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“Scooped Up” by Packwolf Lupestripe
Belittled by their boss working a dead-end beat, this newspaper reporter calls up a friend and finds a story worth telling.
Today’s story is “Scooped Up” by Packwolf Lupestripe. This is one of 21 stories in the self-help furry short story collection Work "Fur" Hire, by Edwin@Work, this collection shares useful advice through short stories about animal people looking for work. In this book you will find a rich collection of genres, including slice-of-life, drama, comedy, light romance, horror, and dystopian. Each includes insights into the hiring practices of the United States and an activity to help reinforce what was discussed.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/scooped-up-by-packwolf-lupestripe
Transcript
You’re
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:Pride
Speaker:Month
Speaker:on
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is “Scooped
Speaker:Up”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Packwolf Lupestripe. This is one
Speaker:of 21
Speaker:stories in
Speaker:the
Speaker:self-help
Speaker:furry
Speaker:short
Speaker:story
Speaker:collection
Speaker:Work "Fur"
Speaker:Hire,
Speaker:by
Speaker:Edwin@Work,
Speaker:this
Speaker:collection
Speaker:shares
Speaker:useful
Speaker:advice through
Speaker:short
Speaker:stories
Speaker:about
Speaker:animal
Speaker:people
Speaker:looking
Speaker:for
Speaker:work.
Speaker:In
Speaker:this
Speaker:book
Speaker:you will
Speaker:find
Speaker:a
Speaker:rich
Speaker:collection
Speaker:of
Speaker:genres,
Speaker:including
Speaker:slice-of-life,
Speaker:drama,
Speaker:comedy,
Speaker:light
Speaker:romance,
Speaker:horror,
Speaker:and
Speaker:dystopian.
Speaker:Each
Speaker:includes
Speaker:insights
Speaker:into
Speaker:the
Speaker:hiring
Speaker:practices
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:United
Speaker:States
Speaker:and
Speaker:an
Speaker:activity
Speaker:to
Speaker:help
Speaker:reinforce
Speaker:what
Speaker:was
Speaker:discussed.
It
has
Speaker:sometimes
Speaker:been
Speaker:asked
Speaker:what
Speaker:need
Speaker:of
Speaker:pride
Speaker:those
Speaker:of
Speaker:us
Speaker:with
Speaker:steady
Speaker:employment
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:good
Speaker:living
Speaker:have.
Speaker:But
Speaker:consider,
Speaker:if
Speaker:it
Speaker:is
Speaker:taken
Speaker:for
Speaker:granted
Speaker:that
Speaker:being
Speaker:willing
Speaker:to
Speaker:hire
Speaker:a
Speaker:queer
Speaker:person,
Speaker:to
Speaker:treat
Speaker:a
Speaker:queer
Speaker:employee
Speaker:with
Speaker:basic
Speaker:dignity,
Speaker:is
Speaker:an
Speaker:exception…
Speaker:then
Speaker:it,
Speaker:in
Speaker:effect,
Speaker:becomes
Speaker:a
Speaker:benefit,
Speaker:and,
Speaker:in
Speaker:effect,
Speaker:part
Speaker:of
Speaker:your
Speaker:compensation.
Speaker:A
Speaker:working
Speaker:economy
Speaker:without
Speaker:pride
Speaker:becomes
Speaker:a
Speaker:working
Speaker:economy
Speaker:where
Speaker:bosses
Speaker:know
Speaker:they
Speaker:can
Speaker:get
Speaker:away
Speaker:with
Speaker:paying
Speaker:queer
Speaker:people
Speaker:less,
Speaker:can
Speaker:get
Speaker:away
Speaker:with
Speaker:mistreating
Speaker:us,
Speaker:because
Speaker:they
Speaker:will
Speaker:know
Speaker:that
Speaker:we
Speaker:have
Speaker:fewer
Speaker:options.
Solidarity,
and
Speaker:Please
Speaker:enjoy
“Scooped
Up”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Packwolf
Speaker:Lupestripe
“No,
I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:think
Speaker:we
Speaker:should
Speaker:run
Speaker:it,”
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:said,
Speaker:glowering
Speaker:at their
Speaker:editor. “It’s
Speaker:all
Speaker:circumstantial.
Speaker:There’s
Speaker:no
Speaker:proof.”
“And
let
Speaker:those
Speaker:people
Speaker:at
Speaker:The
Speaker:Star
Speaker:claim it?”
Speaker:their
Speaker:boss
Speaker:countered,
Speaker:his
Speaker:voice
Speaker:rising
Speaker:as
Speaker:he
Speaker:stood
Speaker:up
Speaker:from
Speaker:his
Speaker:chair.
Speaker:He
Speaker:focused
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:young
Speaker:stoat,
Speaker:who
Speaker:shifted
Speaker:awkwardly
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:seat.
“This
is
Speaker:a
Speaker:major
Speaker:scoop,
Speaker:and
Speaker:you
Speaker:want
Speaker:them
Speaker:to
Speaker:just
Speaker:take
Speaker:it?”
Speaker:The
Speaker:crocodile
Speaker:banged his fist
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:table, and Ashley
Speaker:jumped. “No! We’re
Speaker:running it!
Speaker:End
Speaker:of
Speaker:story.”
Speaker:He
Speaker:looked
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:his
Speaker:desk
Speaker:and
Speaker:pressed
Speaker:a
Speaker:button
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:intercom. “Sometimes
Speaker:I
Speaker:wonder
Speaker:why
Speaker:I
Speaker:promoted
Speaker:you,”
Speaker:he
Speaker:snarled,
Speaker:his
Speaker:top lip
Speaker:revealing
Speaker:a
Speaker:row
Speaker:of
Speaker:jagged
Speaker:yellow
Speaker:teeth. “You’re no
Speaker:journalist.
Speaker:You’ve
Speaker:got
Speaker:no
Speaker:bite,
Speaker:no
Speaker:instinct. You’re
Speaker:just
Speaker:a
Speaker:pathetic
Speaker:little
Speaker:weasel.”
Ashley
grimaced
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:chair,
Speaker:sinking
Speaker:into
Speaker:it
Speaker:so
Speaker:deeply
Speaker:that
Speaker:they
Speaker:almost
Speaker:became
Speaker:part
Speaker:of
Speaker:it.
Speaker:The
Speaker:intercom
Speaker:beeped.
“Yes
sir?”
Speaker:the
Speaker:speaker
Speaker:crackled.
“Shelly,
could
Speaker:you
Speaker:please
Speaker:escort
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:out?
Speaker:I’m
Speaker:done
Speaker:with
Speaker:her.”
“Right
away,
Speaker:sir.”
Ashley
looked
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:floor,
Speaker:trying
Speaker:to
Speaker:avoid
Speaker:the
Speaker:crocodile’s
Speaker:gaze.
Speaker:They had
Speaker:only
Speaker:been
Speaker:deputy
Speaker:editor
Speaker:at
Speaker:The
Speaker:Herald
Speaker:for
Speaker:six
Speaker:months
Speaker:but
Speaker:already
Speaker:felt
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:depth.
Speaker:This
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:time
Speaker:he
Speaker:had
Speaker:gone
Speaker:over
Speaker:their
Speaker:head,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:make
Speaker:it
Speaker:any
Speaker:less
Speaker:demoralizing.
They
sighed
Speaker:before
Speaker:standing
Speaker:up,
Speaker:straightening
Speaker:their
Speaker:pencil
Speaker:trousers
Speaker:as
Speaker:they
Speaker:did.
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:heard
Speaker:the
Speaker:office
Speaker:door
Speaker:open
Speaker:and,
Speaker:with
Speaker:an
Speaker:escape
Speaker:route
Speaker:secured,
Speaker:felt
Speaker:a
Speaker:sudden
Speaker:rush
Speaker:of
Speaker:courage.
“It’s
them,”
Speaker:they
Speaker:said,
Speaker:staring
Speaker:squarely
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:crocodile.
“Who’s
them?”
“Not
her,
Speaker:them. ‘I’m
Speaker:done
Speaker:with
Speaker:them,’”
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:corrected
Speaker:him.
The
crocodile
Speaker:scowled. “Him,
Speaker:her,
Speaker:them,
Speaker:it.
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:care
Speaker:less.
Speaker:Now
Speaker:get
Speaker:out!”
Ashley
turned
Speaker:and
Speaker:strode
Speaker:away
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:desk,
Speaker:tears
Speaker:forming
Speaker:in
Speaker:their
Speaker:eyes.
***
The
characters
Speaker:blurred
Speaker:into
Speaker:incoherence
Speaker:as Ashley
Speaker:stared
Speaker:beyond
Speaker:the
Speaker:computer
Speaker:screen.
Speaker:Professional
Speaker:social
Speaker:media
Speaker:offered
Speaker:no
Speaker:solutions
Speaker:despite the
Speaker:countless
Speaker:hours
Speaker:spent
Speaker:on
Speaker:it.
They
sighed.
Speaker:How
Speaker:they
Speaker:wished
Speaker:they
Speaker:could
Speaker:be
Speaker:a
Speaker:young
Speaker:reporter
Speaker:again,
Speaker:digging
Speaker:up
Speaker:stories
Speaker:and
Speaker:investigating
Speaker:leads
Speaker:instead
Speaker:of
Speaker:facing
Speaker:the
Speaker:crocodile’s
Speaker:wrath
Speaker:every
Speaker:day.
Speaker:There
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:a
Speaker:genuine
Speaker:camaraderie
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:beat,
Speaker:even
Speaker:with
Speaker:rival
Speaker:journalists, as
Speaker:despite
Speaker:the
Speaker:competition,
Speaker:they were all
Speaker:purveyors
Speaker:of
Speaker:truth.
Ashley
wondered
Speaker:whether
Speaker:any
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:old
Speaker:contacts
Speaker:were
Speaker:still
Speaker:around.
Speaker:They
Speaker:dug
Speaker:out
Speaker:their
Speaker:phone
Speaker:and
Speaker:flicked
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:address
Speaker:book
Speaker:as
Speaker:if
Speaker:trying
Speaker:to
Speaker:rekindle
Speaker:memories
Speaker:of
Speaker:a
Speaker:life
Speaker:once
Speaker:lived.
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:recognized
Speaker:a
Speaker:few
Speaker:names,
Speaker:but
Speaker:what
Speaker:could
Speaker:they
Speaker:say?
Speaker:They had
Speaker:barely
Speaker:talked
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:last
Speaker:five
Speaker:years.
Speaker:Would their
Speaker:numbers
Speaker:still
Speaker:be
Speaker:the
Speaker:same? Would
Speaker:they
Speaker:even
Speaker:remember
Speaker:them? And
Speaker:how
Speaker:would
Speaker:they
Speaker:react
Speaker:to
Speaker:a ‘she’
Speaker:now
Speaker:being
Speaker:a ‘they’?
Ashley
sighed
Speaker:once
Speaker:again.
Speaker:It
Speaker:was
Speaker:worth
Speaker:a
Speaker:shot.
Speaker:Things
Speaker:had
Speaker:to
Speaker:change.
They
steeled their resolve
Speaker:before
Speaker:formulating
Speaker:a
Speaker:message,
Speaker:hovering
Speaker:over
Speaker:the ‘Send’
Speaker:button
Speaker:next
Speaker:to the
Speaker:name
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:contact.
Speaker:Nerves
Speaker:twisted
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:pit
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:stomach,
Speaker:but
Speaker:things
Speaker:became
Speaker:more
Speaker:manageable
Speaker:once
Speaker:they had
Speaker:sent
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:one.
Speaker:Fifteen
Speaker:minutes
Speaker:later,
Speaker:seven
Speaker:messages
Speaker:had
Speaker:been
Speaker:sent.
Speaker:Only
Speaker:two had
Speaker:bounced
Speaker:back.
Speaker:They
Speaker:put
Speaker:their
Speaker:phone
Speaker:to
Speaker:one
Speaker:side
Speaker:and
Speaker:waited
Speaker:for
Speaker:a
Speaker:response.
Nothing
was
Speaker:forthcoming
Speaker:until
Speaker:the
Speaker:following
Speaker:morning
Speaker:when
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:awoken by the
Speaker:familiar
Speaker:chime of their
Speaker:cell
Speaker:phone.
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:struggled
Speaker:to
Speaker:make out
Speaker:the
Speaker:message
Speaker:through
Speaker:blurry
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:before
Speaker:the
Speaker:letters
Speaker:honed into
Speaker:view.
“Hi
Ashley,
Speaker:great
Speaker:to
Speaker:hear
Speaker:from
Speaker:you.
Speaker:Would
Speaker:you
Speaker:be
Speaker:free
Speaker:for
Speaker:coffee
Speaker:the
Speaker:day
Speaker:after
Speaker:tomorrow?
Speaker:There’s
Speaker:much
Speaker:to
Speaker:discuss.
Speaker:Rhys xx”
Ashley’s
heart
Speaker:pounded
Speaker:as
Speaker:they
Speaker:typed a
Speaker:reply,
Speaker:wondering
Speaker:what
Speaker:he
Speaker:meant.
Speaker:They
Speaker:suggested a
Speaker:time
Speaker:and
Speaker:a
Speaker:place
Speaker:to
Speaker:meet
Speaker:before
Speaker:sending
Speaker:the
Speaker:message.
Speaker:They
Speaker:had
Speaker:a
Speaker:lead.
***
The
smell
Speaker:of
Speaker:roasted
Speaker:beans
Speaker:and
Speaker:cinnamon
Speaker:was
Speaker:overwhelming
Speaker:as
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:entered
Speaker:the
Speaker:coffee
Speaker:shop.
Speaker:They
Speaker:grabbed a
Speaker:macchiato
Speaker:and
Speaker:scoured
Speaker:the
Speaker:room,
Speaker:hoping
Speaker:to
Speaker:find
Speaker:Rhys
Speaker:hiding
Speaker:beneath
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:woolen
Speaker:hats
Speaker:everyone was
Speaker:sporting.
It
took
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:a
Speaker:minute
Speaker:to
Speaker:locate the
Speaker:fox,
Speaker:who
Speaker:sat
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:secluded
Speaker:booth
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:back,
Speaker:hidden
Speaker:behind
Speaker:his
Speaker:laptop.
Speaker:He
Speaker:looked
Speaker:up
Speaker:and
Speaker:raised
Speaker:a paw in
Speaker:acknowledgment,
Speaker:the
Speaker:glint
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:eye
Speaker:reminding
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:of
Speaker:their
Speaker:early
Speaker:days
Speaker:as
Speaker:rookie
Speaker:journalists.
Speaker:They
Speaker:nodded
Speaker:and
Speaker:walked
Speaker:over.
“Great
to
Speaker:see
Speaker:you
Speaker:again,
Speaker:Rhys,”
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:said.
“Likewise,”
the
Speaker:vulpine
Speaker:responded. “How are
Speaker:things?”
Ashley groaned before sitting down. “Not good,
really,”
Speaker:they
Speaker:said as
Speaker:they
Speaker:returned
Speaker:to
Speaker:those
Speaker:exhilarating
Speaker:early
Speaker:days.
Speaker:They had
Speaker:gotten into
Speaker:so
Speaker:many
Speaker:scrapes
Speaker:on
Speaker:The
Speaker:Herald’s
Speaker:trainee
Speaker:scheme
Speaker:before
Speaker:he
Speaker:moved
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Star.
Speaker:Ashley still
Speaker:remembered
Speaker:the
Speaker:stinging
Speaker:feeling
Speaker:when
Speaker:he
Speaker:said
Speaker:he
Speaker:was
Speaker:leaving.
“Still
at
Speaker:The
Speaker:Herald?”
“Aye, but I’m
looking
Speaker:to
Speaker:get
Speaker:out.
Speaker:Hence
Speaker:the
Speaker:message.
Speaker:You?”
“At
The
Speaker:Star,
Speaker:chief
Speaker:business
Speaker:editor,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:have
Speaker:news
Speaker:that
Speaker:may
Speaker:be
Speaker:interesting.”
Ashley
nodded
Speaker:nervously.
“The
owners
Speaker:of
Speaker:The
Speaker:Herald
Speaker:aren’t
Speaker:happy.
Speaker:They are
Speaker:losing
Speaker:money, and
Speaker:there
Speaker:have
Speaker:been
Speaker:allegations
Speaker:about
Speaker:mismanagement
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:pension
Speaker:fund.
Speaker:I have
Speaker:been
Speaker:investigating
Speaker:for
Speaker:a while
Speaker:and
Speaker:believe
Speaker:your
Speaker:editor is
Speaker:involved.
Speaker:However,
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:yet
Speaker:have
Speaker:the
Speaker:proof
Speaker:I
Speaker:need.”
Ashley
stared,
Speaker:their
Speaker:mouth
Speaker:slowly
Speaker:dropping.
“I
need
Speaker:more
Speaker:resources,
Speaker:someone
Speaker:who
Speaker:knows
Speaker:the
Speaker:company
Speaker:inside
Speaker:out. And
Speaker:when
Speaker:you
Speaker:sent
Speaker:me
Speaker:that
Speaker:text,
Speaker:I
Speaker:thought
Speaker:the
Speaker:timing
Speaker:was
Speaker:perfect.”
Ashley
blinked,
Speaker:not
Speaker:quite
Speaker:believing
Speaker:what
Speaker:they
Speaker:were
Speaker:hearing.
Speaker:The
Speaker:silence
Speaker:seemed
Speaker:to
Speaker:last
Speaker:forever.
“What
do
Speaker:you
Speaker:think?”
Speaker:Rhys eventually
Speaker:asked.
“I…I…I
don’t
Speaker:know,”
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:said. “I
Speaker:can’t
Speaker:just
Speaker:betray
Speaker:the
Speaker:paper.”
“I’m
not
Speaker:asking
Speaker:you
Speaker:to,”
Speaker:Rhys
Speaker:continued. “But
Speaker:I
Speaker:am
Speaker:asking
Speaker:you
Speaker:to
Speaker:join
Speaker:me
Speaker:at
Speaker:The
Speaker:Star.
Speaker:My
Speaker:editor has
Speaker:already approved
Speaker:me,
Speaker:and we’d
Speaker:love
Speaker:to
Speaker:have
Speaker:you
Speaker:on
Speaker:board.
Speaker:You’d
Speaker:work
Speaker:with
Speaker:me
Speaker:on
Speaker:investigations as my
Speaker:equal,
Speaker:reporting
Speaker:directly
Speaker:to
Speaker:her.”
Ashley
stared
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:fox,
Speaker:unsure
Speaker:what
Speaker:to
Speaker:do.
Speaker:They
Speaker:took
Speaker:another
Speaker:sip
Speaker:of
Speaker:coffee.
Speaker:The
Speaker:glint
Speaker:in
Speaker:his
Speaker:eye
Speaker:clinched
Speaker:it.
***
HERALD
CROC-KED
Speaker:BY
Speaker:PENSION
Speaker:FUND
Speaker:SCANDAL -
Speaker:EDITOR
Speaker:CHARGED
Speaker:WITH
Speaker:FRAUD
Ashley
looked
Speaker:down
Speaker:at
Speaker:the
Speaker:mocked-up
Speaker:front
Speaker:page
Speaker:and
Speaker:smiled.
Speaker:It
Speaker:had
Speaker:taken
Speaker:six
Speaker:weeks,
Speaker:but
Speaker:they
Speaker:had
Speaker:followed
Speaker:the
Speaker:trail
Speaker:and
Speaker:pieced
Speaker:the
Speaker:story
Speaker:together.
Speaker:Their
Speaker:eyes
Speaker:wandered
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:byline,
Speaker:which
Speaker:credited
Speaker:Ashley
Speaker:and
Speaker:Rhys—their
Speaker:first
Speaker:significant
Speaker:scoop
Speaker:at
Speaker:The
Speaker:Star,
Speaker:hopefully
Speaker:the
Speaker:first
Speaker:of
Speaker:many.
“What
do
Speaker:you
Speaker:think?”
Speaker:their
Speaker:editor
Speaker:asked
Speaker:behind
Speaker:her
Speaker:desk.
Ashley
turned to Rhys
Speaker:and
Speaker:caught
Speaker:his
Speaker:trademark
Speaker:glint. Their
Speaker:smile
Speaker:became
Speaker:a
Speaker:grin. “I
Speaker:think
Speaker:we
Speaker:should
Speaker:run
Speaker:it.”
This
was “Scooped
Speaker:Up”
Speaker:by
Speaker:Packwolf
Speaker:Lupestripe,
Speaker:read for
Speaker:you
Speaker:by
Speaker:Rob MacWolf,
Speaker:Werewolf
Speaker:Hitchhiker.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:more
Speaker:stories
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:web
Speaker:at
Speaker:thevoice.dog,
Speaker:or
Speaker:find
Speaker:the
Speaker:show
Speaker:wherever
Speaker:you
Speaker:get
Speaker:your
Speaker:podcasts.
Speaker:Happy
Speaker:Pride,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Thank
Speaker:you
Speaker:for
Speaker:listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
