Blind One's Faith

It was an early morning. The sun had just appeared over the horizon, and its bright rays painted the rooftops of the houses with a dazzling orange hue. Life was already bustling on the streets of Arkham, filled with residents hurrying about their business. One of the townspeople, a dark-haired twenty-year-old man, went to work earlier than usual, hoping to avoid meeting his boss at the police station.

He was one of the first to arrive, so the surrounding silence was only occasionally interrupted by the voices of a few colleagues starting their day. Sunlight filtered through the slats of closed blinds, filling the entire office with an orange gloom. Our hero found this atmosphere suitable for his discreet task, which required utmost secrecy. But he had to stay vigilant – every shadow might be concealing his boss.

The young man took the prepared folder with the report and set out on his journey. He walked at a steady pace to avoid attracting unnecessary attention, silently stepping on the soft carpet. Stopping near the door to his boss's office, he listened cautiously. Not a single sound came from inside. Although his boss was known for his soundlessness and inconspicuousness, possibly hiding in his lair, our hero decided to take a risk and enter. He took out a spare key hidden near a flowerpot, carefully inserted it into the lock, and turned. Access to this office was strictly limited while its owner was away, because many documents stored here were highly confidential, and no one should see them. However, the key was always nearby, and every department employee knew about it. Just in case. Besides, all important papers were securely hidden in a blast-proof safe, standing proudly in the corner in all its dark steel glory.

The young man cracked the door a little and peeked inside. The office looked exactly the same as usual: impeccable order, and every item on its place. Only the owner was absent. Our hero approached the desk, carefully placed the folder exactly in the middle, as if the boss had left it there himself, and hurried towards the exit. However, as soon as he reached for the handle, the door swung open, almost brushing against him, and the tall, slender figure of his boss appeared in the doorway.

– Ah, Richard, good morning. What a fortunate meeting, – he said nonchalantly and glanced at the table over his employee's shoulder. – I see you've prepared the report.

The boss was almost a head taller than Richard, and although he didn't look a bit older, perhaps even a little younger, he always instilled in him a certain horror and awe. Perhaps it was because of his perpetually calm expression, almost complete lack of emotion bordering with coldness, and the aura of mystery surrounding him. Nobody knew anything about this man, and many didn't even know his name.

Noticing Richard's usual petrification at their meetings, he barely smiled, made a graceful hand gesture inviting him to sit, while gently pushing the employee with other hand toward the chair. Then he sat at the desk, opened the folder, took the report, and began to read.

Richard couldn't move from worry. Like a rabbit in front of a snake, he patiently awaited his fate. And every time he found himself in this office with his boss, he received a reprimand for some shortcoming in his work. Many colleagues assured Richard that the boss highly valued his talents, but he couldn't tell for sure, looking at that perpetually cold and seemingly insensitive face of a man who valued meticulous following of all rules above everything, no matter how foolish they might seem to others.

– "Dear reader, I am delighted about our new meeting, where with great pleasure I can present to you another story about my extraordinary adventures in the field of investigating occult incidents," – the boss read aloud and barely smirked. – Richard, you're incorrigible. You should have chosen a different profession at university; perhaps you could have become a decent writer. Nonetheless, we are not a publishing house but a police station, and we have certain rules. But let's get back to the report. I hope you'll stay while I check it? You don't have anywhere to go today, as far as I know.