Chapter 1 Part 1 My usual day at the office

The day it all began

I was crossing the road to the busy street off to work at seven-thirty in the morning. My daily routine was getting me bored and was almost convinced of changing my job. I worked as a journalist/photographer at a news printing press and lately, we were having the same type of stories which started with the title BORING. I met Lylah as I was waiting for the lift to arrive.

"Morning Luka. How are you today?" She asked shyly with that vibrant smile of hers.

"Morning dear. All the better for seeing your smile," I said hoping I would get her attention.

She giggled and pressed level two on the lift which is for the editing press offices. I pressed level 5 and walked next to Lylah watching the door close.

"Care for a drink after our shift?" I asked her hoping she would accept my offer.

"Yeah, thanks Luka but I'd rather go to sleep after work. I have been working for days and nights and I am missing my bed a lot," she told me gazing at her dress trying to avoid eye contact.

"Sure, Lylah. Next time then," I said as I gaped at her face.

We have been friends for a very long time and unfortunately, she friend-zoned me. She is a super cheerful person, energetic, innocent and cute but shies away from men. I do not remember her dating anyone and was single all her life. It was her birthday recently and she turned twenty-six. My eyes followed her as she was leaving the lift.

"Good day, Lylah," I shouted out before the door closed.

I sighed and then turned to face the mirror. A well-toned guy like me still does not convince her for a date. I fixed my short brown hair and ran my fingers against my beard, checking if I managed to shorten it all in one size the previous day, then seconds later I heard the lift door open.

"Morning Sean," I said to the tall guy as I was heading out of the lift.

He worked so hard all the time, he barely knows how to have fun. 

"Morning Luka," he responded with a tired face.

I walked through the corridor and into my office. I placed the suitcase on the table and started to unlock it to take out the usual stuff I needed for the day on the table.

Rrrrinnnggg rrrrinngggg.

"oh no, not while I am still settling down," I spoke to myself. "Hello. The daily news printing press, Luka speaking how may I help?"

I waited for a while to hear a voice from the other side of the line and then hung up. This was the fifth day that I was receiving calls like this. No one answerers. I would hear someone breathing heavily but they don't respond. I sat down on the table and phoned our helper Linda to bring me coffee and switched on the laptop.

"Morning sir, how are you today?" She asked with a big grin on her face.

"Morning Linda, I'm fine. Thanks for the coffee. Have a good day," I said still typing on the laptop hoping she would stop looking at me like I'm her whore.

She was obsessed with me, unlike Lylah. If only she was her. Linda kept staring at me then I looked up at her raising my eyebrows.

"Is there something you want from me, Linda?" I asked hoping she would leave.

She shook her head and then turned to exit the office. I rolled my eyes and looked back on the screen.

"You smell good," she said popping in her head again, gazing back at me.

She was too intimidating for me not to scream at her from within myself. I took a deep breath to keep the negative energy from releasing itself.

"Not for you Linda," I said back to make her go away.

I kept looking at the screen avoiding eye contact but I could feel that she now left for good. I rolled my eyes, feeling relieved she was gone.

Simon Cowell the X factor Judge is to be interviewed on the twenty-eight of June on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Bla bla bla

Katy Perry is having her first child with her Fiancée Orlando Bloom at the end of August. Bla bla bla bla bla

"Good afternoon Luka," a very low toned familiar voice said as I was typing.

That must be my boss I thought so I lifted my head towards his tall figure and fixed my tie and posture.

He was standing very straight eyeing me with his blue eyes for a few seconds. His dark-skinned, shaved head was shining from the unnatural lighting in my office, making him look extra clean.

"Good afternoon Sir Malcolm. How are you?" I asked now standing up.

This is the other guy that makes me feel intimidated when he is even ten meters away from me. 

"I need you to go check this out and bring me a good story," he said sharply with his deep voice, like usual.

He handed me a paper with a photo. I kept staring at it hoping to understand what it was.

"There is the address on the back," he said as he closed the door behind him.

I looked at him disappear behind the door and gazed back at the paper.

"What is this?" I thought to myself.

I closed the laptop and left hurriedly from the office, locking the door behind.

"Let me come with you, please!?" I heard the squeaky annoying voice from afar.

"Next time Linda," I yelled out, feeling too annoyed to avoid exposing my anger.

I hate how annoying she can be. I eyed her for a moment, watching her shocked face turn into a grin, like she actually enjoyed it, pissing me further.

I drove through avenue street past the high buildings and all the busy shops.

Blue Creek 125

Drake Cemetary rd T-416

Ohio

"Life is a waterfall, we drink from the river and then we turn up we put up our walls," I sang aloud with the song from my all-time favourite cd of System of a down as I was driving my Lotus V8TT- vintage modified car.

Golden rims, painted black with some golden stickers to make it look modernized. Vintage cars were my soft spot, something I took after my dad, may God bless his soul. He passed away in an accident when he was driving back home from work, died at just the age of fifty-five. Oh how much I miss him.

My mother is all I have left. When I go home she always waits for me to have dinner so we have some time for us two to chat.

She has not been the same since my dad passed, though she does her best to keep moving forward. Unfortunately, the glow she once had in her eyes was now gone.

I drove for hours and hours and it was already getting dark. I should have taken the train I thought to myself. I stopped to have dinner in a small village just before I was going to find the actual spot where that photo my boss handed me was taken.

I took the phone out of the pocket and dialled my mum's number and waited whilst I put in a mouthful of meat. She answered as soon as I swallowed my big bite.

"Hello, sweety." A soft voice said from the other line.

"Hey, mum. I'm calling to let you know that I will not be joining you for dinner this evening. I was given an address to make a good story out of a photo I cannot understand what it is yet."

I heard silence for a second.

"Mum?" I called out trying to see if she is still there.

"Oh ok, honey. I was just sipping some water. Ok fine. Will you manage to come back home today?" She asked.

"Probably not. I am way too far from home to manage to return this evening. Well, I've got to go as my food is getting cold. I will see you tomorrow," I said munching again some chips. 

"Drive safely alright? I would appreciate it if you can call me back tomorrow morning so that I will know you are ok."

I sipped some of my cold beer "Will do mama. Good night, love you."

I placed the phone back in my pocket, then turned my eyes back on the plate, taking a mouthful out of my burger.

I kept observing the picture trying to figure out what it is. It was in black and white and not so clear. Probably taken by a really low pixillated camera phone. I turned the picture around to see the address again. I thought I should ask someone where this address is before I make my way there.

"Bill please," I said to the waitress as she was walking close by.

She nodded, went to the cash machine and came back with the bill.

"Do you mind if I ask you if you have any idea where this address might be, please?" I asked handing her the picture. 

She observed the address for a moment and I could tell she wasn't pleased to see it.

"I'm sorry sir, but I have no clue," she answered trying to convince me that she was being honest.

She started to clear out the table for me in a rush, eager to get out of my sight.

"I think you do. I have that gut feeling that you know exactly where it is. I am a journalist and I have been sent here to check it out. Now could you please help?"

She took the money and pursed her lips.

"Look, sir, it is very dangerous to go there. I don't want to feel responsible if you end up dead," she replied with a heavy tone.

I glared at her, then at the picture in front of me. As soon as I turned it around I hear a gasp and the plate she cleared from in front of me dropped on the floor, cutting her ankle.

"Are you ok? I'm sorry sir. I will clean it before you leave."

I cleaned my black trousers off from the few chips and salt that landed on it.

"I'm fine, it's ok. Go tend your wound first. I will wait," I said smiling at her to make her feel better.

She rushed inside and took five minutes to come back out. She has put a stick on the wound and started cleaning the mess.

My eyes gazed at her for the first time. She looked very young, had golden hair tied up in a ponytail exposing her pale skin and small frame. She then lifted her head and looked at me smiling exposing her dimples and her beautiful large brown eyes. I smiled back and nodded to make the awkward silence between us feel even worse. She left and soon returned with the change.

"Keep the change, it's fine," I said as I stood up, wearing my light jacket.

"Thanks for your service," I grinned, trying to look at her badge to see her name.

It was too small for me to read from the distance we were at, so I couldn't make it out.

"Courtney," she answered, returning a grin.

Turning around towards the cash register, she opened it to put the cash in place.

"Yeah, thanks Courtney," I replied and then left in search for the location, hoping I manage to find it before sundown.

It was already dark and I could barely see. I switched on the car engine and thought of finding a motel somewhere nearby. I started driving and I kept looking to my left and my right hoping I would find a place. Nothing.

I then saw a small house made of wood close by and decided to stop there. I knocked at the door twice before a very tall man with a long ginger beard and hair showed up.

"What do you want?" He asked with a very rough, country-style tone.

"Are you one of those pranksters I had to deal with last week?" 

I looked at him and his big fat beer belly.

"Sorry to disturb, sir. But I was wondering if you can help me find a place to stay for the night. I was trying to find .."

He shuts the door in my face and left me there staring at it for a while. I thought he was very rude of him and started walking towards the car with an upset face. I swear as soon as I lifted my head whilst opening the car door I saw something running into the woods. I gazed for a while hoping I would get a glimpse of what I have just seen. I kept staring straight at the forest and that is when I notice that there was something between the trees glaring straight at me. I rushed myself into the car and closed the door. My heart was beating fast and I started shaking with fear. I knew that whatever I saw was looking straight at me.

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