Unleashed

Chapter One: The New Client

Emma Riley

I annoyingly stared down at the time on my cell phone: 8:57 pm. As if focusing on it would somehow make a difference. "Might as well try calling her again..I guess" I mumbled to myself outloud as I rolled my eyes and redialed her number for the fifth time in a row.

I stood by myself in front the deserted, darkened bank in one of the worst neighbourhoods in the city. My purse drapped over one shoulder, crossing my arms over my chest. Both in annoyance and to protect myself from the chilly night air. My light jacket was no match for it. I made a mental note to myself to invest in a better jacket..whenever I got the money of course.

Voicemail..again. I let out a grunt as I hung up the phone and tossed it into my purse, letting it rest somewhere in between my perfume and my pepper spray.

To say I was frustrated was an understatement. I had worked at a Janitorial Service for the past four years. That was a long time at one place for a 21-year-old. We mostly cleaned offices, kitchens, and bathrooms for local businesses..but on occasion we would clean a private residence, if the price was right. This is what our boss, Carl called "A VIP." A lot of the employees fought to get on a VIP account, because it meant big bucks. Personally, I tended to steer clear if I could help it. Our VIP Clients were usually paranoid, rich people who look at you like you were trash and treat you as such. Perhaps there are some who will grin and bare it for the money but I am just not the one. My emotions are easily read all over my face whether I like it or not.

No, I was just fine with my simple little accounts like the accounting office downtown..and this small bank. The only negative thing about this bank, was Katie.

See, because of the time of night, the neighborhood, and frankly because we're women..we weren't "allowed" to start cleaning by ourselves. We had to have a cleaning buddy, so to speak. We entered the building together, we exited together.

Katie had been with the company for eight years and had seniority over me. The boss trusted her way more..Lord knows why. She really sucked at her job. But she was the kind of coworker that got away with things anyone else would be fired for. In case you hadn't figured it out..I wasn't the biggest fan. She's nice enough, but she just seems extremely lazy to me. She is late almost every single night and always has a lame excuse.

I pulled my phone out of my purse as I heard it vibrate. "Please let that be her." I thought to myself. I pulled it open to see one unread text message:

Katie
Two minutes away.

"That's what she said ten minutes ago" I mumbled to myself bitterly as I replied with the coldest "K." I could manage. She was supposed to be here thirty-minutes ago. She's always late, but this is ridiculous. How I wished I could go in and start cleaning while I waited, but besides the "arrive together/leave together" rule..Katie had the keys. Boss didn't trust me with them, ironically.

The most frustrating part? We had to be done cleaning the bank, have the alarm set and be out of the building by 10:30 pm. Apparently, the alarm company the bank used charged them extra if it was set after then. So the bank gave strict instructions to be done and gone by then. This is doable, if we show up at 8:30 like we're supposed to.

But since Katie decided to be thirty minutes late..now we will have to rush to not only not be late leaving here, but late to our other accounts. Basically..it makes the whole night suck ass.