A Strand Of Hair

Prologue

  It wasn't a normal day for Lucy. Or at least, it started out as normal.
  The usual coffee mug sat beside her elbow, a chain of brown circles surrounding it from where the mug had marked the wooden desk. Although, much to her delight, the colour of the wood was just the right colour so the stains would blend in.
  A picture of her and her sister sat at the top of her desk, her blonde-haired sister smiling, with one arm around Lucy and another punching the air in a tight fist. Lucy smiled, thinking how if it wasn't for her sister, she would never have been here. That picture was just a reminder and a thank you.
  A landscape, A4 book, sat beside her mug of half-cold coffee, little bits of paper poking out from the edges. Glancing at the book, Lucy thought of how she really would have to go through that scrapbook one day and sort out her drawings. A dread pushed against the pits of her stomach. She really didn't want too, but, with a heavy heart, some would have to go.
  A ring from the phone made Lucy jump and she reached out and grabbed the phone.
  "Hello? Lucy Collins from FashionAT speaking, how may I help you?" She said in the most office like voice she could. Taking calls was never really her favourite thing to do in the office. She preferred to do the practical stuff like the designing, sewing and photography part. Not like these chances came around anyway.
  "Miss Collins," Her boss' voice spoke through in her usual sophisticated way, "Are you working hard?"
  Lucy immediately felt intimidated, "Yes, miss. I mean, Boss." She quickly corrected herself, "I was just looking up a venue nearby for the next show. It looks like a great place. Over 500 seats in the arena, the back rooms have huge space and the roof even opens up if it's a beautiful evening. They're giving it us for a good price. A bit more negotiation and I should have them. Oh, and also -"
  "Okay enough." Her boss interrupts.
  Lucy closes her mouth, feeling a shiver of nerves travel down her spine.
  "I have something I want to talk to you about. Meet me in my office in 5 minutes." And then the phone line goes dead and all can be heard is the sound of buzzing.
  Lucy gently puts the phone down into its socket and swallows down the large knot in her throat.
  She glanced about her hoping no one had overheard their conversation but to her relief, the office was just as quiet as ever, with everyone's heads down and working. Or sleeping.
  Lucy's mind was already thinking up the worst case scenarios. She gets de-promoted, she has to cancel everything she's planned, she's going to get shouted at for something she done wrong.
  She'll get fired.
  With her mind racing through multiple questions and answers, she didn't realise that her legs had automatically taken her to the elevator, almost as if they just wanted to get this over and done with. Well, she did too.
  The button was pressed, the doors opened and she stepped in, pressing the 15th button at the top. As the elevator went racing up, Lucy couldn't help but glance at herself in the mirror. There were dark circles forming around her brown eyes, and her hazelnut hair was not the smooth, silk it used to be. Instead, it's always being put up into a ponytail, the little bits of her previous, disaster of a fringe still falling around her face. Her skin was starting to create potholes again, and her glasses were still taped together at one side, thankfully not falling off. She couldn't afford another pair right now. Not with her current job ... hopefully, current job.
  After what seemed like days, the elevator came to a squeaking stop and the doors opened to reveal an entire floor all for her Boss. The red carpet, awards and pictures framing along the shelves, the hanging chandelier and the giant, wall-window at the back of the room.
  In the very centre of the floor was a large, marble table with grooves for legs. Multiple papers, fabrics and pens were sprawled along the desk and all Lucy wanted to do was run up and start drawing. Instinct. That's all.
  A quiet yet startling step made Lucy look to her right. A dark, curved figure stood next to a manikin, their fingers running and cutting along a long piece of red velvet. The figure cut through the last remaning piece, letting the excess fall to the ground. The figure then placed the scissors in the upright manikins hand and clicked their way over to the marble desk.
  She wasn't too sure of what she seen, but it looked like the figure waved Lucy over.
  "Come here. I don't bite." Her boss speaks, "But I do have sharp nails."
  Lucy knew that already. She had many encounters of the tortorious sharp nails at the time she had been working here. Of course, not to her. The worst one she could remember was of one of her nearby colleagues who had just recently finished a whole 10 page conclusion on the investment from the last show. The colleague had made a huge mistake within the addings and succumbed to the tapping, ticking nails as they ripped the 10 pages to shreds. Poor John had to start all over again.
  Ignoring that last threatening comment from her boss, Lucy steadily walked over to the voice. Every step she took seemed to echo in the big room, and she was worried that the Boss might be able to hear her heavy breathing as well.
  She stopped just a metre away from the desk, her boss' figure finally starting to show clearly; The black hair, expensive clothes, and piercing blue eyes. Lucy wished for anything to look like her. She was like a Victoria Secret Model.
  Her boss tapped her finger nails on her desk, one leg crossed over another as she sat down. Lucy didn't know what to do, so she awkwardly clasped her hands in front of her and watched the finger nails tap away.
  "Miss Collins."
  "Ah, y-yes."
  "I have heard that you are an excellent worker, according to my witnesses. Hardworking, on time, everything sorted. You seem to be dedicated to your job."
  Lucy nodded her head, "Yes! It's really good here. The pay is good, the people about me are kind and I have learned many new skills. It's been wonderful here so far."
  Lucy wasn't lying. Well, not exactly.  She did get a good pay but most of it went towards equipment needed for this job; everyone about her were nice, that is if you don't count the silent ones or the cocky idiots; and she did learn some new skills, most of which were just plain stupid and she would never need ever again.
  Her boss just nodded her head, her finger and thumb holding her chin, "Uh-huh, I see that," Her boss leans forward, "But Miss Collins, through everything that you just said ... you didn't mention anything about the job itself."
  Lucy frowned. Didn't she? I'm sure she did. Really?
  Lucy could feel the sweat forming on the line of her temple. Her breathing had become somewhat heavy and her hands were twitching with anxiety. Lucy quickly tried to cover, "Ah, no, Boss. I'm sure you misheard me. I -"
  "Misheard you?" Oh no, "Miss Collins, I am pretty sure that my hearing is at a very high standard. And so is my sense to know that you did not say anything good about your job. You were just trying to cover yourself."
  Lucy could feel the hole she was being put in, "I know, I'm sorry. I'm well aware that you are very talented."
  "Talented!" The hole just got bigger, "Lucy Collins," and here it comes, "Everyone in this space, room, building! Is talented. 'Talented' is not a word you should use to describe someone who has common sense. And if you think that that thinking is going to get you anywhere, then you are wrong. Having that ... that idea of what you think is talented is completely wrong!"
  The hole was now being covered in dirt and ground, bits falling all onto her face and covering her body, "I understand, but all I'm trying to say is that -"
  "You don't like this job. It's not the one for you."
  Lucy raises her arms, almost as if trying to protect herself, "No that's not it." The hole was now a quarter full.
  "Lucy Collins," Her boss stands up getting ready to fill in the last bits of the hole, "I know you don't like this job and that you would rather be somewhere else. In fact, I know that you hate it. I can see it in your face. Your eyes, your skin, your hair. You're not exactly a Victoria Secret Model. And with those thoughts that I know you don't like this job ... I am going to relive you of it."
  The hole was full, only Lucy's hand poked out of the top. She held her breath. A sweat dropped. Her body tense. She couldn't do it. She couldn't do it anymore. Just say it! Say those two words!
  And then, her boss smiled, "I'm promoting you."
  And then Lucy felt someone grab her hand.