Utopia

I was waiting in the spacious waiting room of Scott industries. I was there for an interview for the secretary’s post of Mr. Adrian Scott, the CEO. Despite the centralized air conditioning, a bead of sweat made its way from my scalp to the side of my face. I brushed it away with my thumb. It didn’t help my nervousness that this was my first interview as a college graduate. The pay was very high in my current condition and I couldn’t afford to f**k it up. My landlord was ready to throw me out of the apartment if I didn’t turn in the last month’s rent. I was like a rat trapped in a cage and this was my ticket to freedom. I had to get this job. I tapped my shoe clad foot fervently on the ground to relieve myself of some pressure. The door to the CEO’s office opened and a girl stumbled of it. She had a dazed look on her face like she had heard or seen something that had rattled her to the core. She hugged her file close to her chest and walked forward carefully, placing one foot in front of another like she dared not to walk faster. She was not the first girl I had seen in that condition since coming here. I had been sitting here for three hours and six girls had gone inside. Every single one of them came back disoriented and a little bit scared. I even saw a girl sobbing as she ran out of the waiting room without even looking at the rest of the girls. None of them wanted to talk about what happened inside. They just wanted to get out of here- get away as far as possible. I thought this girl would do the same. That she would walk away without as much as a glance towards me. But I was wrong. As soon as she approached me, she collapsed in the seat beside me like a puppet whose strings were cut. I could see the thin layer of moisture in her eyes and the shaking of her lips. Goosebumps rose on her caramel skin. Slowly, she turned her head towards me, her green eyes locking on mine. There was indecision mixed with desperation in her eyes. That look scared me.  Will I look the same if I go inside? I thought. “Are you okay?” I asked, tentatively touching her hand. She looked like she needed a hug but we were practical strangers so hand-holding should suffice. “Don’t go in there,” She said without any preamble. Her other hand closed on mine sandwiching my hand. “He was the devil himself, that man. The questions he asked-” She shut her eyes tight like the mere thought of those questions was hurting her inside. She clutched my hand tighter. “I’m not supposed to talk to the other candidates but I can’t let you go in there. I can’t let anyone go in there. Trust me. You are better off without this interview or that job.” She said. Her eyes pleaded with mine to listen to her. To let go of this interview. My eyebrows knitted with confusion at this bizarre conversation. Here I was, the last girl waiting for an interview for a well-paying and prestigious job while this girl was trying to prevent me from taking it at all costs. “But I need this job,” I reasoned with her although I needed not to. “What can be so worse as to leave a job that pays ten grand a month?” “Oh, you don’t understand.” She shook her head in frustration. “Why do you think he is paying that much for a secretarial position. I didn’t know the full details. But I can say this much. There is danger lurking in that job and I don’t wish that danger upon anyone.” Before I could garner a response, I heard my name being called. “Hannah Wells,” the smartly dressed receptionist called. “You’re up.” “Don’t go, Hannah,” The girl said. “Spare yourself of that traumatic experience.” “Thank you for your concern,” I said, standing up. “But I have no other option.” I made my way towards the CEO’s office while I could feel the girl’s eyes on the back of my head.