Chapter one

Note : This story is work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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I feel the sun's heat piercing my skin while my sweat pours. I feel hot and tired from all the walking that I have done since this morning. I can’t keep this up, I need to rest and find myself a bench or something.

After 5 minutes of walking, I saw an empty bench, where I sat down and drank my water from my water bottle. Seems like it's not my day once again. For context, I am Emily Jones, a 24-year-old unemployed woman. And right now I am trying to look for a job as I’ve been unemployed for a year now. You might be asked how, and why? Well, I retired from my previous job because of the work environment and because my boss kept harassing me. Memories of that toxic workplace still haunted me, like those long hours, the demeaning remarks from my boss, and the persistent harassment that drained my spirit. Despite my qualifications and efforts, finding a new job had proven to be an arduous task.

Although every day starts with optimism it always ends with disappointments. Even though I meticulously look through job postings, modify my resume, and write many cover letters. However, there have been few responses. Rejections pile up, each one shattering my confidence. My savings decrease as the months pass. My living situation reflects my financial struggles. As I'm renting a little studio apartment on the outskirts of town. The walls are thin, enabling noise from neighbors to penetrate at any time. Rent takes up a big chunk of my savings, leaving little for other obligations. And also meals are made up of affordable items that have been carefully planned to last until the next uncertain payday. Looking into my situation right now, all I can do is laugh while crying inside.

When could I escape from this nightmare?

In a situation like this, I often think about my parents who passed away due to a car accident that is why at an early age I learned how to work hard, work to survive, and work to have a roof above my head. I don’t have any relatives to take me and my parents are not rich as well, so they left me nothing but their ashes.

A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, offering a fleeting coolness. It is a small gesture but I found comfort in it. I always thought about my dreams, and goals since childhood as I dreamed about being independent with a stable job and a nice house to live in. But the reality of adulthood was far harsher than I imagined. It makes me smile bitterly because of my thoughts running through my head.

As the sun began to set, I decided to make my way home and rest for the day. After an hour's travel on a public train, I made home. I take off my heels, socks, and coat and immediately prepare for my light dinner. Tonight’s menu is instant ramen with boiled egg and that’s it!

After eating my dinner, I took a short bath before laying myself in bed. I didn’t even realize how my tears flowed down my cheeks as I lay there with my arms wide open and my legs straight.

I don’t know what to do anymore….. can I do this? Is leaving that hell a good decision? I --- I don’t know anymore! Can someone help and save me from this?!

As the darkness of the night swallowed my whole room I hugged myself and forced myself to sleep while still, tears streamed down my face.

***

Early in the morning, I woke up by the ring of my alarm clock beside my bed and all the shouting coming from the people renting the next room apartment. The apartment that I rented has very thin walls that you can hear people next door if they become very loud.

I immediately got up and took a shower before I made some toast and egg for my breakfast. Today is a new day to find me a job, because of what happened to my previous job which is why it's much harder for me to find a job or for any company to accept me. I’m not blaming them, it just sucks.

Before going out, I did my laundry for a while and after my laundry, I fixed myself before going out and walked myself to our loud neighborhood down to the train station. I hope this day will be different, may this day be the day I will find my job. I’m not hoping for a high-salary job as long as I can survive I’m satisfied with that.

I got off the train and walked down to the main city. This is what I do every day, I just walk and look for any establishment that is hiring or sometimes I sit down on some bench in the area and search on my phone for job hiring on different sites but not so luckily I found a lot of them but no one accepted me. All I receive from my email are rejections but I am still hopeful for the better.

*sigh*

 I sigh looking at my phone. I feel like there is no end to this, I feel like I am walking in a circle with no goal and no end which only makes me look more pathetic as it already is.  What should we do next Emily? The day is still far from its end you know…. Yes! We can do this!

After resting for a while I continue my search. As I am walking my phone notification is from one of the companies I recently reached out and applied. I don’t mind it too much because this company is in another part of our city, although, it is still part of our city you still need to travel over 45 minutes to be there. But who am I to be so picky right? I have this opportunity, why not just grab it? So I immediately agreed to the invitation for an interview.

So I immediately pick up my things and ride the bus. I can't help my self but smile because of happiness given this opportunity. But I wonder does the Veridian Corporation doesn’t know about what happened in my previous job? Would they know? Could they find out? Of course, I didn’t put the full story on my resume. There is no way I could do that, but what if they asked questions about --- could I dodge that? What if that company ---- what if Parker had already trashed my name behind my back? Those thoughts made my stomach hurt.

I shook my head, trying to push the fear down. Emily, you can do this! You can’t let this stop you! You need this job…. convincing myself.

After I arrived at the bus stop,  the tall building of Lunar Heights stood in front of me.  Veridian Corporation was somewhere in there, where my new future might be waiting----- if I won't screw this up.

I paused on the sidewalk for a moment, staring at the building. Emily, this is it! I have to shake off everything from the past and focus on the present. I took a deep breath, straightened my blazer, and walked toward the building…