Posted August 22, 2020

For The Wattys 2020

I managed to speak to his secretary even with Blake there.

I knew I was playing with fire, especially after being almost expelled. But I had to. Time was slipping through my hands like sand, and I wasn't accomplishing my goals with it. I followed he subtly all day. Besides from leaving his office a few times to go to the little room besides his office, she never left the highest floor of the building – seven.

It was about seven at night, the very next day after he told me I was fired. I wasn't. Apparently, he only meant that he didn't want to see me anymore at that time.

I went thee acting like nothing had had happened- my "plan"- and he didn't mention it.

But he did keep an eye at me more, and made me exercise even harder. Under his scrutiny doing a dozens push-ups and all, I knew what his lime green eyes were saying; I just need a reason to kick you out. Give me a reason to kick you out.

I didn't give him one. Because I didn't give up. Even when I could feel the burn in my muscles and my breath shortening, I showed resistance and perseverance.

He was making me strain. He knew that. I also knew that, unlucky for him. I wanted to prove him wrong.

He didn't forget what I did. And he most likely thought of it as betrayal. But he wanted to know if I was worth keeping. I could see it in his eyes. Ken had the same intense gazes too.

After three hours of working out in the sun on his fresh grass in their interior court, he finally nodded. I stayed on the grass taking deep breaths of fresh air.

Later, I pretended I was going up to talk to him when I stopped his secretary on his office's floor. It wasn't a coincidence though. I had stalked her for hours.

"Hi." I told her.

She looked frantically at the door. "Hi." Her voice was wavering and seemed vaguely familiar. But it couldn't be. I couldn't know her.

Who would let someone do that to them, that I knew of? And how naïve was it of them?

I remembered the last line very well when I knew who she was. And I couldn't feel worse. What people do for love was crazy.

"Do you know what Blake's name is. I have to fill in government document." I said, going straight to the point. I had no time to lose.

Everything happened in slow motion.

First, I saw her eyes widen.

Then I heard his voice.

I looked at Blake's office door, and stomping out in the dim lit hallway was him. The black paint of the hallway was not helping and camouflaging him with his black clothes. Fists clenched, arched eyebrow, in a few steps he was at us.

"Why did you talk to her" he yelled.

"I didn't" I looked at her slumped and scared figure.

"you did." His voice was radiating anger. What was- He slapped her so hard I flinched. I frowned in disgust. What? Domestic violence?

He gabbed my arm and squeezed it so much I instantly felt the pain. Sharp and strong, almost like having a car roll on your arm. It stopped my blood flow.

He was strong. If it came to it, I would never be able to take him in a body fight.

"next time you talk to her, you're fired. For real, okay?"

He threw me in the staircase. I had to jump down a few steps to not break a leg.

He didn't seem fazed.

"stay in your line or you'll regret the consequences your whole life. This."

I knew he was talking of the abuse he inflicted on his secretary.

"is nothing of what would be done to you."

Just like that, he disappeared, leaving me breathless against the wall. What had I just witnessed?

I ran down the stairs, in case he would change his mind, and come back to hurt me. I knew way before wanting to perform that surgery that something sketchy was going on with The Enforcers Of Peace.

I had to think of a new plan. I couldn't talk to her... although she knew his name. What If she atted me out?

I didn't want to think about it. Who was the next closest person to him...? Calumn.

I had to win a surveillance trip with him. It was not something trainees did this early, but I was already moving in rank faster than everybody else.

I could do this.

I realized on the first floor that I had a bit of a limp.

Thanks Blake.

Or whatever your name is.

It is only in my car, watching the sunset from so high in the sky, and thinking about his relationship with her, and Calumn that I realized something crucial;

People wo are hurt by the people that care end up hurting other people that care. Because that's what their taught love is.

Could the vicious cycle be broken? And what effect would it have on these unstable grownups?

I hoped Calumn wasn't as bad as Blake.