Chapter 1

The last sounds I heard were chirping sounds, at this moment I had a feeling as to what was happening. It was 6:30 in the morning and that meant I have work; you might be wondering I’m a middle-aged woman who works at a good job. Your obviously wrong, I am a 20-year-old girl well young adult I should say from a small village of Siyasiya on the outskirts of Salima but currently living in Zomba. You might also be wondering what’s a young girl doing in the second capital city, well I’m in my 4th year at the Chancellor College and currently studying journalism, weird right.

Getting out of bed was the hardest thing ever but the last thing I want is to be late for work. I actually work at a small reporting company known as Foxes & Co. It was established 5 years ago and this is my second year as their reporter. In all honesty it’s hard to balance school and work but I love my job. Maybe that’s because I’m in the department that deals with the hard stuff, that’s politics. I took my morning shower and made my way straight to the kitchen; good thing I prepared something beforehand so that I don’t struggle with the process of cooking. I instantly made my way to the bus stop.

After what felt like a one-hour bus ride to Foxes & Co I finally arrived. However, today’s weather was sunny with clear skies but my gut told me it wasn’t going to be a good day, yet this weather brings out joy, their goes happy hour. Your thoughts might be raging and asking how I know this, well here is a small yet brief story. After the first 2 years since its establishment the first 20 employees that were working there brought in a card reader to know the fate of the company, strange right but that’s not the main story. The card reader and the CEO apparently had disputes with one another that could not be resolved, hence it brought a curse and that curse goes according to weather and season. If it’s sunny there is peace but if it’s cold or rainy and windy just know it’s won’t end well. Entering the building, I came across a sight of angry birds with full blown energy causing chaos like never before, this was the first time I had seen the company in a mess. “Michelle your late, again”, the crazy person shouting is my supervisor Mr Conor. He’s a good person unless there’s chaos like today. “I’m actually 20 minutes early sir”.

At this moment I knew what was going to happen. “What’s with the crazy commotion all of a sudden?”, the expression on his face just showed worry and that honestly scared me. “Well as you know the curse is still upon us”, even I knew the answer to that but it was still strange cause it was sunny like clear skies. “Sir but it’s sunny outside, isn’t it meant to be happy?” the look I got after I asked was a big mistake, “Michelle, I know you’ve been here for 2 years but you should know that even on a beautiful day anything can happen”. What was more interesting was that he had a more serious face which was very new to me. He explained to me that the company was in a serious crisis, which meant if a pure original article didn’t come out sooner, Foxes & Co would shut down. The explanation kept going on until we heard that there was an emergency meeting and by the sound of it, my gut knew it wasn’t going to be good.

After entering the boardroom, everyone in the room was so nervous and afraid like hell, because in the history of the company this has never happened. We were all told of the current situation which shocked everyone. Mr Hernández kept briefing the staff and myself on the changes but one of those changes got everyone upset. “As of today, you are all switching stations, meaning the entertainment department will do the financial part and etc.”, he said. I was upset with what was happening, people were being moved from the departments they loved all due to this situation and the sudden changes that no one expected. After briefing everyone he told me to meet him in his office and that to my understanding is not a good sign.

Oh, I kind of had a hunch that you the one reading this is also asking where did Foxes & Co come from, well here is another background story. My country Malawi is still going through the development stage, and I should say it’s moving at a steady pace. Back to reality, a lot of foreigners have from all over the world have been coming here to bring out job opportunities and I must say it indeed is doing great. Different cultures coming together in a small African country feels great. From restaurant’s to malls to game complexes and whatsoever. Mr Hernández is from Mexico and established Foxes & Co in 2016 to give a chance to upcoming young Malawian journalists. It’s not only for journalists but its also train those that want to have their own reporting agencies in the country.

Let’s turn back to the situation at hand, “Michelle your part of the politics department right”, he asked and I nodded in agreement. However, that’s when everything changed “well aside from politics you’re going to cover sports.” My mind went crazy with what was happening “Sir please don’t do this. I love my doing politics”, I spoke as I was on the verge of tears. “Michelle your one of my best journalists”, he said as that was news to my ears, “however, I’m adding this department for you as I know there is something big in the sports world that is waiting for you to cover”. I was instantly stunned by what he was telling me right now, “what do you mean something big?”, still shocked by his words, because the other departments had big news, what made this so important. He tossed a file in front of me and said “there is a rookie football player at the Polytechnic university that's killing it in the country’s college league”, I kept reading his file to see that’s it’s all true, “his name is Nathan, 22 years of age, has always been playing sports since he was kid struggles In specific courses since his studying civil engineering”.

As he kept on rambling about how good he was, something caught my attention in the file, “Sir, there’s nothing about his family here or where his from”, and in my case that just tells me something's fishy. I kept thinking about what’s he hiding, “this is where you come in, his hidden his privately life very well that no one knows what his life was before sports, that's why I asked you to do this”. Thinking long and hard I didn’t know what to do because this is someone’s life I’m diving into; besides I’m used to talking to politicians but someone that’s 2 years older than me in this case a boy, they terrify me.

“You will do your own research on that at your own free time.” What still bothered me was out of everyone in this company why did it have to be me that had to interview him, that’s another thought for another day. “I’ll do it but only on the weekend and it will give me more time to prepare” he looked rather stern after I said the weekend. “great cause tomorrow is Saturday and I informed the university his at that you’ll be there by tomorrow at lunch hour”, he slightly giggled. This is when I felt betrayed by my own boss.