Sanctuary

Chapter 1

Lori typed quickly on her computer, wanting to finish work quickly. She smiled softly when she finished her last form and emailed it. She had just turned off her computer and grabbed her purse when Willma, a woman who was lazy and took advantage of Lori's timidness approached her with a stack of files. Willma's curly brown hair hung close to her ears and the mole on her left cheek was like a beacon. "Can I help you Willma," Lori asked, her voice soft. "Yeah, I have plans tonight and I need you to finish these for me," Willma said before plopping the stack of files on to her desk. Lori wanted to protest but Willma ignored her and walked away.

Lori gave the files a sad look before sighing and turning her computer back on. Looks like shes gonna miss the book signing she was looking forward too.

It was late and raining when she finally got done. She opened her umbrella and began walking to her apartment. She turned the corner and saw there was construction that going around would make her ten minute walk into a twenty minute walk. She sighed and looked up to the balcony where her apartment was. She could see her cat, Psycho, in her bedroom window. The rain began to come down harder, snapping her out of her stare and begin walking.

She turned another corner down a strip where many restaurants were when a car speeding down the street hit a puddle that soaked her. She now felt like crying, just wanting today to be over.

"Are you okay," A man asked her. She jumped in shock and turned to face him. Two men were behind her, both in expensive looking suits. One had chocolate skin, nicely trimmed hair, and he had a more slender build compared to his friend. He had a larger build, short blonde hair, and moss green eyes. They both towered over her in height. "I-I'm fine," she told them, feeling as if she was freezing to death. Her teeth chattered violently and she felt like her toes were ice floating in water in her shoes.

"Where are you going," The other man asked her gently. "H-Home," She answered. "The construction made me walk the long way." They shared a look before looking back to her. "What's your name honey," the first man asked her. "It's Lori Greene," she said before sneezing. She was going to get sick if she stayed out here any longer. "I'm Allen Manning and this is my partner Jace Lester. Let us take you home," The first introduced. "You'll catch a cold if you continue to walk in this weather." Jace pulled a key fob out of his pocket and hit the remote start button on it, starting a white Chevy Malibu. "I don't want to be a bother," she told them, while fidgeting. "Its not a bother, we offered after all," Jace told her.

She thought for a moment before nodding timidly. Allen opened the door to the backseat for her while Jace got into the driver seat and made her the vents in the back were pointed at her. After Allen got in she gave them her address and Jace put it into the navigation. When they pulled up to her apartment complex, they got out and walked her to her door. Inside her white and gray pitbull, Pixie, met her with a wagging tail, while Psycho sat on the kitchen counter, wondering where his food was at.

"Thank you for the ride," She told them. Allen pulled out his wallet and took out a business card. He picked the pen up off of the coffee table and wrote down their numbers before handing it to her, "Call us anytime if you need a ride." She didnt know what to say as they left her apartment. She looked down at it and her face warmed. Plexdom Corp was on the front in gold letters with a black back drop while the back was white with their numbers in the pink pen ink from her pen and then the company number printed under it.

She went to put it in her wallet but she realized her entire purse was soaked. She sighed and dumped it out on the kitchen counter. Her wallet was dry on the inside, but unfortunately her phone was soaked and not turning on. She grabbed the rice from the cabinet and a bowl. After she was done putting her phone in rice she went and took a hot shower to warm herself before feeding her pets. She then looked through the rest of the soaked things and was glad it was of nothing of importance. Except her pack of gum. She had a habit of chewing gum and popping bubbles when she was either bored or feeli g anxiety. She had quit smoking a year ago and used gum to help. Her addiction then changed and now she had trouble going without it.

She threw away the papers and gum before looking at her purse. It was a pleather knock off she got at a flea market. She ran a hand through her damp ginger hair before going to look in her closet. She only had a hand bag that she could use. Unfortunately the strap was a little frayed and she worried about it growing worse. She wondered if she could be like a guy and just carry her wallet and keys but then realized many of her clothes for work didnt have pockets. Plus what would she do if she started while at work?

She groaned and grabbed it. She then looked for her spare wallet. It was a cute sparkly pink wallet that she felt embarrassed to carry because of many of the women she worked with had the most expensive designer things while she was a bargain shopper when it came to her clothes and beauty products. She didnt mind splurging on books though. Those made her happy and she was able to escape reality with them. Plus she didnt mind spending money on her pets, they were her babies because they love her.

She put her cards and such into the dry wallet before going over to her phone and crossed her fingers before taking it out of the rice. She tried to turn it on, but nothing happened. She put it back and decided to just go to bed because she was tired of today and hoped tomorrow would be better.