I really wish they hadn’t chosen to torture me with this first challenge in Australia’s Next Top Office. I was incredibly tempted to break the glass balustrade I’d spent hours crafting.
“I don’t think I can resist it any longer. I’m going to smash it!” I said.
Space Wizard hissed from within the water bottle I was keeping his liquified remains in. “You must hold on, Bandit. If I’m to get my revenge on Archerak and you’re to get a pardon for your crimes, we have to win this challenge. Just take deep breaths and get back to work.”
“Maybe we should just hire a glazier from Melbourne to do it for us.”
“You know that’s against the rules. Be strong, Bandit. I believe in you.”
That made one of us. I returned to work, getting the new sheet of glass ready for its placement along the rails. If I could just hold off my intense urges to shatter glass, we’d have a really nice balustrade in the end.
“How do you think the others are going?” Space Wizard asked.
“Knowing Archerak, he’s probably used some spell to make his,” I said. “I doubt it will be any good, though. Lacking in craftsmanship and finesse, probably. I’m worried about the Dirge, though. Apparently he has a background working with glass.”
Space Wizard hummed within his water bottle. “Yes, the Dirge may be a problem. If I still had my body, I would curse him with a sore curse that stops him from being the best glass balustrade installer Melbourne could want. But alas, I am liquified.”
“But you could have a body again if you wanted to.”
“Sure. But I quite like it here. Besides, Archerak would probably just cast power, word, liquefy again. It’s not worth the effort of regeneration at the moment.”
I stepped back and realised that I had successfully installed the balustrade. Our conversation must have kept me distracted enough. But then I noticed a hammer across the balcony, and the glistening of the glass in the sunlight made my heart race.
“No!” said Space Wizard.
“I’m sorry, I can’t resist it!”
I dove for the hammer. It was time for the Glass Smashing Bandit to strike again.