The Encryption

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Jumoke drove into Clover Publishing that morning and parked at her usual spot, next to the fountain that adorned the yard. 

As she turned off the ignition and proceeded to come down, her phone began to ring. She dreaded picking it up because she didn’t want to hear that voice that had given her nightmares. It continued to ring, the tone filing the car as she closed her eyes tightly.

“Leave me alone!!” She screamed, punching the steering wheel and as if on cue, the ringing stopped. She got out of the car and stormed into the office, past the receptionist and down the hall towards the elevator.

She felt the floor was slick and looking down noticed she had messed up the already mopped floor.  Looking up she met the glare of Paul; one of the cleaners.

“Paul, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.” She yelled out to him but he said nothing to her, just glared daggers at her.

She stepped into the elevator and as the doors were seconds from closing, someone yelled, “Hold the door!” In slid Yusuf, sweating

“Ah ah, did you run to work?” she asked

“Yes, I was meant to be here at 7.”

Mrs. Adams was the boss; an aging woman with little care and joy. Once she gave an order, she expected it to be followed to the letter, she could call a meeting for 3am and expect everyone to be in attendance and she queried workers without watching her tongue.

But as controlling as Adams was, she had a soft spot for Jumoke and Amaka. That's why they could get away with some things others couldn't.

“You’re late, you know how she is” she told him

“I know, I know” he snapped, surprising her with his attitude. She couldn’t blame him, he was bound to get queried and that wasn’t a pleasant thing to behold early in the morning.

Ding! The sound of the elevator broke the awkward silence and as the doors opened, Mrs. Adams deep scowl welcomed them, standing at akimbo herself. Both their breaths hitched.

“Good morning ma…” He started

“Spare me, Yusuf” ouch!! “What time were you to resume?”

“7 ma”

“And what time is it?”

“Past 8 ma’am” he replied with his head hung.

“Mrs. Adams, ma…” called Chioma, Mrs. Adams assistant who was running towards them, panting, with a phone in her hand.

“Why are you shouting my name? Can’t you see that I’m busy? Have you no brain or does air just occupy that cavity. Get away!” Jumoke cringed at the words and Chioma walked away; obviously hurt.

‘I shouldn’t be here either, I’ve got more pressing matters’  Jumoke thought to herself as she walked in the direction of her office.

She could still hear Mrs. Adam as she walked

“this is the third time you are defying me and third time you're coming in late this week, it is irresponsible. When you get to your post, pack your stuff, pick up your check and leave my company” was the last thing she heard as she entered her office.

  ‘Damn!!When else did he defy her?’ she wondered.

‘Poor Yusuf, he just lost his job and you couldn’t even help him, some friend you are.’ A sarcastic nagging voice in her head piped, she pushed it aside and walked towards her desk.

Just then a wave of dizziness came over her and she gripped the nearest chair for support. “ugh, I’m definitely stressed” she said to herself as she flopped onto her swivel chair.

She looked out the glass wall that demarcated the work area; everyone was at their desks so the coast was clear. Reaching into her portfolio, she brought out the encryption and just stared at it. She had already lost one day

“tomorrow is the deadline and I don’t understand jack” she groaned.

The symbols really did look like something a child would put together, there were hand shapes, legs, eyes, lions and others all squashed together.

“Wait oo, the eyes!” she exclaimed in a eureka moment and tilted her head to the right to look at the eye shape more intently

“I’ve seen this somewhere before. Her eyebrows knitted in attempt recognition “one, two, three, four, five, ..s..six” she counted the eyes then realized that they had pointy extensions at the side sort of like…

“Cleopatra!!... Egyptians!!” she shouted in recognition.

“Cleopatra ke?”  Someone asked and her head snapped up in response, Chiamaka stood by the door staring at her friend in confusion.

“ah when did you come in?” she asked in surprise while discretely hiding the papers amongst other work on the table “I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“Long enough to see you staring at that paper like its food” she said laughing “come on, let’s go; Adams called a meeting.” .

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