[Shaun]

Locking up her car, Claudia had the time to stop and catch her reflection in the window. She noticed that she looked totally demoralised. Her hair was scruffy, split ends giving her an eternally unkempt appearance, and her pale face told tales of a vacation-less vocation.
She turned around and made the slow walk to her office. She pondered what the day ahead would have in store for her - she knew that there would be an audition today for the upcoming production of 'Chat and Games and Sodomy', which was something to look forward to.
Yeah, right, she thought. After witnessing what Graeme Stickings calls his 'party trick' (what Amnesty International saw fit to otherwise call a 'serious breach of decency laws'), she had seen just about everything the job could offer.

She stepped into the reception. There was Caitlin, sat behind the desk and looking as carefree as usual.
"Haha, I know! I couldn't believe she was a lesbian!" Caitlin giggled. She looked up from the desk and waved to Claudia. "Hey Clauds, I like your skirt." she smiled.
Well that's something, she figured. She walked past the thin plastic divides and remarked upon how each little box contained a person. And each little person contained dreams. How many of those would be realised?
"Morning Claudia" a voice drawled.
Turning around, she was greeted with an equally tired face.
"Oh, morning Dean." Claudia smiled.
"Arista wants a word with you - he needs you to assist him and Niamh in approving the new recruits." he droned.
"Oh, fun! Anyone to watch out for?" she giggled.
"Hah, apparently one of them is in her 40s." Dean grimaced.
"Jesus, we really do attract them." Claudia laughed.
"Yeah..."
There was an awkward pause.
"Well, I'll see you later." Claudia waved pathetically and she rushed away, blushing. Arriving at her cubicle she put down her brown leather handbag and took off her coat. She took a look around at the overwhelmingly beige office she spent so much of her life in. A small photograph of her mother was all that brightened it up.

"A word,
please."
A voice behind her startled her. The man delivering this stunning baritone was none other than Ramon Arista - enterprising pornographer and an intimidating figure to say the least. His open white suit displayed his considerable amount of chest hair, beneath a purple silk shirt. His hair was greased back and a greying black. His trademark look however always contained his signature smile - one that made the Cheshire cat look positively morose.
"Walk with me, Claudia." He growled.
"Dean told me we have some auditions today, sir?" Claudia made her best attempt at small-talk.
"Yes, indeed. We have some Hot
young studs that need Spanking." Ramon winked.
"Right." Claudia smiled and tried her best to hide her grief.
"Claudia! Sir!" a keen young voice squealed.
She had only known Niamh for about a month but already knew more about her than she knew about her family. She always carried an enormous sense of optimism that was overwhelming, and whilst she was undoubtedly nice, it was an attitude she envied.
"I'm looking forward to this!" Niamh giggled, and clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Yes. I bet you Are you dirty
Girl." Arista purred. Niamh seemed to find this charming. Claudia wondered whether it would take him to actually slap her arse before a sexual harrassment case was filed.

They stepped into the interview room and took their seats behind a desk at the back. Claudia helped herself to a packet of hobnobs, whilst Niamh eagerly poured drinks for the trio. Caitlin stepped in and placed a pile of forms in the centre of the desk.
"Their CVs, sir." Caitlin nodded obediently.
"Thank you Caitlin, you may Go." Ramon declared.
"Send in the first auditionee, please." Claudia reminded her.
"Of course." She took a small bow - how cute, Claudia mocked - and hurried out of the room. "You can go in now! Good luck!" she smiled, and returned to her desk.

"Hi...I'm Conzors." A young man minced into the room. "And this is going to be cocktastic!"

"Well I've always been a fan of your work. It helped me through Alcatraz."

"My daddy told me this was going to be my future!"

Wow, security is lack today, Claudia reflected. As Loukas was escorted from the room in a flood of tears (Ramon's decision that he was "Too Hairy" was crushing), she began to wonder if this was going to be the most disastrous production yet.
"Chat and Games and Sodomy, Scene 3. Please read from the script", Niamh soothed. This particular candidate was kinda cute, Claudia noted.
"Oooh, James, I like it when you lock me." Andy had all the finesse of a young Humphrey Bogarte and the confidence of Sir Roger Moore - it was surprising for someone so young.
"That's good", Claudia paused. She didn't like to display too much in her judgment and didn't want to seem too enthusiastic about the upcoming practical round.
"Indeed", Niamh agreed, nodding her head.
"Take Off your Pants,
young Man." Ramon demanded.

He dropped his pants.

"Average." yawned Claudia. In her seven years as a porn caster she'd seen all shapes and sizes of the TiBB members'...members.
"I'm impressed. Nice trimming." reassured Niamh. A newcomer to the profession, she had all the naivety and optimism that Claudia had when she'd started - hope that faded with repetition upon repetition; thrust after thrust in the routine that was TiBBlow Productions.
"You are Hot. When
can you Start?" a robotic voice cooed. Claudia rolled her eyes and Niamh nodded enthusiastically in agreement with arista's decision. It seemed Andy had got the part.
"Well, whenever!" Andy was secretly confident he'd get the position, but wasn't expecting it to be this easy.
"Caitlin!" Claudia cried, and waited for the receptionist to attend.
"Yes?" a flustered Caitlin replied.
"Take this gentleman to the director, please. And pass on his employment forms to Nathan. We are very glad to have you, Andy, good luck." Claudia performed. Her smile was fixed, her intentions were facetious.

A few more accepted roles later, Claudia found herself back in her cubicle. She tapped a pencil against the desk inbetween writing up actor portfolios and cast lists. A small yellow stress-ball was her only release as the constant blur from the computer slowly but surely ingrained a dull noise in her eyes.
"Fancy a drink?" Dean appeared from nowhere with an olive branch.
"Where did you get that olive branch?" replied a confused Claudia.
"I don't know..." he trailed.
"Erm. Yes. Coffee?" Claudia suggested, and they headed off to Starbucks. Ordering their drinks, they sat in the window seat and remarked upon passers-by.
"Haha, look at him!" Dean laughed, as a dejected Conzors was attacked by a flock of pigeons.
"Poor thing, he started off his audition with a line from Cabaret." Claudia smirked.
"Jesus, what a way to kick off your porn career."
"Quite."
There was a pause, and Claudia nervously stirred her coffee slightly more than necessary.
"Arista seemed keen with the Andy fellow", Dean offered.
"Yeah, he was the best of a bad bunch."
"Any other successfuls?"
"Just a girl called Kitty and another bloke called Wildcat."
"Kitty and Wildcat...wow...I thought it was our jobs to think of the names." Dean chuckled.
"Haha, yeah..." she trailed again.

An hour later she was back in the office ruing her shyness. Dean was one of the few interesting guys at TiBBlow Me Productions, and a world apart from the other sex pests and work-obsessed bores. She'd finished the 3 portfolios and decided to go and make idle chat in the studio. The studio itself was an intimidating arena that always had an atmosphere of uncertainty. You could walk in one day and find a full-on fisting scene gone wrong - that ambulance crew was traumatised, poor sods - or complete silence.
This time, there was just the director, Andy, Stuart and Kitty sat around a fake set - a kitchen, to be precise.
"Hey", Claudia waved, and the director looked back and smiled.
"Hey Clauds," Enid was warm in her greeting. She was always really positive about her work, Claudia reflected, but wasn't overbearing about it. "Guys, just go with a run-through of the script and I'll be back in a bit. Let's walk, Clauds?" Enid offered, and they walked. "So...you and Dean hooked up yet?" Enid teased, and Claudia went a dark shade of crimson.
"Don't!" she hissed in a feeble attempt to appear dismissive.
"Sorry, it's just kinda obvious..."
"Really?" worried Claudia.
"Well. I haven't talked to him about it-"
"And don't you dare!"
"I won't! I won't! I just get a vibe, y'know? Like, I've been shooting porn for 12 years and I know when there's chemistry and when it's just a solemn **** job."
"Oh. Well...he's alright, I guess." Claudia tried her best to play down her feelings.
"Yeah, and I like just a bit of S&M." Enid retorted. They made idle gossip and went their separate ways. A few hours later Claudia once again picked up her bag, logged off the computer and made the tedious drive home.

Arriving home, the continual silence bored into her. Living alone had its benefits, she noted, such as being able to fart without scolding. But she had to admit she was a bit lonely. Still, a night of Ben & Jerry's and Desperate Housewives lay ahead and a bubble bath sure sounded promising. Yeah, sure, she thought, promising to a middle aged wreck. She closed the front door behind her and stepped back into her world.