Maddie's way of avoiding doom

Chapter 2

Sleep? Maddie doesn't know her, at least not anymore after last night. That so called 'deep sleep' only lasted 20 minutes. At least Sonia achieved a few hours. Lucky child. The moving van should be arriving later in the evening, so at least she be able to snuggle in the cozy covers of her bed, able to flex that she has a queen size bed just to make Sonia jealous.

Today was Maddie's first day of her new job. She was... well... excited but stressed to say the least; she had her A levels, she had a university degree. So she had nothing to worry about, right?
. . .
RIGHT...??
WRONG.
All those degrees were useless against her lack of social skills. No matter how many after school activities or youth clubs that Maddie's parents shoved her in, nothing would rid Maddie of her antisocial personality.

The walk down the busy streets was a pain, people were so focused on getting where they needed to be that they didn't think about the people around them. Although it wasn't like Maddie could judge since she was doing the same as them, trying to get through the crowds in a hurry so that she wasn't late for her first work day. Yeah, it wasn't a proper work day since she was told that she would just be meeting her colleagues and seeing what the detective agency was like, but it was still important to show up on time. Wouldn't want to leave a bad impression...

After what felt like hours, Maddie arrived at the doors of her new workplace. It wasn't what she expected at all, it looked slightly.... What's the word...? Abandoned...? Yeah that suits it best...

The windows were dusty, as if they hadn't been given a wash since the Victorian Era. Maddie checked google maps... just to see if she was at the right place...
Indeed it was the right place. She just sighed and brushed it off as she continued taking steps into the building, but she suddenly stopped and turned to face the wall of a nearby alleyway. As if something was there before that isn't there any longer.

Chill out Maddie, there's nothing there... your just feeling paranoid.

The inside of the agency was completely different to the outside, it was if she walked into a complete different building. Everything was clean, polished nicely. The front counter was cleared so that it was perfectly tidied, the lights were a warm tint, giving a calming vibe to the place. If only they took the same pride for the outside...

"Colin, If I find out that you did another murder attempt on Jon-"

"Another what-?!"
Maddie interrupted. The 3 people in the room turn to her, including the small child that was yelling at the grown man with the ginger hair.

"Ah, you must be the new employee that Amako hired. Maddie right?" A voice said from behind her, she turned around to see a man that looked like he was done with life, the amount of blood soaked bandages on the man's body instantly made her concerned for his health.
"The name's Jon. Jon Owens. Can't wait for the pleasure to work alongside you, Detective."

"Y-yes I'm sure it will. I'm sorry to jump straight to the point, but are you okay? Should I get a nurse or something..?"

Jon looked at Maddie as if she just said the funniest joke in existence.

"Don't worry about me, hon. Just a little work from Colin is all, he's the one being yelled at by Miss Amako over there."

Must be the ginger guy...

"Does he try and murder you often..? Is this something that I'm gonna have to get used to hearing...?"

"I'm afraid so, but don't worry about it, it gets funnier every time he fails."
How could someone be so unbothered about that kind of thing... his colleague is attempting to murder him on multiple occasions, yet he just brushed it off like it's a walk in the park!

"So... does the agency just consist on you 4...?"

Jon shook his head. "No actually, two of our members aren't actually here right now since their on missions. So technically there's 7 of us since your also here."

Maddie had to take a minute to process what she had just been told.
"So your telling me.. that Halodine's only detective agency... consists... of only 7 members out of the millions of citizens that live here...?!"

"That is exactly what I'm telling you."

Maddie was stunned at this information, she began to question in her mind how this place had been able to stay afloat with such a lack of members. No wonder she got hired with ease.

Before their conversation could continue, the child that Maddie assumed was Amako, spoke up.

"I see you've already met Jon. My name is Amako." The child known as Amako introduced herself, Maddie didn't want to be rude, but she just had to clarify.
"I don't want to offend, but I must ask; how old are you...?"

"Probably a lot older than you." Amako answered with a glare, looking a little offended, as if that kind of question was asked often.

That didn't even answer my question.

"Well aren't you a sweetheart-?" A voice rang out from behind a desk, who was quickly slapped at the back of the head to shut him up. It was a man with a blindfold, just from the way he swung on his chair told Maddie enough about this man.

Overconfident, arrogant, smart, flirty.

"Let the poor gal settle in before you attempt to bring her home with you, bloody hell Eden."Colin chimed in, the one who had slapped Eden in the back of the head.

Maddie turned to look at Jon, the bloody bandages were off-putting. They looked to have not been changed in a while. A LONG WHILE. "Are they always like this, Jon?"
Jon just looked at her with a soft smile, he even gave her a little pat on the head as a gesture of appreciation.

"They are, but you'll get used to it around here. It would be a joy for our other two members to be here to meet you, but as you know, they can't since they are busy. But you've got me, and I'm the most normal out of everyone in this room; other than you of course!"

👁️

•>———————————————<•
1071 words!!! (Not including this author's note)
Finally got around to making chapter two, half of it was already written in my iPhone notes, I just had to find the motivation to write the other half.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED

—kimon175