Chapter 5 Secrets Beyond Reasoning

"Yeah," Ethel giggled. "But that's if you can manage the werewolves at night." Then she laughed hard. But that wasn't a joke to Ruby.

Ruby was oddly silent while her sister laughed at the other end.

"Ruby? Ruby?" she called for her when she noticed her silence.

Luckily, the ride had arrived at her workplace, earlier than expected.

"Yes, sis?"

"Why are you silent? I made a joke and sensed you were..."

"Can I call you back later, Ethel? I am now at my workplace," she hurriedly dismissed her sister.

"Uhm, okay."

As the call ended, Ruby contemplated how things were turning out to make her spill out what she had hidden in her heart. She knew her mom and sister were concerned but didn't want to worry them with her strange dreams and fears. She had to figure things out on her own, without dragging her family into it.

Hurrying into the office complex, ready to attend to the day's work, Ruby noticed Macy standing before her. It was an eerie sight, as if Macy had simply materialized in that spot, sending a shiver down Ruby's spine.

"Macy!" she held onto her chest, as she panted heavily. "How..."

"You're welcome to your first day at the job," she walked up to her to gently lead her by the arm. "Don't worry, you're going to enjoy the job...and I mean every bit of it."

Somehow, Ruby felt that her acts were pretty weird. Everything about her had began to be weird lately. The little nightmares that only occurred in her dreams while she was a kid, had suddenly began to mix with her reality. And sometimes, she picked the dirt, the leave, or something from what she called a dream...or was it? she thought hard on it, while she was led by Macy to her office.

Then, that handsome dude passed by again. While Macy kept on with her introduction to the company, Archer passed by, and there was this sudden feeling towards him. Ruby wanted to know him, Ruby wanted to be close to him, she didn't know why, but the feeling was strangely there.

"Ruby?" Macy finally called her out of her reverie. Then she turned to look at Archer passing by. "Oh, our boss."

She smiled. "He is pretty young."

"Yes, and you're going to be happy around him. Trust me," she said as she unlocked the door to the office. "All you need do is attend to your job with much zeal, and I promise you, you're not going to have any issues..." then she unlocked the door, finally. "Well, here you go."

Ruby's office space was a cozy haven. The walls were painted in calming shades of light blue, giving off a serene vibe. The desk, neatly organized, had a desktop computer, a stack of papers, and a potted plant, bringing a touch of nature to the workspace. A comfortable chair with cushioned armrests awaited her, inviting her to sit and dive into her tasks. The soft glow of a desk lamp provided just the right amount of light, creating a pleasant ambiance. The window beside the desk allowed natural light to filter in, offering a glimpse of the outside world. The room exuded warmth and comfort, making it an ideal place for Ruby to tackle her daily responsibilities.

"Wow," Ruby exclaimed, looking around. "This is pretty cool."

"I knew you'd like it!" said a hoarse voice. She turned to find Archer standing beside Macy near the door.

Ruby took a deep breath, feeling startled. "Can you guys stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" they both asked, sounding rehearsed.

Ruby stared at them for a moment before speaking up. "Can you stop scaring me like that? It's scary."

They both chuckled. "We're just excited to have you in the family. Your real home," Macy explained.

'Real home?' Ruby thought, puzzled. "Um, but this is just my workplace," she replied. "I don't live here."

Macy shook her head. "It's just a way of welcoming you, like a phrase," she said, moving closer and gently tapping Ruby's arm. Ruby faintly smiled, feeling overwhelmed by everything happening so quickly around her.

"Okay, then," Macy said and Archer and Macy left. But Archer kept looking back at Ruby. Archer was tall, like really tall, with dark brown hair and these bright green eyes that sparkled like gems. He had this strong jawline that you could practically use to cut glass, and when he smiled, it was like the sun suddenly peeking out from the clouds. His clothes were sharp, like he just walked out of a fancy magazine. He kept on smiling at Ruby, while he left the office. His smile was seductive, and there was something about that drew Ruby in.

Ruby couldn't help but stare as he walked out of the office. It was weird, but seeing him made her feel oddly good, like sunshine on a cloudy day. His presence was like this magnetic force that pulled her attention. She found herself smiling without even realizing it.

"Well, we are here," she said the minute they were both out of the office, and that's when her head began to feel fuzzy, all of a sudden again.

In the midst of her office surroundings, suddenly found herself immersed in a vivid mental image. It was like an immediate flash, as if her mind had a life of its own. In that fleeting moment, werewolves materialized in her thoughts – dark, silvery fur, sharp eyes glinting with an otherworldly light, and the echo of distant howls. The imagery was so intense that she could almost smell the pines and feel the cool fog from her recent dream. The details of the werewolves lingered in her mind, making her question the thin line between reality and the mysterious visions that seemed to haunt her.

She turned to find Macy before her again. "Macy?"

"What is it?' I heard you groaning?" Macy said, as she came forward.

Ruby shook her head. "It's nothing," she replied. "I bumped my head onto something."

"Oh, you need to be careful next time," she said, and Ruby nodded while gently rubbing her forehead. "Here are the papers you need to work with today."

She gently grabbed the papers.

Ruby sat right at her desk, flipping through the papers Macy had handed her. As she scanned through them, something caught her eye-a peculiar symbol repeated throughout the documents, almost hidden among the text. It was a curious, complex design that seemed to have an air of familiarity about it, yet she couldn't place where she'd seen it before.

Her mind raced with questions. What did this symbol mean? Why was it woven into the documents? She felt a tingle down her spine, a curious sensation as though this symbol held a secret she needed to unravel.

"Why is everything becoming so freaking weird around me?" she thought about it as she quickly flipped through the papers.

Lost in thought, Ruby didn't realize she was being watched. A shadow loomed over her, and suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she jerked upright, nearly knocking her chair over.

"Whoa there, easy!" Archer's voice cut through the air, calming her nerves. "Didn't mean to startle you."

Ruby took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "It's okay," she replied, forcing a smile. "Just caught me off guard."

Archer lingered for a moment before walking away. But there was something strange about his expression, something she couldn't quite place. It was as though he knew something she didn't.

"So, how are you liking the place?"

"It's nice," she stammered as he circled around her.

"What do you think about letting me take you out for dinner or something, just to show you around?" he proposed.

"Huh?" she turned to look at him. "Isn't that against the rules?"

"What?"

"Taking a staff member for a dinner date?"

"I don't recall saying it was a dinner date."

He was right. He didn't say that, so she realized she jumped to conclusions.