Reaper's Girl

A new nightmare or a begining of a dream?...( six years later) (edited)

She was in those dark corridors again, grey stone walls surrounding her from all sides. Cold and damp air smelling of moist and rotten things. He was behind her, laughing coldly. Her legs were aching, but she pushed beyond her tired bodies limits, knowing that slowing down would mean the end. She ran knowing that he'll catch her sooner rather than later. He was playing with her. Like a cat plays with its prey, before moving in for the kill. She stumbled and fell hard and he was on her in seconds, pinning her to the ground.

                - You can run and you can hide, but you know that I'll find you, - he said to her in his dangerous silky voice. She knew what was coming next. He'll make her pay for defying him once again and there will be no one to help her or end her sufferings. So she cried and screamed and tried to get away from him and then...

                Alice woke up. Cold sweat covering her body and her heart beating at a crazy rhythm. It was a dream. A nightmare. No. It was a memory. It was two years now that she got out from that nightmarish hole that to everyone else seemed to be just a simple plain correction home for deranged teenagers. Now she was free, or as free as she'll ever be. The monster of her nightmares stopped pursuing her after she launched a bottle of holly water and some ancient herbs on him. He was probably waiting for her to lower her guard, but if it's the case, he'll wait a long, very long moment till a day like that comes.

                She kicked of her sheets and got out of her bed with a heavy sigh. It was her first day in a new job and it wouldn't be good to go there in anything less than perfect. Especially because it was already a huge miracle that she was taken for it. Assistant of a CEO in a large media company was a top rate work offer and when she went for the recruiting meeting, she was expecting to be declined rather than accepted on the spot. She smiled to herself in the mirror of her small bathroom and winced at her own smile. It was cold and emotionless, and it did not touch her eyes. But then it was six years now that she didn't laughed, she felt no joy, nor happiness. The only reason she was still alive was because she could not die, even if she wanted to. This choice was taken away from her as many other things.

                Sighing heavily again she turned her back on the mirror and stepped into the shower. Hot sprays of water washed over her and the last memory of the nightmare drained with it. Alice liked to take hot burning showers. She always felt purified after a good, long, steaming shower. As she stepped out of the shower her mind was already on her outfit and other insignificant details of her looks. In less than thirty minutes she was ready to go, deciding to take her breakfast on the road. She spotted a nice little coffee shop in front of the company's central building when she went there for her meeting. She took her hand-bag and left after checking her locks twice. Just in case.

                Road to her job took longer than she thought and as Alice's bus stopped near the office, she had only thirty minutes left to take her breakfast. She hesitated only for a moment before deciding to skip the breakfast and take back at it during her lunch break. Eying the forty stories building she decided that it would be best to go inside now, or else she will risk to be late. Not good on the first day of work. Electronic glass doors opened before her and she stepped in the modern latest fashion reception hall.

                She looked around her and spotted the reception desk. The receptionist behind it was a copy of a modern top model: pretty, busty and long legged. All in all she looked to be placed here to be a distraction to the eyes rather than a real professional and competent person. Alice sighed inwardly. Here goes nothing.

                - Excuse me, miss, - she said to the receptionist. - I'm here for the job of assistant for... - the blond model didn't even let her finish.