Across the Years (Beymani)

Chapter Three: A New Job

Beyoncé's POV

My funds were running low, so I most certainly needed a job. While my college was paid for and I had saved enough for my room and board, I had little else to spare. My purchase of the things belonging to Normani used up a good sized chunk of the cash I had.

I had spotted a note advertising a job as a lab assistant. It was a strange note stating the job had long hours and lousy pay, but possible great rewards. So I called the number, but got an answering machine. I left my name, number, email address and said I was interested in the lab assistant position.

I got an email two hours later.

"Come today at 12 noon to my lab for an interview. It's in an old factory on the east end of London. 320 Black Church Lane.

Looking at my clock, I realized that I had to leave this instant to get there on time. I didn't even have time to change into something presentable. I was dressed in black leggings, a flannel, and a jean jacket.

"Oh well. You didn't give me time to change. What you see is what you get," I mumbled as I grabbed my keys and headed out. I made it down to the tube in record time. Fortunately, luck was on my side and I managed to arrive at the address with five minutes to spare. The building looked old. My guess was that it used to be a small factory. The area had several old factories that appeared to have been converted into lofts and small businesses. The front was likely remodeled at some point. Several storefronts seem to have been put in. There was a dry cleaners and a Chinese restaurant in the two that appeared to be occupied at the moment. 320 Black Church Lane was at the end.

I immediately noticed that the glass was painted over. The doorway in faded letters read: "Atlas Records and Tapes."

I began to have a bad feeling about this job and reached into my leather jacket to make sure my trusty pocket knife was present. Knocking on the door got no response, so I tried the knob. The door was open so I just walked in.

The front room was obviously a record store at one point in time. I saw a counter, and empty racks which once held CDs. Besides that were boxes of what appeared to be electronic parts. Other boxes held papers and reference books of some technical nature. The whole place looked chaotic and unorganized. In one corner sat a cluttered desk that was covered with papers.

Before I could do anything, a light skinned black man who looked about forty years old burst out of the door in the back. The door itself said "Keep Out." His hair was unkempt and he dressed kind of funny. I didn't mind though. Power to him.

Holding something in his hand, he rushed up to me with an excited expression. "Tell me, what is this?" I noticed right away, he was an American too.

I took a quick look at the object in his hand. "Um...It looks like a socket wrench that's half melted."

He huffed and looked at the thing rather strangely. "I thought so too. At least it didn't completely melt this time."

He then pulled out a coconut from his pocket and took a sip while looking me over carefully. "Dressed in farmer's clothing, hasty judgmental expression. You don't like science fiction... Do you?"

I shook my head. "Only when people die."

"Are you a patient person?"

"No."

"Let me guess. You love horror movies and all kinds of morbid things."

"Yes."

"Are you a student?"

"Yes."

"What's your major? Please tell me it's not physics, mathematics or history."

This was the strangest interview I've ever had. He didn't seem menacing, just odd. "I'm majoring in theatre, with a minor in writing."