WONDER WORLD

CHAPTER ONE

As the green dragon swooped over the mountain village, it flapped its mighty wings, forcing bursts of air downward, which knocked beavers off their logs into the fast flowing river, and the hillsides to be blurred with clouds of dust. The dragon's eyes squinted as he carefully examined the forest below. The scaly beast drooled gooey saliva that dripped from his six inch teeth as he grinned. He shot a stream of fire from his mouth, causing trees to ignite, and animals to run for their lives. A brave turtle stood on his back legs, reached into his quiver, and pulled out an arrow. The tip sparkled in the bright sunlight as the turtle fired his arrow, cracking the wind as it sped upward towards the fifty foot destroyer....

"Anna!...Anna! Breaks over! Put your stupid fantasy book down, and get back to work!" Anna put her book on the table of the break room where she sat, and glanced at her watch. "Jack, I have six minutes left on my fifteen minute break."

"Don't argue with me. You're lucky you have this job. Now, get back to work!"

Jack stomped his feet as he rapidly walked away from the break room. Anna thought, "Well, I guess my breaks over," and carried her book back to her cubicle, while her stomach knotted up in pain.

Once in her cubicle, she stared at her desk while shaking her head. Anna's friend Chloe poked her head over the common side wall they share. What's up, Anna girl?"

"Oh, not much, I just hate working under someone with such horrible people skills!"

"Don't let that guy bring you down, Anna. He's mastered the traits of being irrational, petty, grumpy, and vindictive, and as you know, he makes up rules as he goes to benefit hiMs.elf. Don't pay attention to that jerk. You know the higher ups love you, and he's just upset your much younger than his fifty hard years. He's just a miserable man, and he's probably jealous of your talents. Don't worry about him!"

Anna smiled as she booted up her computer. "Thanks Chloe. You're a good friend."

"You are too. Now c'mon girlfriend, anyone would kill to have your job. Creating interesting, fun ads for a high fashion magazine in Los Angeles! You work on the eighth floor with a nice view as well.

"Our building is sixteen floors high...I'm actually halfway to the bottom floor."

"Or, halfway to the top. You used to be so positive, Anna."

Anna got back to work. Now let's see...if I place the add for jackets next to the gloves and mittens, that would be appropriate...let's see how it looks.

Although she has received many thanks from her clients, Jack has never said a positive word to Anna, despite her hard work for the company.

Anna slipped off one of her shoes, rubbing her sore foot as earlier in the day, Jack made Anna move her car from the company parking garage. Her stomach ached as Anna thought about how Jack told her to move her car. Your thirteen year old garbage car doesn't look successful enough. I want clients to think nothing but success when they visit the magazine's headquarters.This caused her to park on the street five blocks away, then walk both ways in heels. As she rubbed she thought, I would like a new car, but there is no way a guy like Jack would ever give me a raise. Anna stays for the experience, and dreaMs. of someday making it big, either with another magazine, or other opportunity, but she doubts herself. With all the negative feedback Jack gives her, Anna has hit a new low in self esteem.

A shadow filled her cubicle as she kicked off her other shoe. "Anna! I'm not paying you to relax. Put your shoe on!"

"But Jack, my feet really hurt from having to park so far away this morning. Also on the way back, I came across an elderly gentleman who was laying on the sidewalk, having lost his balance. I helped him to his feet, and he put his arm around my shoulder's as I got him safely to the coffee shop on the corner." Jack's eyebrow's furrowed as he shook his head. "That old guy was not your concern! You were on company time, and that will come out of your check!" Jack turned rapidly to leave, then turned back, glaring with squinted eyes at Anna. "You better leave for work earlier, and get used to parking down the street. I gave your parking space in the garage away to that new guy. He's got a nicer looking car." Jack grinned. Anna's stomach felt that old familiar pain again. She slipped her shoe back on as Jack put both hands on her desk and leaned in to within inches of Anna's face. He smirked as he nodded. "Wait till I get that VP spot missy! There won't be room for you in this company when that happens! You better watch your back lady!" Jack finished yelling at Anna, and left her at her desk. She reached for a tissue, as tears cascaded down the front of her face.

Cubicle neighbor and friend Dawson heard Jack's tone of voice so he went over to visit his friend Anna. Dawson, is twenty-three, a stylish dresser, and is liked by the CEO as he is on top of all fashion trends from London, Paris, and New York. Dawson's jet black hair is perfect everyday, very short on the sides, long on top with hair draping down across his left eye so most times you don't even see it.

"Hey pretty girl," he said. "Don't take it personally what that miserable man says. You're a great talent and the CEO knows that. I think Jack is jealous, and is afraid you'll be his boss someday so he's trying to make you look bad so that doesn't happen. But like I said, the real boss knows you're an asset. Come on, let's go get some coffee."

"Oh, I just had a fifteen, sort of."

"Okay, we're taking our last break together, girl. Get that idiot out of your head. He's so not worth it!"

Anna focussed on her day, arranging photographs for the summer issue. "Let's see. I think photos of ladies wearing different colored cutoffs as they play volleyball on the beach. Yeah, that looks like fun, and highlights the shorts."

She put the cost of the shorts in the ad. "Hmm," she thought. "Why would anyone pay eighty dollars for these shorts, when you could go to the thrift store, grab a pair of scissors, and for five bucks, you have the same thing?"

Anna kept busy, which helped make the time go by quickly. She spent her lunch time reading her book. After reading she thought, "Wow. The turtle actually shot down the huge dragon. I guess if you have confidence and bravery, even the little guy can win. But...that's just a story. Turtles can't shoot arrows." She worked steady on ads for the next three hours. Dawson broke her focus as he peeked over the top of her cubicle. "Hey, pretty girl."

Anna smiled. "Well, thanks Dawson. I know I'm just an average looking girl, but thanks for saying that." Dawson motioned with his head, pointing in the direction of the break room. "Let's go, I could use a Mocha Latte about now, and you need to get out of that cubicle."

Anna smiled. "I think you're on to something. Good idea."

Sitting at a small round table in the break room, Anna and Dawson chatted and laughed. "I have to cut my break short to take a conference call."

He stood up and said, "Hey! You're a much better person than that guy. Don't ever worry about that loser." Dawson gave a thumbs up sign, and walked quickly to his desk. Anna smiled, and felt better after spending time with Dawson. Anna leaned back in her chair, and continued sipping her coffee.

"There you are!" Jack yelled as he stomped into the break room.