Free Web NovelChapter 13: One’s End
Five weeks after her diagnosis, Corrine knew it was no longer a joke.
Not that she ever considered her recent misfortunes as one, but one evening she realized what it meant to be nearing one’s end gradually.
It was raining one Wednesday and Corrine and her team were busy penning down ideas, drafting potential hits and straightening plots for a movie they believed could make it one day.
If this could get accepted and become a hit before I kick the bucket...
Corrine sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
...Maybe then my life wouldn’t feel entirely wasted.
’’Boss?’’ Berry called while knocking thrice. The zombie raised her head from her laptop. The dim office lights only deepened the gloomy atmosphere. Corrine looked stressed and tired. Her stomach had been rumbling non-stop for hours but her obsession for a real breakthrough came before breakfast, lunch and even dinner.
It made everyone worried.
Even Berry and Lin noticed how she seemed to care more about getting drugs than food.
Antidepressants, painkillers, and medicated creams occupied much of her desk.
Her team feared if their boss was trying to be relieved of the stress through her addiction to unprescribed drugs and tonics.
Whenever they considered bringing it up, they worried about how she might react.
They thought she needed a break.
A distraction from something other than becoming successful at all costs.
Corrine turned the chair a bit, her arms leaning on the polished desk as she stared at her very first employee and Winfield Entertainment’s editor.
Corrine didn’t even realize the smile on her face looked strained after nodding that she could come in.
The sky groaned and there was a brief flash of lightning from the windows as they turned to each other.
The chair moved as the boss rested her chin on top of her clasped fingers.
’’Do you need anything?’’ Corrine asked when Berry hesitated for a while.
’’We—’’ She cleared her throat and said in a firmer tone. ’’I, Lin and Stylie would like to be excused from working overnight today.’’
There was a slight tilt in Corrine’s left brow.
’’Why?’’
The sky rumbled again as she noticed how her employee tried to contain her nervousness, fingers rubbing against each other as Berry searched for the right words. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
’’Uh...Lin’s mother is sick. So...we have decided to pay her a visit before we get too consumed in our next project.’’ fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Corrine’s dark green gaze flickered to the window.
’’But isn’t the weather too poor for a visit?’’
Berry didn’t say a word and only hoped their Boss will be more understanding of the situation.
’’I can drive you all there and—’’
’’No!’’
Corrine paused, midway from grabbing her keys. Both Berry and Corrine blinked at the same time.
’’I mean,’’ She continued in a softer tone, her smile appearing more nervous than before. ’’Lin already prepared our transport beforehand. And we all see how busy you’ve been these days and we will be damned to bother you with this, boss.’’
It was then Berry noticed it.
But she wasn’t sure.
’’All we need is your permission to be excused for the night and we promise to make up for our absence by tomorrow.’’ She promised and Corrine gave a light shrug of shoulders that she didn’t mind but there wouldn’t be any room for laziness once they start this project.
’’Alright,’’ Corrine agreed and Berry was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
’’Let me know how Lin’s mother is once you get there and if there is anything I can do to support...’’ Corrine leaned back on her chair with a pen stuck between her long fingers. The dull fluorescent light from the table lamp made her look paler than usual.
As if she was anemic and Berry wondered if she changed her cosmetics recently or it was just so dark in here, things were becoming a little too exaggerated.
’’Thank you, boss! There is only one good boss in this world and it’s you!’’
Corrine couldn’t hold the smile as she appeared more relaxed in her seat.
They will be part of the things she will regret leaving behind.
Her Uncle never broke his promise about minding his business once she refused to call him back concerning her treatment. And it seems the news of her illness never made it to the family table and if it did, they simply laughed and joked about how she deserved it.
As though inheriting a fortune built on sin could somehow make a person immune to illness.
Even her dear Henry was yet to find time to call her back after that day.
Her gaze returned to the rain outside, and she felt the inescapable chill of being alone in dark times.
’’Boss, and,’’ Berry paused as she was about to leave through the door. There was something about it that was unsettling, it threatened never to leave her until she was sure. ’’You should be a lot more gentle when brushing your hair.’’
Corrine didn’t understand. Even the noise from outside faded a bit as she stared dumbly at Berry who now looked confused, bothered and worried all at once.
’’What?’’
Berry raised one of her hands and touched her own hair lightly before pointing to her shoulder. Corrine’s heartbeat quickened, like the beat of a drum slowly reaching its climax as she touched her shoulder and watched as strands of her hair fell onto her lap, and some to the floor.
She stared in horror, noticing it for the first time at the hair strands gathered on her notes, keypad and some in the plastic cup of water placed by her side.
Her heart stopped.
And for a moment, everything around her collapsed.
Raising her hand, she tried to feel her hair again. More strands slipped through her fingers and drifted onto the desk.
’’Boss,’’ Berry decided she was also tired of pretending that everything was fine. ’’Is everything alright?’’
For Corrine, her hair had always been one of the things she loved most about herself.
She gasped as it didn’t make sense to her why, after everything they have gone through for twenty-five years of living with it, she was losing it now.
She looked shaken.
’’I guess not all homemade shampoo is perfect for a healthy hair growth.’’
Corrine dismissed quickly, sitting straighter and returning to her laptop to avoid her employee from becoming even more suspicious.
Her hands trembled as she continued to compose her mail. Tears gathered behind the lenses of her glasses.
Berry understood and tried to put on her best smile before turning around awkwardly to leave the office.
When Berry did, she saw Lin and Stylie were prepared to leave. They all rushed to her and asked her the same thing they have been asking each other ever since they caught their boss reading whether pain could indeed be suppressed by staying under water for long.
Berry only shook her head at them and they all turned to stare at the closed door that opened to their boss’s office.
☆☆☆
As the three rushed from the cab and entered the building as directed by the address. Lin, Stylie and Berry looked lost in the huge lobby and out of place.
They stared around in awe, like children visiting a dream destination for the first time.
They reached a line of elevators made completely out of solid gold that Lin couldn’t help but touch to see if it was real.
The place was quiet and almost isolated. The elevators were intricately designed; they feared being transported to a whole new world if they dared enter.
’’And I thought I have been to all the cool places in Los Angeles,’’ Stylie whispered between Lin and Berry as they stood before the elevators for a while.
They jumped when the one they stood before opened on its own and a young teenager, dressed smartly in a tuxedo, stared at them strangely as if he could read their worth on their faces. He had a phone clasped around his gloved hands as he paused to eye them strangely.
’’Hello? Lucien? You still with me?’’
A voice cried out from his phone. The boy quickly returned the phone to his ear and stepped out calmly from the elevator.
’’Sorry, Yahza, I was startled by some humans in the building and wondered how they even got here...’’
H–humans?
Lin, Stylie and Berry turned, slightly stunned as they watched the little brat disappear down the marbled floor that sparkled like diamonds.
’’Humans? What is he? Some entitled UFO or what?’’ Lin joked behind them and Berry shook her head the moment the boy was out of their sight and urged them all to enter the elevator.
☆☆☆
While in the elevator....
Press the highest number you see and a place unlike heaven awaits you.
Berry smiled as she read the last words that described where he lived.
As soon as the elevator slowed to a stop and opened, the three stood in the tube not really sure of where to go next.
’’Are you sure we are in the right place?’’ Stylie asked, and Berry nodded. This was the highest floor of the building.
They all stepped out one after the other and the elevator slid close gently behind them, showing proudly a symbol only a demon could know.
The first thing they noticed was the cold they felt. Every wall and part of this floor was adorned richly in gold and black, that looked more like royalty.
The floor was empty, neat and polished; they could see not only their faces but faintly what was happening on the floor beneath them.
The long antique hallway with a beautiful view of the city several meters beneath by their right and the silver grand chandeliers was a good distraction until they reached a door.
