Chapter 2

"Mr. Alonzo, I'm here."

Her deep thought was interrupted by the person who had just come in. She looked at the door behind and saw an old woman with a red pixie cut hair and large eyeglasses.

The old lady's red and long skirt was bright in color, and her tucked-in white polo shirt was uncluttered. The old woman's tall stature was emphasized by her black heels, which were four inches high. Her pearl necklace and earrings were also striking.

One of the old woman's thin eyebrows rose at her sight and scornfully looked at her from head to toe. Lines drew on the old woman's forehead, and the veins in her neck protruded.

She gulped. The person was intimidating from head to toe. She had not done anything yet, but it seemed like she was already guilty of something because of how sharp the woman's stare was.

"You're scaring her, Kali," said Mr. Alonzo, who stopped the woman's deadly stare at her. "Lesley, please meet your supervisor, Mrs. Dapit."

"This is a joke, right?" the old woman, who was called Mrs. Dapit, asked in a hostile tone, then looked at her again with big and rounded eyes. "I asked for a healthy, strong, masculine man! Not a skinny teenager in a skirt!" 

The angry woman walked towards the manager's desk and leaned so that her face was only inches away from Jacoben's.

"What is this? How can she defend herself when he gets out of control again, huh?! With her boobs? I asked for a soldier, and you gave me a girl? Are you out of your mind?!"

Lesley was stunned by what Mrs. Dapit said. Her two eyebrows rose.

W-w-whaat?! My boobs?!

Jacoben laughed. "You know what? That's a good idea. Maybe a beautiful girl's ample bosom is the answer to our problem. It might really calm him down." 

Why are they talking about my boobs? What did that have to do with my job? She thought to herself.

"Besides, our precious boy is now a man," Jacoben added, causing the old woman's eyes to widen even more.

"I don't need your humor today, Jacoben! This is serious!"

"Hey, relax. Your wrinkles are coming out!" Jacoben jokingly said as he pointed to the lines on Mrs. Dapit's forehead.

But it did not shake off the sharp gaze of the angry woman. As a matter of fact, her face wrinkled even more.

Jacoben sighed. "Come on, it's so early for you to be stressed out during the day," he said before sitting down.

"I'm tired of dead bodies, Jacoben! Replace her! She will only last a day!" cried Mrs. Dapit, which slightly startled her.

It was as if some cold air suddenly enveloped her whole body. Did she hear that right? Her eyes were anxious as she stared at the old woman's face. What did Mrs. Dapit mean by those words?

"See? You're scaring her," Jacoben calmly said while pointing at her. "Please, orient her now and stop being paranoid. I know what I'm doing, Kali. Who do you think I am? Believe me. She's just the right person for the job."

She had no clue what the two were talking about, but she had a very bad feeling about it. She felt like backing out. 

Mrs. Dapit sighed heavily. "I don't really know what's running through your mind, Jacoben. Fine! I'll do what you ask, but her blood is in your hands. It would be your fault if something were to happen to her!" The woman turned to her again. "Follow me."

Her feet felt like they got cemented to the ground. She could not lift her foot nor move. The two just talked about her dying. What was up with that?

She's tired of dead bodies? My blood is in his hands? What does she mean? As far as I know, I'm applying for a part-time janitress, but it sounded like this job will kill me! When did it become deadly to be a janitress? Or maybe I’m just overthinking? Perhaps they mean something else and are just teasing me because I am new here? Her mind kept thinking.

She was like a statue for a couple of seconds before raising her head and turning to Jacoben. She showed him her worried look and hesitation. She needed him to say it was not what she was thinking, and what they said was just a joke to make her nervous or tease her.

Jacoben noticed her frozen face. He saw the fear in the dark expression on her face, so he smiled at her. "Don't worry. I promise you'll come out of here in one piece and unscratched," he said to calm her worries down. "Mrs. Dapit is just joking. She doesn't like beautiful girls."

Mrs. Dapit just rolled her eyes at his joke. It calmed her a little, but the scary thought was still in her head. Surely, there is a reason why Mrs. Dapit said that and why the old woman reacted that way upon seeing her.

She has a very bad feeling about it. Something else is going on here. Her guts are telling her that there is something scary, creepy, and deadly in this hospital.

"So-sorry, I'm just a little nervous. This is my first job," she finally said after calming down.

"Don't we all? That's a normal feeling. Don't worry too much about it. I'm here if you need anything," Jacoben said in a very comforting tone. "Trust me. You'll be fine," he added.

Somehow, Jacoben's gentle smile is calming her.

"Can we go now? I still have a lot to do," Mrs. Dapit butted in.

Jacoben pointed at the door. "Go on. Mrs. Dapit will take care of you."

She nodded. She took a deep breath before following the grumpy woman outside Jacoben's office. The atmosphere was awkward as they walked. She just quietly tailed behind her until they came to a large room full of lockers.

Mrs. Dapit showed her where her locker would be and where she could get the cleaning supplies she would use. She was also given an employee handbook. It contained the rules and regulations of the hospital. She stared at it for a couple of seconds.

Maridona Nobles Asylum Handbook. It sure has a lot of pages for an employee handbook, she thought.

After Mrs. Dapit showed her where her office was, they finally took the elevator to the ward she will be assigned to and checked it. 

Mrs. Dapit placed her ID on the small scanner beside the floor buttons. When the scanner turned green, the woman pressed the B1 button. 

Just a few seconds later, the elevator opened. They immediately stepped out and continued walking until they came in front of a red-iron door.

"We're here," Mrs. Dapit said, then turned to her. "Don't get lost down here, Miss Madrigal. This is the only room you are allowed to enter here in Basement One. We have CCTV everywhere. Our security will drag you out if you wander elsewhere."

She nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Mrs. Dapit placed her ID again on the scanner on the wall next to the door.

While waiting for the scanner to light green, she suddenly felt scared standing in front of the crimson-colored door. There is something in this room that makes her heart beat faster.

Whatever is behind that door, she can sense it. She can not explain how and what is happening to her, but her whole being can feel the heavy presence of the person on the other side.

Her heart was pounding as she read the carving above the door.

"V-03..."