Mirage [n.h.]

twenty-five

"You're hired, Mr. Horan! I'll see you three days from now!"

This is the line I just heard now said by my new boss, Mr. Lee, who is an Asian guy, more of a Chinese feature. It's been eight days since my father announced that I'll be having an interview for this job and it's been eight days since I agreed with a bullshit decision.

"Thank you, sir! I won't fail you!" This lie escaped from my mouth with a sincere tone. Let me rephrase that, "Thank you, sir! I'll fail you... Just wait for it" That's the perfect line for that. I really want to quit this job while it's still early and I want them to know everything that I was just asked by a group of syndicates, which happened to be my own father but i'm afraid of the consequences they'll be giving me, just like what happened when I said  'no' to this plan, Harry held me down with a pistol pointed on my head, who wouldn't be afraid of it? I don't want a part two of that.

"I'm counting on you, again, welcome to Bank of New York, Mr.Horan! I'll be seeing you three days from now!" he stands up, which I also followed suit, and we shake hands. My mind flies back to the day when Mr.Hughes asked me to go to his office and announced that i'm promoted and as a part of my promotion, i'll be transferred to New York City, with a fully-furnished apartment waiting for me. Little did I know, my dream place and promotion will be the ticket to the world of danger.

"Thank you again, sir! I'll see you then" I bid my farewell and sped off my boss' office.

.....

"Niall" my next door neighbor which I think his surname goes by somekind of Wright, calls me when I'm fishing my key in my pocket.

"Mr.Wright" I acknowledge him and he didn't complain of me saying his surname wrong, so that means I got it right.

Mr.Wright is a middle-aged man who lives next door without anyone with him- not even a wife. Just his pet cat. What i've heard though, hearsay that he's somekind of a crazy person.

"Hi Niall" he says and I greeted him a 'good evening', just being a friendly neighbor I am.

I was about to put my key inside the key hole when I feel him next to me and he yanks off the key off of my hand. The key landed to just the floor below me.

Well, I think he really is a crazy person.

"Sir!" I exclaim.

"Are you sure you're alone in there?" he says, pointing to the door of my apartment.

"Yes, sir. Why?" I ask, but I now know the reason of that question he asked me.

"And you just came home?" he inquires which I again nodded.

"Well, okay, that's creepy because I swear I heard noises in there awhile ago, someone's having a chitchat there, and there's a crying scenario there. Are you really sure you're alone there?" he explains. Chitchat? So there's someone with Ysabelle inside, maybe with his guardian, Nicholas? And crying? Why is she crying? I need to know the reason why as soon as possible.

Without deciding whether I should go back and assure to Mr.Wright that i'm really alone inside the apartment or leave him alone and go inside my apartment, I retrieve the key that's still lying on the floor and push it inside the key hole.

"Niall!" my curious neighbor keeps on exclaiming, i'm about to close the door fully when he again calls me. "Niall!" he again exclaims.

My door is now an inch on closing when I peep my head on it,

"Sir, i'm really alone in here. Those noises you've heard maybe came from any other neighbor we have here on the floor, there's no one in here. Have a good night, sir!" With that, I close the door infront of his face.