Part of the pack

16 || The real threat

The proper definition of a man is an animal that writes letters.

- Lewis Carroll

'•'•'•

A short, modern styled asymmetrical building home to fifty staff stood in the faraway town just thirty minutes away from the Wolfpine woods. Countless pine woods surround the area where a smooth circular stone functions as a road towards the steel grey door of the wildlife conservation.

Inside the building, the tapping of a pen rang across the noisy surroundings that she's in as she tried to come up with ideas that could prevent anyone, most of all reckless teenagers, to go to the woods without supervision.

"I'm glad you're back now Selene, we need your help" she turns toward her colleague, Cortlin, she was an African American woman whose child she classmates with in senior year.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cortlin, I'm glad to be of help. Now, what can I do for you?" She still feels a bit guilty, after all, she had a week of leave when the organization needs staff. The mayor of this town will come here and let's just say he's too enthusiastic about our organization reason for that is because of the tourist that continues to pour into our small town due to curiosity.

The town welcomes the tourist passionately since it means business and money flows whenever tourists came here either by getting fooled at the local stories or buying our famous Wilsbrein wine.

"We want you to submit some introductory presentations and give us some advertisement that would pique the youngster's eyes. You know? You're the only young girl in here so it's been great that amidst the bald, thin, and white hairs, there's still a black ample hair here in this office" she joked and some of our colleagues heard about it and also looked at my hair on envy.

"Wish I could have a hair-like yours Selene"

"It's good to be young" someone sighed and we all laughed. Cortlin left after I gave her my word and soon, I focused my eyes on the screen in front of me and brainstorm some ideas before putting them all on the computer.

It feels that something is still lacking so I called for help which is equivalent to calling for Everyln's help, she's the most experienced and outgoing so she must have some ideas in her head.

"Selene, you called for this beautiful, gorgeous, and sexy best friend of yours. So, what's up? You got yourself a boyfriend?"

"What? No!" I flushed in my seat after seeing my co-worker's eyes and lower my voice as I walk outside the office.

"Whatcha up to then?" I heard someone shouting from her side and then it turned into a peal of full-blown laughter.

"I think I should be the one asking you that" I'm quite curious as to what she's been up to as well, might as well ask her today.

"Oh, nothing, just the same, the beach and the boys" I could imagine the wiggling of her brows as she said those words.

"I don't need any more details on that so yeah um... would you mind giving some ideas for you know, my work? We have to pique the youngster's interest so... I figured you might get some fresh new ideas"

"Well, girl! You find the right person!" I smiled at her confident self, it seems like she finally let herself loose again, no more the girl who's terrified of the forest.

I'm glad.

"So what do you think?" I readied my pen and sticky notes which are always hidden in my pockets.

"Promote on social media, download TikTok, and promote your organization there. Give some clips about how your work goes, what it entails and what's great in Wilsbrein also you should give some um... let people know about the folk stories in our town" she was hesitant at the end part and I can understand why.

I also feel uncomfortable when it comes to selling attractions to tourists by relaying the stories and mysteries of our town. Now that I have seen and talked to them, I kind of feel useless and repulsed at our mayor who constantly parades them like animals on a carnival just to get people's attention.

They're different from us and that doesn't excuse us from disrespecting them.

That's why I kind of hated humans for treating other humans in repulsion and hatred. They're not like animals who only move by their instinct, they can reason out but still do things that are worse than an animal could.

"Okay, I'll give those a try, thank you for your insights oh beautiful, gorgeous, and sexy best friend of mine" hearing her giggle makes me burst into laughter as well and I ended the call.

I returned to the office and gathered every idea I could get. Finally, I decided to make use of this TikTok that I hated (since I'm not into that app) and push social media as the number one factor.

I also sent a proposition to Mrs. Alberts to strengthen the security to avoid reckless teenagers partying in a forest which is clearly a foolish thing to do. As well as promote the use of our wonderful staff whenever tourists want to travel the forest.

I did cross the idea of using our folk tale to draw people in this town, it kind of a biased move to make but I don't think it's a good thing to promote it.

It needs to stop and even if it's just a small momentum of what I've just done, it's still a change.

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Chapter 14 is out! Hope you like this chapter!

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