[center][h3]Cam[/h3][/center]
[hr]

A digital bird song rang out in the darkened office room, rousing Cam in a wave of fresh adrenaline. Desperate she swung her hands and arms clumsily, managing to send her smartphone sailing into the door to her office.

"Ugh…I’m awake! I’m awake!" she said, falling out of her office chair. Clutching her head in her hands she tried to remember the last twenty four hours. Several empty bottles surround her in an unfamiliar celestial pattern. A poor attempt at a summoning spell. She'd been out late. She remembered several thin glasses of delicious Prosecco. A pretty face. A pretty girl. Her clothes were rumbled. And worse. She had no idea how she had ended up in the black gothic floor length dress that she was wearing.

"What year is it?"she muttered, rolling over onto her back, and staring at the florescent light that beamed down on her.

"It is the year 2024," a voice cheerfully replied from atop Cam’s desk.

"Stella! What the fuck!? I mean…good morning?"

"I’m disappointed in you, Cam. What sort of greeting is that? And last night? Tsk tsk. What a way to spend a Sunday night..."

Robed in blue, Stella sat with her bare feet dangling over the edge of the desk. The hint of a smile played over her lips, but her voice was serious, and Cam felt a growing panic deep in the pit of her stomach.

"Uh…Sorry?"

"I extend to you my merciful forgiveness," the mysterious woman replied, performing a strange gesture with her right hand. Light blinded Cam for a moment, before Stella extended the very same hand and held out a gently steaming cup of coffee. Cam couldn't place the logo emblazoned on the tastefully decorated disposable cup. And she couldn't read the letters.

"Here, have this, it will help perk you up! It's good, very good, I promise!"

"What if I just go back to sleep?"

"Unacceptable, Miss Fairfax!" Stella replied in an instant, her voice full of passion. "There is work to be done and your duty demands more of you. I would see you do better! You must! Please, for me. And most of all, for yourself."

"Fine, fine, just please, stop with the puppy eyes, I’ll get to work. I'll save the fucking world, if it makes you stop nagging me."

"Wonderful," Stella said, jumping from her perch on top of the desk and clapping her hands together with unrestrained glee. "Dear Cam, your company is so pleasant, as always. However, I am afraid I must leave you for now. Regrettably, other matters require my immediate attention."

"Busy day?" Cam asked thoughtlessly, unsuccessfully trying to place the flavors of the coffee that Stella had given her.
"Mondays," Stella said with a shake of her head, appearing for a moment almost human.

"No rest for the wicked," Cam offered with a shrug.

Soft laughter echoed through the room as Stella vanished in a burst of bright light. The smile on Stella’s face filled Cam with a warmth she grudgingly accepted as she turned on her computer, adding a pinch of pixie dust to her coffee.