. Did you find me the required sustenance.” The gentle voice enquired.

  She never demands.

  I held up the piece of wood, the splinters and rough grain scratching against my palms. While my heart was thumping with unnatural excitement.

  “Where do you want it?” Pushing the edge just beneath the crack so she could climb on.

  “Here is fine, it won’t take long anyway.”

  My eyes focused on the small speck of royalty, as it began to shred the board.

  “Soo do you just?”

  I was interrupted by the sound of a small industrial wood chipper starting up for the first time. As leftover nails and sawdust were flung into every which way.

  Her speed was so quick, I barely had enough time to let go of the wood—in case she decided that Greg passed for premium wood now.

  I mean…

  After the board was no more and I had well and truly stepped back from the carnage, the Queen was out of my sight.

  “Victoria? Where did you go?” Slightly tapping the pile of sawdust with my shoe. The smell of which reminded me of simpler days. Where my father used to take me to the hardware store; collecting whatever he needed for his project at the time, but rewarding me with a sausage-in-bread from the local volunteers.

  …simpler times.

  “Excuse me.” The gentle voice announced from below.

  “I have completed my first phase, so if you were so kind as to bring me back to that opening.”

  O-Of course… sorry. Train of thought and all.” Scooping the small Queen out of the pile and bringing her back up to the crack.

  “Do you need me to do anything else?” Looking at the Dungeon Time heading toward the evening hours.

  “No no. I will just need to set myself up now, but may I know the first task you have for me?” Her body barely visible within the seam now.

  “Umm, this wall needs to come down and be repced with a door. Since the room beyond is needed for Anna.”

  “Understood. It will be done.” Her voice fading as she went further inside the wall.

  “Till next time Sir Greg.” And she was gone.

  I’m not sure how ants and termites work exactly, but I did know they needed time to create a nest and their first batch of workers.

  “So it’ll probably be a while till I see progress on that wall.” The thought alone making me uneasy.

  “Where does Anna go for now? Definitely not in my room… I draw the line there.”

  I stood there, openly discussing my options with visible annoyance and frustration, as my feet began to vibrate.

  What? An earthquake?

  I dropped to my knees and began crawling to the doorframe of my room, my heart pounding from the inherent doom.

  Fuck, I don’t have this type of house insurance!

  I pressed my back into the wooden edge of my door frame and watched the shaking continue, when I finally noticed the source.

  “T-The wall?”

  Laser-like lines were being cut into the wall, while the shaking had all but died down to a soft humming sound.

  I propped myself up against the door, using a method I like to call “safe distant squint.” To establish the origin of what was doing the cutting.

  Beyond the movement of the obvious grooves being cut into the shape of a perfect rectangle. I saw it. And unlike Queen Victoria, these things were not rice grains.

  “Sultanas.” I muttered, watching hundreds of these little critters go at it—and doing it well.

  “Apologies, but you surely can’t be Victoria’s workers… Can you?”

  I was now standing right in front of the construction site, as one of the termites paused their duty and turned to me.

  They were dark. Very dark in contrast to the incredible white Queen.

  “You must be this Greg fel.” One of his little arms removing, what looked to be a helmet?

  “We are very thankful for this opportunity, I’m W-0737, one of Queen Victoria’s very first wave of workers.”

  While W-07… whatever was making his introductions, the rest of the workers had already cut the lines through, leaving the wall standing there like a drawbridge—minus the chains.

  They gathered at the top of the cutout and descended down in a move I could only describe as “abseilen.”

  “Terribly sorry Sire Greg, may you step aside for a moment? We need to get rid of that wall and all.” Giving me a directional point to the side.

  “Now!” He commanded.

  They pushed off the wall with ropes(or whatever they used) and the fkey drywall just came tumbling down in a smooth arc. The crash was so loud, I heard hurried footsteps. Anna. And repeated pstic bonks on wood. Poor Peek.

  I looked at the remains of damaged drywall and was surprisingly happy at the outcome.

  “That’s some fine work you guys did.” Wanting to give the worker a sp on the back—if it wouldn’t literally crush him.

  “That’s alright, now we just fix you a door and our first transaction is complete.” Giving the group still hanging from the top a wave and they disappeared within the crack.

  “Wait, I thought you guys were making me a door?”

  The small worker looked at me with humble amusement.

  “The contract states a 10 minute smoko.” And off he went.

  Well shit… eating my own words now.