The Canary Tree

Chapter One: Mr. Vermillion

The young, tall brunette took a seat across the table, sweating nervously but not noticibly, twirling her small side braid and staring at the floor, avoiding all eye contact possible.
"Do you know why we've called you in here today?" The large man on the other end of the line said in his deep voice. The girl still sat poised on the other end, and replied, her head still facing the ground and her voice shaky. "Y-yes sir." He leaned closer in his chair, obviously pleased from her reaction. "And why is that?"
"It's because of Mala."
"Precisely. Do you know why else you're here?" Now visibly shaking, the girl replied with a curt "No."
"You're here, Miss Eliza, because you're her best friend. We need your help to...well..." He took a breath to bring the tension up. "Kill her." Eliza held back tears, surely she knew the answer would come, but it wasn't the one she wanted to hear. "You have three days. If you don't have her skull hanging outside my office by then you're a goner yourself, we've shared too much to let you live on. Besides, that would mean you're a failure. You aren't a failure, are you Eliza?"
Still scared out of her wits, she shook her head, the words not forming on her mouth. "Then go," he sneered, the last words falling out of his mouth like a venomous snake going in for the kill.