Chasing Scars

Prologue

She was seated across from him, her teenage excitement taking over as she basked in the enormity and- according to him – beauty of his office. She didn’t see said beauty, but the room was oozing so much power that she felt like cowering under the desk. The large sleek oak desk was between them, and two bright red leather chairs, one of which she was comfortably occupying whereas his was sleek black leather. Her golden eyes darted around the office faster than Moody’s eye, taking in everything, plus the view.

My! She’d never been to a place so powerful!

There were three huge paintings hanging on each of the peaceful blue walls, but she had never in her life understood those- or ever will so they didn’t take up much of her attention.

“You know why I brought you here, don’t you baby girl?” the authoritative boom of his voice brought her out of her trance and she found her eyes narrowing. Yes, it was authoritative but there was a love for her only she could recognise. Where the rest of world would've cowered back in fear, she stared into the brown of his ageing eyes crossly.

“I thought we agreed on Bee?” she asked. “I’m fourteen, almost fifteen!”

He sighed. “All right Bee, do you know why I brought you here?”

“No,” she answered. “I don’t.”  But she thought she had the slightest idea. She’d earlier told him about her desire to get a job and help her mother out. Not even the fight she and her mother had had the day before was stopping her on it.

A veiny hand pushed a khaki envelope across the desk, which she hastily took.

“What’s this?” she asked, slicing it open. He cringed but ignored the action.

“You should know before reading that, Bee, there’s a price to pay.” He said calmly. Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

The man smiled like the father he was. “I love you, baby girl. And I brought you here because I know you’ve got the full potential for this job,” he put his palms together and pressed two fore fingers on his stubbled chin thoughtfully. “But you should know that once your eyes see that information, there are consequences. You can’t unsee it. I can't help you, I can't save you and you can't refuse the job.” 

Her heart was hammering in her chest, yet not for reasons you might think. She was excited. All her short life, the fourteen year old girl got high off the thrill that came with dangerous situations. “Please explain!” she squeaked. The envelope shaking in her sweaty palms. She didn’t need the explanation. She had already made her decision, which was to sate the curiosity eating away at her in the moment. She wouldn’t live peacefully if she closed this envelope and walked out of the office how she came, besides, her mother was working too hard. She needed the money.

“There’s not much I can say without giving anything away, baby girl. All I can tell you is,” he let out a breath full of agony. “There won’t the any us after, no Bee, or baby girl. I’ll be nothing but your boss.”

Her heart lurched painfully, but not too much to deter her from a decision she’d already made. She opened the envelope and her teary eyes perused, page after page of the file folder. She didn’t know why she wanted to cry when she was this excited. But it kept vanishing with every line she read, every page she turned, every photograph, of her, of unknown people she saw.

Her eyes rose and searched his face for some reassurance that this wasn't real but it was as blank as her mind. She gasped, she wanted to stand but on shaky legs, she could barely. This was way past dangerous, this was fatal. It was everything her demise was made of. “No!” she cried. "I ... I can't!"

“Yes!” he roared calmly. “I told you, I warned you.” There was barely any recognition of the man she knew and loved. Just like he’d promised. “You’ve made your decision girl, you’re going to live with it.”

“NO YOU DIDN’T! YOU DIDN’T TELL ME THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE!” she shrieked. “This is unreal! This is sick!”  she wanted to be sick. What was this man involved in?

He ignored her outburst.

“I’m taking you home, report for training to the main entrance eight thirty Monday morning, there’s brochures at the reception, I’ll pick one up, you’ll see the dress code.”

She could barely hear him though. She could barely shake her head in protest. She was going to die. 

Hours of pacing her room, curling up in her bed and crying did nothing to help her situation. He’d dropped her off, but there were no kisses goodbye or endearments. Just orders. She regretted opening that envelope, regretted going to his office, regretted the entirety of this day. She was still shaking in trepidation when the front door creaked, her mother was home. She quickly dived back into bed and pretended to be asleep. The door to her room creaked.

“Baby?” her mother called but she didn’t make the mistake of answering back. “Goodnight baby,” she said as she kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry you had to wait longer tonight.”

She waited longer every night, but it was okay, she didn’t mind. “I’m sorry about yesterday too,” her mother continued. “I hate us fighting, but you can’t give up school baby.” She kissed her cheek, tears prickled in her eyes and she made an in the moment decision.

As soon as the door lock clicked. She got up, wiped her face and pulled out a back pack. After which she threw in anything her eyes could land on, her mother would be fast asleep in mere seconds, as she was always too tired. The girl swung her luggage onto her back, tiptoed down the stairs and was grabbing the doorknob when much to her horror, it was swung open.

There was a smile and a raised brow.

“I was expecting something like this.”