𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐈𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ━ 𝐉𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭

- 1 | dawn of restless shadows -

Dawn of restless shadows

Marceline woke with a start, the remnants of her nightmare clinging to her like a heavy fog. The hotel room was still cloaked in darkness, but she could see the faint outline of the clock on the bedside table—4:23 AM. She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she tried to shake off the fear that had gripped her in her sleep.

The dreams had been vivid, fragments of her past bleeding into her present. Faces she wanted to forget, voices that had once been familiar but now filled her with dread. She could still hear the echoes of her ex-boyfriend's words, the ones that had torn her down piece by piece, and the disappointed looks from her family as they turned their backs on her. She had been running in the dream, trying to escape, but no matter how fast she moved, they were always right behind her.

The familiar weight of anxiety settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Marceline knew there was no going back to sleep now. She was too wound up, too aware of the silence that seemed to press in on her from all sides. It was the kind of silence that made her feel alone, made her question if she had really escaped at all.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, feeling the cold floor against her bare feet. The rain had stopped, and outside the window, the first hints of dawn were beginning to creep into the sky. She turned on the small lamp by the bed, the warm light casting soft shadows on the walls.

Marceline went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face in an attempt to wake herself up. The water was refreshing, clearing away some of the lingering heaviness from her dreams. She stared at herself in the mirror, noting the dark circles under her eyes, the tension in her expression. She looked like she hadn't slept in days—because, in truth, she hadn't slept well in weeks.

She needed to pull herself together. Today was important, and she couldn't afford to let her past control her. Taking a deep breath, Marceline returned to the bedroom and dressed in the clothes she had gotten out of her suitcase. The navy blue blouse and black slacks were a far cry from the power suits she had once worn in Boston, but they were professional and comfortable, which was all that mattered now.

With hours to kill before her interview, Marceline made herself some instant coffee with the small machine in the room. The bitter taste was a poor substitute for the rich, artisanal brews she was used to, but it was better than nothing. She sipped it slowly, her mind racing as she went over the possible scenarios of the upcoming interview.

She had done her research on Dunder Mifflin—a small paper company with a modest presence in Scranton. It was nothing like the high-powered firms she had been a part of in Boston, but that was the point. She needed something different, something that wouldn't remind her of everything she had left behind.

After what felt like an eternity, the clock finally crept closer to 9 AM. Marceline grabbed her purse and coat, taking one last look around the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. The room felt emptier now, like it had absorbed some of her restless energy and was glad to see her go.

————

The drive to Dunder Mifflin was short and uneventful, the morning traffic in Scranton nothing compared to the chaos of Boston's streets. Marceline pulled into the small parking lot, noticing a few other cars already there. The building was unremarkable—just another nondescript office in a sea of similar structures. She took a deep breath, steeling herself before she got out of the car.

Inside, the office was quiet, with only a few employees at their desks. The receptionist from the phone she made yesterday, Pam, was already at her post, typing something on her computer. When Marceline approached, Pam looked up and gave her a friendly smile.