Snowcrawler

                       Chapter 1
            
                 Surprising News

   White, yellowish ceiling lights beamed down, brightening up Henry Lawrence's office. He sat at his desk, inside a newspaper manufacturing company, Henry was fatigued by work. He stared down at his nameplate up front of him on the desk. In the mean time, he was positioned as manager of the factory. Also that there, at the side of his nameplate, were the applications of papers he had to finish. Being in a higher position, he got paid 30 grand a year. Although having to be received a superlative amount of money and a sure good quantity to his liking, one thing came at a cost. The one thing that was to the hilt not to his liking was the contract he wished he hadn't signed. A cost that followed him since the day he jotted his signature down on the contract. No workers, high or normal got any time for their own, not even for the holidays. It was in the middle of October, 1981. Though, many other jobs would give their workers even a single day off for Halloween, there was certainly no plan for his job. Henry was of course, understandably dead beat. He could distinctly recall the date of when he was first hired. Shaking the hand of the owner, an interview that went smooth like butter. The novelty of putting on a fancy three piece suit and stepping into a fresh new office, all wore off. The fresh scent of the room converted into a dusty, moldy atmosphere. The unbearable smell no one could think of to breath in it. Wearing a fancy decorous suit to work, felt honored. However, so with the others, they rotted away in time. Now, he felt despised in wearing a suit. The clean and furnished wooden desk, got scratches and scrape marks. Day by day, many holes would appear at the bottom, unsettling noises would come out. Only god would know what made those noises. The desk's top was normally bare, only having a telephone, a lamp, a bobble head and a blotter. With a stack of unfinished paper piling beside Henry, for him to complete. He sighed out of frustration as he ruminated on what would make him feel better.

  A knock came from the outside of his office door. “Come in”. Henry briskly said. Opening the door, the executive manager “Gilbert Crimson” walked in. “Here comes this loathsome fat swine again.” Henry insulted him in his mind. Beside despising his job, there was one thing Henry hated more. And that of course, was the man standing in the doorway. He disrelished every exigent command that Gilbert reported him to do. He grew sick of seeing Gilbert's red, brownish dull hairline everyday. He was the one who made Henry more reluctant on being calm. Although holding a boulder like detestation on Gilbert, he bit his tongue and enclosed himself with a smile, a fake one. “Henry, I want you to follow me to my office. I’ve got urgent news on the factory.” Gilbert said. Henry turned to his right, where the telephone was. Confused on why Gilbert did not use his own to call him. “Perhaps, did he just want to see me suffer with his own eyes?” He thinks. Gilbert ambled out of the room. Henry picked himself up from his chair. He perceived the faintest of heat flying out of his body as he did. His legs struggled to take a step after a step. “I’m not even in my 40s and here I am, already worn out.” Henry thought. He went along with Gilbert and Henry geared down on the lower workers from the railings. Even on the high metal platform, the stench of dried up sweat filled up the entire warehouse. The sweat and the steam of the

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newspaper machines mixed up to create a not so pleasant smell. “I know it’s tremendously hard for all of you down there but I do not have time to ponder about it when mine is already torture.” Henry thought. After some seconds, they arrived to Gilbert’s office. His door, made with polished wood unlike Henry’s door, which was made with metal that had already rusted. Gilbert opened the door, welcoming Henry inside.  

  "Please, take a seat." Gilbert said. He offered Henry a seat on one of his guest chairs. He took a seat on one of them. In his office, everything was pristine unlike Henry's. From something as little as a pen to the desk, every single thing simulated to be untouched. Except for the telephone. It's wires were all sticking out and about. "Now I see why you did not use the telephone to call me. I'm glad that at least one thing is broken." Henry thought. He faced to the left and that there, stood a gigantic grandfather clock in the corner. It's pendulum swung to and fro with a heavy, monotonous clang. Back and forth. "Would you care for a drink, Henry?" Gilbert asked.  Henry spotted him grabbing a fine bottle of whiskey with two glasses from a cabinet. "A glass of whiskey would help me loosen up a bit. I need to lay myself on something from all of this. After all, it'll make me hate you a bit less." Henry thought. He gladly accepted Gilbert's offer for a drink. He poured the whiskey into the first glass. It's rich smell flew right into Henry's nostrils. After the first glass, Gilbert followed to fill the second one. He handed Henry the glass of Whiskey, to him who readily accepted. He took a sip and the taste was perfect. Smoky, malty, and briny, with deep complexity. But the flavors of the grain were just one part of what made up it's final flavor. He felt the rich taste flowing through his tongue. It was strong and heavy but comforting. He drank the glass empty in a matter of a second. "The reason why I brought you here is to inform you about changes." Gilbert said. Henry is a bit bemused with what Gilbert said. "Changes?" Henry asked. Gilbert himself emptied his glass as well. He stands up and sauntered to the file cabinet beside the desk. He took a large sheet of file out and placed it on his plane desk. "Please, step around the desk." Gilbert saids. Henry walked to the desk as Gilbert asked. "We know that Yates Newspapers has been standing still in Denver's since 1921. And there has only been two make overs for this place." Gilbert said. Henry started to surmise what Gilbert would say next.