The chilly air wrapped around me,sending a cold shudder through my frail little body.I kept glancing over my shoulder expecting someone to pounce any instant.Ten o'clock. Dusk was coming around and the sky was erased of light and life and a terrible screechy wind had sprung out of the other end of the high pine-specked horizon, whistling of ill fortune.
I pulled my light coat tightly around me and rubbing my shoulders for the fear of being frozen in this god forsaken estate.I tried to remember when I had got here but the persistent howling of the wind wouldn't allow me to think! Just as I thought I was about to die of the cold, the thick heavy black doors before me opened with a thorough bickering of bolts.I could see little of the hall except it was washed in yellow ochre- a fire,warmth!
"Come!" I saw the woman only a second after she barked the order in an icy voice.A face, bone white. But for the wicked wind I wouldn't have for the death of me stepped into the colossal mansion.I picked up my two small bags and stepped in. The corridor, terribly narrow and short, was panelled in dark wood,unpunctuated except a picture of a beastly woman who might have look prettier in the light.
Nervously I entered the gigantic hall bathed in fire light adorned with a myriad of ornate paintings and antique objects,rugs and furniture that seemed from a few centuries ago. It looked a like a scene straight out Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books. I edged closer to the mantle piece and fought not to touch the dozens of bronze curios cluttered.
I couldn't imagine what sort of work demanded my expertise out here in this sinister European bunglow buried in the heart of a thousand trees. I could see absolutely no trace of technology save the electric lamps bottled in their old fashioned crystal shades. No power point whatsoever. I looked across at my old Thinkpad cosy in its bag, which looked futuristic for once against its quaint surroundings.
"You!" the raspy, cold voice returned. I barely turned to find the white face a few inches from mine, tall and willowy I saw her properly for the first time, dressed in black and wine red.Her thin lips curled into the slightest of smiles and the light eyes motioned to the windows on the left I had failed to notice. The fire lost all warmth. I wanted to run but I knew I couldn't.I couldn't move a muscle nor speak a word.A whirlwind of confused thoughts spun up inside my head!The room around me vanished and suddenly for some reason I couldn't fathom, all I could see was numbers,algorithms.
Next I knew I was screaming my throat split.The ice cold jet of water almost broke my nose leaving me gasping and choking for breath.The woman waved the jet away, threw me against the papered wall and seethed "You will listen when you're being spoken to!". "Ye-yes Ma'am" I spluttered.
"There is a man outside. He will not come were I to ask him myself.Bring him.Tell him nothing." She opened the enormous windows and gave me slight push."Good luck," she smiled, and looking beautiful for the first time the whole evening. "I..," my eyes fell to the floor.Horrified, I saw her feet,floating a few inches off the ground.
At this point my sister awoke.Today was her first interview at the IT firm she always dreamed to work for.
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