I awoke to a pounding head as the room seemed to swirl around me. I look to the set of doors had become accustomed to looking at, fearing for the times it opened and there I saw two sets of doors. My vision was blurry. Yap, I was not sober. I scanned the room to ensure my safety and suddenly I was aware of my belly. "My babies," I gasped in horror as the memories came rushing back from the time I lost my freedom to the one where my dread for the turning of the door knob became real and finally when I went into labor. I recalled hearing the them – the sweet cries of life – just before I blacked out.
"Goodness Anne, can't you at least come for my birthday. I miss you so much." "Okay, Auntie I'll think about it." "Please make it to my place just this once." I ended the call and rummaged my fingers through my hair at the thought of returning to Star City. Not that I had any real memories there, but then I had been taught to dread that place. Venom had warned me about it, but I had to surprise my aunt. She had been the foundation of my life, or at least that was what I knew. After a great lot of thought, "it will only be for a day, won't it?" Listening to my conscience, I made up my mind. I had to see her.
"Henry, I want you to book me a flight to Star City today evening," I spoke into the voicemail and proceeded to pack up as I waited.
Henry soon zoomed into the compound past the circular garden of roses that sat in the center of the place. My compound was huge with the center piece of roses of pink and white and other small garden squares that shaped the drive-way. Others led away from it to the captivating courtyard at the back adorned with a shed to the Asian making with tendrils of morning glory running down the stands from their hang-up. That was my sanctuary at least away from the coziness of my room and the alluring front porch it boasted on the first floor arched in the center of the mansion. Yap, you had it right…I owned a mansion all to myself and that is one thing I was really proud of. It is from there I waved Henry into the mansion.
I moved down the hallway as the thoughts of Star city ran my blood cold with fear. Time had gone by but the thoughts of everything still had its rare effect on me. I drove a fist into the wall; the immense pain of it quenching the emotion with in. There I took a deep my mantra, words that rang in my head from the day I was given a second chance. 'For I am a strong lady; independent and self-made.' Soon, my usual stature had recovered.
"The car is ready, Ms. Varline." "When is the return date?" "21st, Ma'am." "That's…" "Two days from now," Henry answered. I nodded in approval.
"Henry?!" I called out, "the bags are in the hallway." "Yes, Ma'am." He moved to do the work while I only went out to open the trunk. Henry was my personal assistant or one could say butler. He was the one I called for everything but don't worry much. He got paid a large sum too. Soon, we were off and on the road. I had been a quiet ride.
"How did the board meeting go?" I attempted conversation. He tensed up.
"It went well, Ma'am. Mr. Woolsworth dropped the idea of using the Varl for political interference," he said hesitantly. He was clearly shaken.
"Oh, did he?!" "Yes, Ma'am."
"What was the original entailment of the idea?"
"With all due respect Ma'am…" I looked up from my phone at him which he noticed from the driving mirror as an unintended glare escaped my eyes. The unspoken threats were now tangible.
"Um, he wanted to…sorry, Mr. Woolsworth…" He stuttered. Why was he so scared? Was it perhaps because of me? What had I become? His brows kissed at the awareness of the promised danger while I only took a deep breath in attempt to calm myself down. I composed myself. "Mr. Woolsworth…" I urged him to continue.
"Oh, um…Mr. Woolsworth had intended to feature a specific party of politicians in the app which at the end of the day would bring bias from the non-supporters thus throwing the Varl into the hands of the politicians making it a political ball." The Varl was an app owned by Varline Inc. And currently the biggest company in Cordonia and that was where I lived.
"Okay then," I replied later when I remembered to.
"Ma'am Varline, we have arrived," Henry announced while he drove into the parking lot. There he opened the door for me to come out. I was clad in a wine red dress that fell to the knees with a long-sleeved white coat which I'd thrown over my shoulders. I took gentle strides – one foot after the other – adorned in white stilettos to match the bejeweled white of my bag that hang from my shoulder. My long straight black hair hung loosely over my collarbone and some of it on to my back.
"The flight is at 5:00 p.m.…exactly thirty minutes from now," he answered after checking his wristwatch. I made myself comfortable while he stood by watching my stuff and I. Soon, he'd zoned out and I found myself glowering at him. The almond-shaped obsidian eyes flattered by the neat eyelashes and arched brows, his milk-white skin shaped by the dirty blonde of his neatly combed-back hair, the frameless specs he wore added shape to his face and highlighted the almost thin lips right above his gentle chin. He was clothed in the usual navy blue tuxedo with a tie of the same color. To some extent I feel it is the only one that he wears daily. Just kidding. Topping it all up, were the black well-polished gentle shoes.
It was soon time to go and yes, I was whisked into another world. A world which I'd been warned of thoroughly, where it had been threatened that the worst of my nightmares would flick through my mind bit by bit like they were of yesterday. I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind as I did not need them to scare me, shake me or run my blood cold like they always did every time I thought of what it could possibly be that they did not want me to know. Like I had been taught, they only filled me with rage, the very drive that held my life force. It had soon become the reason for my waking up every morning. Thoughts I knew nothing of had been chiseled and very well channeled into my head to keep me going. Typical.
There I was standing in the dusking sun of Star City as the warm ocean breeze swept across my face flattering the thick glowing black of my hair. I spotted a card with my name on it and I headed in that direction. The person looked familiar but I couldn't place the face. He rushed to grab my bags and led me out to the parking lot where he loaded into the back of his Jeep. He turned to face me and paused scanning me from up to down then back up. What was he doing?
"It's been so long, Anne. When was the last time I saw you?'' He wrapped me into a hug in response of which I gasped in recoil. He pulled back and once more studied my emotionless face, "oh blimey! Let me guess, you do not recognize me do you?" I could only nod in disorientation. He chuckled.
"Well, to break the ice, I am Seth. Seth Little, your childhood play date." He bounced from side to side as he talked to match the words.
"Don't remember?" he finally asked as if to now his progress in reminding me and unfortunately, he had not even begun. I pursed my lips and slowly shook my head. Sighing in disappointment, he walked over to the co-driver seat where he opened the door for me. On the contrary, I welcomed myself onto the backseat of the car to which muttered some words under his breath before letting out a heavy sigh of defeat. It was a quiet journey to the place where I was going to spend the night or perhaps, my stay in Star City. Who knew?
Soon we stood before the great doors of Sky High and the great bedazzlement of them opened to white marble floors illuminated by the silver sparkles of the chandelier above. Two staircases of white and gray to either side rose from both sides of the glamor possessed by the reception desk. "Ms. Varline?!" A man clad in a black tuxedo with a matching bow tie approached us reminding me of Seth's presence behind me. "Yes, please," he shuffled from behind me.
"Very well then. Please follow me." I signaled for Seth to follow him first then I followed into the elevator. He led us through halls lavished with the finest titivations.
"Room 205," he announced handing the keys over which Seth quickly received. There, he took his leave and I remained with Seth.
I instructed him to drop them in the lounge room and then I bade him farewell and proceeded into the deluxe room sliding the doors shut behind me. I hang my coat onto the door hook and left my shoes right there to relieve my feet of all the strain. With each step I took, I stripped down letting my dress fall in a red heap just as I entered the corridor allowing the chills of the floor to run up my spine. I shivered a bit but the retreated to my new room where I dumped the last bit of my covering even letting my hair fall freely on my back. I took a quick cold shower just before slumping into bed. Exhaustion washed over me in waves as I stared into the ceiling just above. I traced the stars of the midnight sky it had been programmed towhile thoughts of every kind ran through my mind. Mostly sad. Mostly asphysiating. Mostly enraging. Slowly, I drifted off from the land of the living. Far beyond my min palace, I found myself plunged into darkness. This darkness had very slowly, but very surely seeped into me, strangling all the strings I had for emotion. All the love I had for humanity had so soon been devoured by this darkness that knew no bounds. Soon, I stood in a mental prison and this was where I spent most of my nights reliving memories I couldn't place; memories that had so soon become my very reason for living. Then I was running. Running from a man whom I didn't know. I could not see his face; for it was blurry, but I knew that he was dangerous. My body seemed to repell him.
I awoke, sweating profusely despite my naked state of perhaps not. Who covered me? The hair on my neck stood at the thought of someone enchroaching into my little cage and so I grabbed a robe, wrapped it around myself and walked through the corridor with an umbrella in hand. After a while of aimless checking, I concluded that I was being delusional. Jeez! I retreated to my room where I took another cold dip allowing myself to think a bit. "The party is tomorrow," I whispered to myself with a heavy sigh. I threw on a baggy white crop-top with denim shorts to cover only my derriere. Drowsily, I walked to my apparent office room to get some work done. I had specifically instructed Henry to getme a room with one of those and there it was, across the corridor from my room. I settled into the soft white fluff of the couch just in front of the work table. Actually, the office room looked great with the Japan-inspired work table and the flowers sculpted into the edges of it. A matching chair stood beside it with a white board to right side and a notice board to the left. Straight ahead were two couches facing each other with a coffee table in between to match the book shelf at the end of the room that stood half-filled with books of each kind.
There, I looked into the Varl compelling memories to come flooding in. Memories of the struggles we went through together, how it became the last string I had left, and even how it came to be. The Varl was an AI app designed to manage one's entire online and screen life when permitted to. To think I came up with it. My inner goddess teased just before I indulged into reviewing the company side of the story. Everything slowly came to a stand still. Everything but the ticking clock. I was still at work; signing contracts, sealing deals, reviewing them, proofreading documents and many more to ensure that Varl, who had become a friend, partner and kife investment, was kept in order.
The sun shone bright into my face while the morning breeze seeped through the curtain blowing over my peeping skin. I pulled the duvet closer, covering myself once more as I tuned in the…wait, what was I doing deep asleep in the couch in my office room? Speaking of which, why was I covered? I didn't remember covering myself or even bringing the duvet with me to this room. I sat up trying to piece together how this had happened and I did that just in time to hear the front door click. Someone has been in here. I reflexed for my laptop to check on Varl while I continued trying to think through what I thought had happened. My confusion continued brewing within until my eyes landed on the lit screen of my phone.i was going to be late and I did not like being late. I dashed out of the room and the chill wind welcomed me just as I opened the door to my room.