Amidst The Shadows(A ShadowLand Novel-Vol.1)

Mysterious Man

I searched for the bottle at the bottom of my purse and am relieved when the pills rattle against their encasement. I quickly snatched it up and twist the cap, shaking two pain relievers into my palm and throwing them back before uncapping my water bottle and draining half.

"You okay, Avian?"

I jolted, spinning in my chair to see my boss... or the boss' son eyeing me with what I could only perceive as concern.

"J-just a headache, Mr. Weiss."

His face twisted. "Why do you insist on calling me that?" The lines 'v' between his light brown orbs, tightly.

My head pounded. I barely stopped myself from flinching away as he took a step inside my space. The cubicle was much too small for the both of us.

"Um... you're my boss." I answered, confused.

"Yes, but only a few call me Mr. Weiss. And that's because they're terrified they'll lose their job. Unlike you, Avian Daniels, you won't lose your job. My father thinks highly of you." I gave a nod as the elder Mr. Weiss came to mind.

He was the first person to speak to me after I'd moved into the city. After being looked over by a few business owners I was down on my luck with finding a decent paying job and had been sulking at Le Cuisine, when Harry Weiss approached my table.

When he'd offered me a job working on his newspaper, I had thought it out of pity, but he pushed me just like he did the rest of the employees. I liked that about him.

"I think highly of him, too." I responded, smiling, even though my temples pounded furiously.

"So... you can call me, Sam." He said giving me a pointed look. I had only just met Samuel Weiss a short two months ago, but I'd never really made it a point to get to know him. I had just kept busy, especially the past week seeing that my mind wanted to constantly stray to the previous Friday.

"I don't..." I chose my words carefully to keep from hurting his feelings or making him mad. I don't know him well enough to know if he'd get mad, really, but I wasn't taking chances. "I'm not comfortable with casually speaking to those that handle my paychecks; supervisors and the like." I grimaced, having said those words, it bringing forth a memory that I quickly pushed back into the recess of my mind.

"Well," Sam shrugged. "I understand, but I'd really feel more comfortable if you didn't see me as a threat to your lively hood, Avian."

But he was a threat to my lively hood. He was taking over the company. What if one day soon he'd find me incompetent and give me my walking papers? I couldn't afford to be relieved of my job.

"Thanks. I'll... try not to." I hoped that would get him off my back for a time.

"You do that. In the meantime, why don't you think about having lunch with me today?"

The saliva I had been about to swallow lodged in my throat. A choking noise escaped and I quickly reached for my water, draining the remainder before I was capable of speaking again.

"Sorry. I've brought my lunch, maybe some other time?" Take it and go. I thought, pulling my eyes to the greyish fabric that covered the walls of my cubicle.

"I can take a rain check. Just thought you'd like to join myself and some of the others."

Oh. So, he hadn't asked just me alone to lunch. A little relief filled my chest. My thoughts run toward the salad in the office lounge tucked into the back of the refrigerator. Technically, it couldn't be called a salad, being that it was 85% lettuce and 15% shredded cheese. The only two objects I had to spare for lunch that day. I was in dire need of getting to the store. I'd been slacking in that department for the last week, my mind elsewhere.