Prologue

Chloe's P.O.V.

My morning walk to work was always a long one but it helped me to be mentally prepared for the day. Persons moving briskly to begin their days work, others opening their different businesses, cars zooming pass me on the sidewalk, buses constantly tooting their horns to signify them leaving the buss stop.

A typical day in West Side Ascorbia.

Since moving to West Side Ascorbia I rarely took the bus, walking was my mode of transport. It was healthy and it provided me with time to think. It might not have been the most efficient or the most effective way but I was fine with it.

My boss however didn't agree with me. I had been late more than once and because of my tardiness I could possibly loose my job. It was partially irritating because I wanted to buy a car but with paying off my school loans, the rent for my apartment, groceries, I just didn't have the money.

Walking saved money.

Ascorbia was one of the five nations in Borpes. The hierarchy that surrounded Borpes involved a king, queen, duke, duchess, some princes and Princess before you reached the high class persons that could get chummy with some of the royals, then the middle class and then the low class and below the low class was the low, low class.

I had just exited the low, low class.

In the seventeenth century Borpes was just a normal country, well based on what the history books have recorded. Everyone cared for everyone. There wasn't really much of a system, no kings, queens, none of that stuff but things and times surely have changed.

Slowly it changed and they placed in several laws, separated everyone based on how much they had to their families name. With time Borpes became one of the richest countries in the world. It adopted to modern time, still keeping their social grade, and now they only care about who has enough money to buy the latest villa.

The place that I managed to get a job at was some lousy company that manufactures paper. You'd think that after spending all that money and time on my PsyD I'd get at least an office job but no I'm stuck wondering which kind of tree is more economical to use and make the paper.

"You're late, again!", my boss screamed in my ears as soon as I entered the work space.

"I know and I'm sorry, I promise it won't happen again", I told him while getting suited up.

"Your damn right it won't because if it does you're getting fired", he said. "Understood?!",

"Yes sir", I muttered.

The entire day was spent doing nothing that I haven't done since I started working at this place. It was tiring and stressful and I hated every bit of it ,but it paid.

In this job any form of talking wasn't involved. No one said anything to anyone. The only noises that were heard for the entire eight hours were the different rumblings from all the machines.

It truly is a lonely job.

At immediately five o'clock I changed back into the clothes that I wore to work and quickly left the building. I didn't stay to see how the rest left, neither did I care.

I took my time walking the same route, as I did this morning, back home. Luckily the way back wasn't as busy as the journey to work. I could quickly get home, feed my cat and hopefully do some writing while I 'm at it.

Just what I needed today.

On a normal day the place would be even busier than before, so by the time I would reach home I would be hot, sweaty and tired, just waiting to sleep. To say I hated every bit of my life would be simply an understatement.

The journey home appeared normal but something in my stomach felt wrong. A gut feeling. That told me that something was going to happen.

Something big .

A few cars were driving by and you could count the busses that made a stop on my route. There was hardly any persons walking on the sidewalks. A few children, some middle aged females and males but there was one person that caught my eye. It was an old lady.

She was dressed in a large black coat and had a hunched back. The black coat was accompanied by an equally dark hat. Her dress style was strange because it was in the middle of July and the summer heat was at its peak.

Being dressed in such dark clothing and it was obviously really thick clothing. The type that you would wear in the winter times. She seemed to not be paying attention to what was going in around her and just walked out in the middle of the road.

It was as if everything was happening in slow motion. She was half way unto the street and a car was heading right in her direction. Then my body moved almost automatically.

I was in the middle of the road grabbing her and jumping out of the way. The car missed us by centimetres. It screeched to a stop and the driver jumped out of the car and rushed to our sides. Checking if we were fine.

I could feel nothing wrong with my body except for a small pain in my side and some fine stones stuck in both my hands. I was worried more about the lady than anything else.

My body moved on it's own accord and shuffled over to the side, to ensure that the lady was fine. I didn't want to risk crushing her under my weight.

But I was alone.

There was no old lady.

No lady in a black coat and hat.

Just me at the side of the road.

All by myself.