Chasing Pavements

Chapter 2

The clacking of her stilettos echoed to the hallway, and then when the sound reached the ears of her employees, they were all rushing to their seats to occupy themselves in each of their own small cubicles, like little preys hiding in their shells as the predator approached.

Abruptly, the atmosphere became hot with their telephone conversations, wide range of legal talks and, of course, fear — Samantha's favourite strength. 

Samantha walked through the room , her dignity intact, her straight back as an arrow. Her substantial personality and calmness contrasted with the apprehension that began to overwhelm the atmosphere. So every employee turned her eyes away as she walked, fearing that they would be the subject of Samantha's humiliation early that morning.

The misfortune of welcoming Samantha fell into the hands of the newly - hired secretary, who was too naive to Samantha's aggressive reputation.

"Good morning Miss Villareal!" the secretary said, her expression were bright and sparkling as Samantha pushed opened the glass door that led to her office.

 Rather than greeting her back, Samantha just walked over to her desk and took a seat to her throne —The black, polished, high-backed swivel chair. Her visage was empty of affection that the smile of her secretary radiated.

"What's the update on my latest work? It's supposed to be ready for release," Samantha opened a large file book in front of her, making preparations to begin her work.

"Oh, it's still on hold since —"

Samantha glared at her with such coldness that later swore she felt into her bones. Her wide smile began to shrink a little.

"On hold... We've been working for months and the work is still on hold." Her voice was quiet but it had potential to make anyone who hears it feel inferior. The secretary seemed to get smaller and smaller by the minute.

"W-well, Miss, didn't you remember?" The secretary stuttered. She was a mouse being careful not to offend the lioness.

Samantha's gaze only seemed to get colder." I wouldn't have hired you if I could remember every goddamn thing that happens in my job, would I?" 

"Ma'am, you fired your book illustrator. You told him that he could shove that sugary fairy tale  illustration up his ass." the secretary replied.

Samantha sighed in frustration. Her upcoming work were pending because she fired her book illustrator. She then remembered that she had a huge fight with her, the previous illustrator told her that  the illustration that she wanted was gory and would probably scare the children but it was really what she wanted to depicts.

She know that it is her signature and style that people love about her. Everytime someone would write a happy ending stories she would treat that work as a trash which made writers frustrated by her. Most of the workers in her company called her 'evil witch' not literally but  someone who is cruel to everybody.

They just stayed in her company because she pays really well and also most of the writers that comes to her company became successful in this career. Her head hurts thinking how she will find an appropriate illustrator for her next book. She indecisively thinked to hire back the former book illustrator but she don't want to hurt her pride.

She recieved unexpected text from her phone. She smirked and rolled her eyes. She thought that it wasn't necessary to text back so she deleted the text right away. 

"Go to hell!" she blurted angrily.

...

Atticus  went back to psychiatric hospital as soon as he  bring his brother home. Atticus worked as psychiatrist in a small hospital in countryside. He greeted Mr. Benjamin, his patient that suffers from dementia,the old man smiled at him. 

" Will Savannah come here?" he asked with excitement.

Atticus just smiled at the old man and gave him a medicine. He worked here for five years but he have never seen someone visited the patient. According to the other hospital staffs he was admitted to this hospital for twenty years. 

For twenty years, no one tried or even attempted to visit him but staffs know that her daughter paid the hospital bills. Atticus can't help but to pity this old man. The medicine made Mr. Benjamin fell into deep sleep. He went back to check the other patients and all runs smoothly and peacefully.

...

"I will be having a break for a month." Samantha announced.

"But what about your book?" her co-worker asked.

"Why not give an opportunity to other writers?" she mockingly replied.

Samantha looked at them. They seemed to be sad and disappointed. In the back of her mind she know how excited they are.She coldly stares in each and everyone of them. 

 This past few months she had a terrible dream again.  She got a courage to face  her fears once and for all.  She drove in her car fast. It takes three hours before she will arrive to her destination. The entire time she felt her heart beats so loud.

She arrived in a gate covered with vines and ivy. She get her keys to open the gate after a minute she successfully opened it. The odd smell of the long abandoned house filled her entire nose. It is dim and uninviting. The furniture that are covered in white sheets crumbled in dust. This house withstand the other houses around the area because it is made of concrete.

"I'm home." she whispered in despair.

The history resonated within the walls. Something inside is filled with anguish. The mirrors of the room gazed at her like the eyes of a tormented soul, along with the grand door at the entrance to the room that seemed to give her a perception that it was a portal to hell.

As she continued to walk in her room, she could clearly picture out her childhood.She remember this place as if it were a castle where she is the princess. She thought as if no time passed since she decided to move out of this mansion, however when she started looking at the unkempt trees at the broken window . It was pretty clear how wrong she was.

AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Special thanks to Rescel Ocampo for helping me revise this chapter. Kindly visit her watty since she is also writing a  novel entitled His Exception. Also, to my wattpad buddy Derill Troy, I would like to thank you for proofreading Chasing Pavements.  Thank you so muuuuch.