Green Harbor

CHAPTER 14

Keone held the door open for Zelena to enter LC Publishing House's "W.E.W".

"W.E.W? What does that stand for?" Zelena asked.

Keone laughed. "It stands for 'Where Everyone Works'. We couldn't think of a better name, to be honest." He found an empty table for them to sit on.

"So, how long have you been working here?"

"Not too long, but not too short either. When my father was arrested, I went job hunting." Keone said. "But it didn't exactly end like that, it was more like this place hunted me."

"Have you been visiting your father?"

"I have. But that doesn't make me worry less about my mother and my sisters." He answered, trying to keep his hands warm.

"I'm sorry." Zelena whispered.

Keone gave her a small nod. "Don't be." Then, he stood up when his phone started ringing and asked to be excused.

Zelena took this opportunity to examine the place, from its ceiling to the chair she was sitting on. There were at least 50 people walking around, their focus on whatever they were working on. The whole building didn't look like those big public malls they have in the city, this place looked more like a school building, the ones where parent-teacher meeting are always held. Zelena turned to look at the wall behind her that have schedules, maps, and pictures of some important employees posted. She read through every name and role these people have. There were department heads, managers, and authors. But what about their CEO, or whoever runs this place? There wasn't even at least something that displays the person who founded this publishing house.

Zelena snaps out of her thoughts when Keone calls her name. "Madam LC just called. You have just been granted a place to write in." Keone said.

"What? Already?"

Keone rolled his eyes. "Yes, already."

Zelena couldn't believe her ears. "No, you must be joking, shouldn't I be introducing myself to this Madam and maybe show my work?"

"Well, you see, this is how it's played in LC Publishing House. Your presence is noted once you enter the W.E.W, you've got to give our publishers here something that can fly like fireworks once it's in the market." Keone explains, opening a door to a small office. "And you, Zelena, can make it happen. You can make Shakespeare cry and run to his mommy, and hey, at least now you're back in the game."

Zelena, still in shock, slowly walks towards a desk with a computer and a printer. She runs her fingertips softly against the keyboard. "You're right. The Villamors took everything from me. I will show them who they stole from, and I'll show them by stealing everything from them, too."

She turns to look at Keone who had his back against a wall, smiling at her fondly. "Keone. Show me where to start."

——

Cayla Villamor sat in her office, staring at her hands. Work was tough, especially because they wanted their debut really big and grand. Zelena's old office was visible from her own, and it was now occupied by someone else.

"Cayla," She looked up to see her father by her door. "Are you alright? It's lunch time."

"Yeah, I think I'll be having lunch later. Go eat first, don't wait for me." Cayla leaned against her chair.

"Alright. Love you." Her father smiled.

Cayla couldn't pull herself together, not when every night brings new things to be afraid of. She looked at her hands and saw warm, dark blood. It felt so wrong against her pale, professional hands. The familiar anxiety when she snuck in Kathamina's room.

Once again, she tries to wipe off the imaginary blood from her hands.