Another day dawned, and the Carmichael Tower II employees continued to shuffle at their desks for another day of work. Some of them gossiping while some, like Harper, had their eyes glued to the computer screen most of the time.
Harper moved behind her desk and fished a couple of jellybeans from the glass bow next to a pile of thick papers and colorful folders. She would look at her phone now and then, wondering if she would get a call from Lloyd Castor or his assistant or anyone from Green Life. It had been a day since her interview, and she was dying to know whether she got the job or not. Of course, Green Life was not the only company she had submitted her application to, but it was definitely on top of her list.
While she tried to concentrate on her task of sorting Alex’ accounted and unaccounted receipts at hand, her phone rang, and her heart skipped a beat or two as soon as she heard Lucas’ voice from the other end.
“Could you come to my office for a minute?” he had asked her.
“Okay,” she had answered.
She let out a quick sigh before standing up from her desk. She eased out the wrinkles in her clothes and made her way to Lucas’ office. She tucked her hair behind her ears and adjusted her glasses before knocking on the door. When she heard Lucas’ voice telling her to come in, she took a deep breath and opened the door.
Since when had she become nervous around him?
Once inside with the door closed, Lucas looked at her behind his desk with his hands folded and placed beneath his chin, like he had been waiting for her.
“Yes, Lucas? What is it?” she asked, glanced at the phone on the desk, and then back to him, who was staring at her.
“Yes, Harper,” Lucas answered. “I just got off the phone with Castor.”
Harper pursed her lips. Why did he call him and not her?
“I didn’t know they’d do some background checks. I know you’re very busy since Alex isn’t here and…” her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “Sorry.”
Lucas cleared his throat. "Don’t be. Telling them they’d be crazy not to hire you was the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me, for this company." His voice was soft and filled with hidden emotions.
Harper couldn’t help the smile on her lips. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you? I guess. Don’t you worry, I promise you that your new assistant would be so much better.”
"Don't do that. Don’t say that." Lucas looked into her eyes and held her stare. "You know you’re the best. And I would have sabotaged your application if it weren’t for the fact that you mean so much to me."
"Of course, you wouldn’t! Or I would’ve punched you to death." Harper took the hint and worked really hard on making it sound like what Lucas just said didn’t get to her. She was trying to make it seem like she was unaffected when all she wanted to do now was scream and jump. She felt her face warming up.
But setting her true feelings for her boss slash college friend aside, Harper was grateful for the little push Lucas had given her. As soon as she had figured out the kind of influence Alex had on Lloyd Castor, and probably the rest of Green Life, she knew Lucas’ backing was a great help, and she truly appreciated it.
“Yeah…” Lucas smirked and slowly shook his head. “I can’t believe I just gave you away.”
Harper was now blushing so hard.
"So, I should be getting a call from them anytime soon, right?" she asked, hoping the question would help her ease up.
“I think you should be.” Lucas sighed; his eyes held hers still, pleading for her to tell him she had suddenly changed her mind. But he knew it was impossible. Harper couldn’t wait to leave Carmichael and start a new and fresh chapter in her life.
Would she still have time to meet with him?
Then came the awkward and deafening silence.
Until…
“Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?” Harper asked Lucas, holding the ringing phone in her hand.
“That should be Castor. Go ahead…”
Harper reached for the door, then paused. “Hello?” The cheerful and optimistic look on her face immediately disappeared as she listened to the caller from the other line.
“Harper? Who is it?” Lucas asked, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor.
Harper closed her eyes tight as she continued to listen, then said, “Okay, I’m on my way.” She swallowed the dry lump of fear and panic in her throat. She was already at the door when the brief call ended.
Lucas didn't know what was going on, but he knew it wasn’t anything good.
“It’s Kendal. She’s at the hospital, in a state of shock. She and Claire were attacked by some dog last night.”
“What?! Dog?”
“She didn’t come home last night. She called me and said she was at Claire’s. I have to go and see her now.”
Lucas nodded. “Go ahead. And call me as soon as you get there.”
“Okay,” Harper whispered and headed out the door and rushed out of the building and into her car.
It was only a few minutes ago she was flirting with Lucas and feeling the nice kind of tension between them. Now she was sitting anxiously in her car, heart beating so loud in her chest.
When she arrived at the hospital, she was asked to wait at the receiving area. Her shoes tapped on the tiled floor consistently as she paced around. She nervously kept biting her lip. She had never liked hospitals. She was unnerved by everything around her. Every corner seemed to have an overwhelming sense of loneliness to them.
"Harper?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked towards a slender woman with white hair pulled in a bun behind her head.
“Mrs. Moritz?”
The older woman smiled and offered her hand to her. “Nice to meet you at last.”
Harper took her hand and gave it a light shake. “How’s Kendal?”
“She’s okay now. She won’t heal overnight, but she has stabilized now. She needs plenty of rest.”
Harper’s shoulders dropped. She wanted to see and speak to Kendal. She was extremely worried. She could only imagine what her housemate had gone through to reach the point of not being stabilized.
“But,” Mrs. Moritz continued, and Harper straightened up. "She's asked to talk to you. So we called you. If it's alright with you…”
“Absolutely!” Harper nodded her head rapidly, at a loss for words. She followed Kendal’s mother down the hallways, passing identical doors. Then, they stopped.
Mrs. Moritz opened the door and gently called her daughter’s name. “Honey, your friend’s here.”
“Okay,” they heard Kendal’s soft reply.
“Your dad will be back here soon. Do you want him to grab anything for you?”
“No, mom. Thank you.”
Mrs. Moritz smiled at Harper. “I’ll go and grab some coffee.”
Harper nodded then silently entered the room.
The curtains on the window were drawn. A large painting of wildflowers was on the wall. Then there was Kendal on the bed with bandages around her right arm, and some visible cuts on her cheeks, lips, and the sides of her neck. Harper couldn’t stop herself from wondering if she had any more severe cuts hidden underneath her hospital gown.
“Who would have thought, right?” Kendal’s voice was nearly unrecognizable. It was soft and nervous. It didn't have the same cheerfulness sound at all.
"What happened," Harper asked right away, walked closer towards the bed, and took a seat at the empty chair. “Where’s Claire?”
Without warning, Kendal burst into tears, and a sudden rush of panic overcame Harper. She sat up.
“Kendal?”
“She’s dead!”
“What?!”
Kendal took long deep breaths, tears streaming down her cheeks. “We left her apartment to grab something to eat, and then, out of nowhere, there was this massive dog, it was huge and it just…it attacked her.”
“What?!”
“I tried to stop it, but…I couldn’t. It was too powerful and heavy, and it looked so mad, Harper. I was so scared. I still am!” Kendal was crying so hard now.
“My god. I…” Harper’s mouth fell open. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It was a monstrous beast. It might look like a dog, but it was so strong. When people tried to help, it was already too late. Claire was already choking on her own blood.”
“Oh, Kendal…”
“I can’t… Harper…I think I’m going mad.”
Quickly, Harper reached out for her friend and wrapped her in her arms. “You’re safe now. It can’t hurt you now. You’re safe with us. You’re here with us now. We're here.”