The Test [Book One of The Test] (Watty Award Winner 2014)

Prologue

The Test

Prologue

3 years ago

Natalie Daniels paced back and forth outside her boss' office. Though she was told by his assistant to sit down and wait to be called in, she just couldn't. She was to nervous. And what did she do when she was nervous? Pace, a lot. She didn't even want to know what she looked like right now. She could only imagine. Her normally straitened brown hair was probably a mess from all the times she ran her hands through it in the last ten minutes. But her hair was the least of her problems. She had bigger things to think about.

Why did he need to see her?

"Ms. Daniels, Mr. Blake will see you now."

Looks like she was about to find out.

As she walked across the room to Mr. Blake's office, she tried to focus on the sound of her heels against the floor instead of her beating heart. She slowly opened the door and walked inside. With each step she got more anxious.

What if she did something wrong? There was that incident with the printer last week and it was technically her fau-

"Please sit down, Ms. Daniels." said Mr. Blake cutting off her thoughts.

Hesitantly she walked over and sat in one of the two chairs that were seated in front of his desk.

"Do you know why you're here?" He asked.

"No I don't, sir." She said, hoping he couldn't hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Well, i'm sorry to tell you this," he told her while walking towards her. She looked up at him in her chair as he stood there towering over her. She felt so small. He finally continued, "but you no longer have a job here."

She shot up from her seat, causing him to back up so she wouldn't hit him. "WHAT? I don't have a job here? Am I being fired? What did I do wro-"

"Yes, you are being fired. Now if you would please calm down." He said loudly.

"But, but I need this job." She begged.

"I am very sorry to hear that. Now leave." He hissed.

"But, but-" she started.

"Go." He yelled even louder than before. He turned away from her. Then realizing what he'd just done, he calmed himself, and turned back around to face her. "I'm sorry, we just don't have a position for you here anymore. I suggest you clear off your desk and go home."

At that, he went through a door at the side of his office, probably leading to one of his partner's offices, and left her standing alone to take in his words.

Not wanting to stay in this situation any longer, she left his office with the answer to the question she had asked just moments before. As she left, she caught sight of his assistant having what she could only hope was an important phone call on office hours.

Wouldn't want another unemployed person would we?

Even on the phone, though, she still sent a look of pity in Natalie's direction. She just turned and decided it was best for her to do what her ex-boss had said. So she went and gathered all her things at her desk, while avoiding eye-contact with her use to be coworkers, and headed home.

She heard her phone ring in her purse but she ignored it. She wasn't in the mood for talking right now. As she exited the building of her former job, she walked toward her car, only to trip over something so stupidly placed in her path. This caused her not only to break one of her favorite pair of heels but also to dump all her possessions in the parking lot.

Could this day get any worse?

Once she finally picked everything up, she began, once again, walking to her car. As she was opening her door, though, a hand came and closed it back. She looked up to see a tall, tan man in front of her. He had brown hair a few shades darker than hers that flopped over his green eyes. And his eyes were the thing that set her off. In his eyes she saw triumph, like he had caught his prey after a long hunt. She was almost to late to realize she was that prey.

With all the strength she had in her, which wasn't much, she pushed him backwards and began to run. She didn't get far, though, because as you would imagine, running in heals in itself is hard enough without adding one of them being broken, before the man caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist, putting a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. There was a cloth in his hands that smelled funny, making her dizzy.

"Natalie Daniels, we're in need of your assistance."

And that sentence was the last thing she heard at the end of that horrible day.

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I hope you guys like it so far. The amazing trailer in the media section is made by AlyxMck! They are one of the best trailer makers I have seen here on Wattpad and am honestly so honored that the even wanted to make my trailer. Anyway, check them out! They're also an amazing writer (I absolutely love 'Guns and Horses')!

Side note: You can still imagine the characters however you want to. I don't even have an official cast list.