Desolation [h.s]

Chapter 1

Seraphina Amor

They say people are born evil, that from the moment you arrived on this earth you were meant to perform one cruel deed after the other. That there was this seed planted in your heart that would continue to grow and grow throughout the expanse of your life.

I believe there's some truth to that.

I think everyone's born with that seed of evil inside them. It all depends on how much you water it to see the extent of its growth. Some don't water that seed enough for it to grow into something, but there are others, like myself, that provide it with an influx of water, allowing it to turn into something bigger. There's no shame in that. The world needs a little evil in it.

I've seen that over the course of my life. No one is perfectly innocent. Even those who claim they have never done a bad deed in their life, they're simply lying. Everyone is tempted at one point or another. Eventually, no matter how hard you try, you cave in. Those who pledge pureness and resistance to evil are the most sinister of all. Hiding behind a facade of righteousness doesn't erase the mistakes you've made in the past. They're like cellophane, you can see right through them.

I, on the other hand, don't try to hide what I've done. There's no point in lying. It doesn't change anything. Instead, I take pride in it. In the world we live in today, that's something people need to do more of, owning up to their own wickedness.

When you're younger, you're told to never lie, to never cheat, to always be an honest person. That sort of mindset doesn't get you anywhere in life. You need to lie, you need to cheat, you need to get your hands a little dirty in order to get where you want. That's exactly what I did and that's the way I will continue to live.

New York City. It's the place I've called home for as long as I can remember. The dirty, congested streets have a sense of home to them, no matter how disgusting they are. Every road I know by heart, having them all memorized since I was younger. That knowledge came to shine its light of importance when I got my job.

"Excuse me, Ms. Amor, your car is here."

I glance up from the screen of my computer to where Arthur is standing in the doorway, arms held neatly behind his back. His body is clad in a freshly pressed tuxedo, his gray hair slicked back.

"I'll be there in just a second, Arthur."

He nods his head, walking inside to grab the door knob. "Take your time, miss. I'll be out here when you're ready."

Arthur walks back out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind him. I look back to my laptop, closing out of the tabs I currently had open. Shutting the computer, I place it inside its respective bag. Taking a deep breath, I stand up from my chair. Glancing out the window, the world outside is dreary; it almost looks as if a gray blanket draped over the city. Rainy and gloomy weather is always the best. I was never a fan of summer weather.

My heels click on the floor as I walk around the room, collecting my essentials for the day. My purse, keys, phone, more than you would think could fit in a tiny purse. Swiping the cup of coffee off of the counter, I double check the apartment one last time before walking over the door.

Pulling it open, I'm met with the face of Arthur. I give him a faint smile. He's worked with me for as long as I can recall. He was the one who practically raised me as a child.

"Let's go, shall we?"

He gives me a smile and I loop arms with him. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning, Ms. Amor."

I look up at him, giving him a look. "How many times do I have to tell you, Arthur? You can call me Seraphina. There's no need for the formalities."