Beauty of a crystal

CHAPTER 2

Crystal had a restless night, but surprisingly, she woke up feeling better in the morning. As she stepped into the shower, she couldn't resist pressing on the closed wound on her finger.

Fully dressed in formal attire, she headed to the address that the lady had given her the previous day. Crystal had emailed them during her lunch break at the café.

As the taxi dropped her off at the address, she was captivated by the stunning architecture of the building. Sweating profusely, she made her way to the massive glass doors. As she approached, they parted automatically, and she walked towards the receptionist.

"Good morning, I'm here for the interview," Crystal spoke in a friendly tone.

"Hello there! Welcome. Both Mancini brothers will see you shortly. Please take the elevator to the top floor, where you'll find other people waiting," replied the receptionist with a smile.

"Thank you," Crystal responded, taking the visit card.

As she stepped into the elevator, she noticed a man rushing towards her. Holding the elevator door open, she smiled as he got in. As the elevator began to ascend, she asked, "What floor?"

"20th," the man replied, still catching his breath.

As she fully stepped into the elevator, the man in a suit entered behind her. His gaze fell on the visit card hanging around her neck, and he spoke up, "Heading for the interview?"

Crystal turned to face him and nodded, "Yes."

The man gave her a small smile and replied, "Best of luck. The Mancini Brothers can be a handful." Crystal watched as he got off on his floor, feeling the elevator move upwards as she continued on her way.

As the elevator reached the top floor, Crystal couldn't help but notice a change in the atmosphere. The air felt different up here - inviting yet dangerous at the same time. She took a deep breath and stepped out, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Crystal noticed a woman storming out of the interview room, clearly agitated. Finally, a woman emerged from the room and called out her name. Crystal stood up and approached her.

The woman directed Crystal to a chair in the center of the office and gestured for her to take a seat. Then, she left the room after handing over some documents to the two men who were present in the room. As the woman shut the door behind her, Crystal was left alone in the room with the two men, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

As Crystal made eye contact with Matthew and Xavier, she felt an inexplicable heaviness in her head. The two men seemed to be analyzing her every move, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was about to happen.

When Matthew spoke her name, Crystal's mind raced with possibilities. What did they want from her? She couldn't help but remember the white dove with the dark rose, and the black dove with the white rose. She felt like she was caught in a strange dream.

As Xavier asked her if she was scared, Crystal's heart rate increased. She tried to deny it, but the fear was palpable. She was confused by her reaction, and the black and white smoke surrounding her senses only added to her disorientation.

Despite her anxiety, Crystal couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

The woman sat in the office, her eyes fixed on Matthew as he asked her questions. However, her mind was elsewhere, her senses moving too quickly for her to focus on his words. Her surroundings began to morph into a twisted reality, and she found herself unable to distinguish between what was real and what was not.

Suddenly, she was no longer in the office. She shouted out in confusion, her surroundings unfamiliar. The once-familiar office had transformed into an empty, castle-like mansion. The woman's mind was now filled with terrifying visions and feelings, her limbs carrying her as she ran around the castle desperately searching for an exit.

After what felt like an eternity of running, she cried out in desperation, "Where am I? Someone, anyone, please help me!" Her confusion and fear were overwhelming, and she could feel her tears streaming down her face like a never-ending stream.

As she stumbled through the dark castle, she heard a mysterious voice, "Tsk tsk tsk," echoing in her ears. Suddenly, she felt an unseen force lifting her higher and higher toward a dazzling light. But as she emerged from the castle, she found herself surrounded by a breathtaking garden of black and white flowers, and hundreds of doves soaring high in the sky.

Alas, her moment of wonder was short-lived as the warm light turned into a violent gray storm, and all the doves fell to the ground, staining the roses beneath them with their blood. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched millions of crows fly out of the dark clouds, their piercing caws echoing through her ears.

She couldn't bear it any longer and started running wildly, her heart pounding faster than ever. For miles, she kept running, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her ears ringing with the sound of the birds. She didn't look back, not even once, for she knew that the only way to survive was to keep moving forward.

"wake up, wake up. CRYSTAL!"
Crystal jolted awake at the sound of her name. A familiar voice, calling out. Her body was drenched in sweat, and her muscles ached from all the running - it felt like she had been running for her life. As she tried to catch her breath, she realized that she was in her apartment, but everything felt strange and unfamiliar.

Mona, her older sister, stood next to her bed with a puzzled expression on her face. "You must have had one hell of a nightmare if it had you screaming like that," she said, looking at Crystal with concern. "Are you okay?"

Crystal struggled to speak, her mind still foggy from the dream. "Where... where am I?" she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mona rolled her eyes. "You're in your deadbeat apartment, sis. I came by to check on you, but you were tucked in bed the whole day. Must be nice living a life like yours." She disappeared into her bathroom, leaving Crystal alone with her thoughts.

"What?" Crystal asked feeling confused. "No...no. I was at a job interview and then I-" Crystal cut herself off not being able to remember.

"Then you called excited about getting the job. I must say I lot of girls would beg to work for the Mancini Brothers. And you are their assistant now" Mona said coming out of the bathroom and gashing about it.

Mona checked the watch on the wall and replied, "It's about 1:35 am." She gazed at Crystal, who seemed lost in thought. "So, are you going to tell me about your dream?" she asked curiously.

Crystal whispered, "I don't remember much, but I was scared and running. And then, for a moment, I saw two figures in the distance. I couldn't see them clearly, but their eyes were bloodshot and filled with veins."

Mona interrupted her as she drifted off again, "Crystal?"

"I need a glass of water, please," Crystal said, bringing herself back to the present.

"Of course, kid," Mona said, getting up from her seat and heading to the kitchen. She returned with a glass of water and a large box. "While you were asleep, an FBI-looking man dropped this off for you," she said, handing over the water and placing the box on the table. "It has the Mancini initials on it, so I'm guessing it's work-related."

Crystal gratefully took the glass and gulped it down in one go.

"Good to sleep. Tomorrow is your first day" Mona said as she kissed Crystal's cheek. "Night kid." She said turning off the lights.

"Nyt"

As she lay in bed, her mind racing with thoughts, her eyes remained fixed on the plain, white ceiling above. Despite her best efforts, sleep eluded her. Eventually, exhaustion took over and she drifted off into an uneasy slumber.

In the darkness, she felt two pairs of hands slowly running down her hair and arms, sending shivers down her spine. It was a strange and unsettling sensation, but she was too tired to fully awaken and drifted back into a deep sleep.

"Tomorrow will bring a new beginning for us, little heart"

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