C. 1.1 "RED DOOR"

Lesley can hear the sound of her heart beating wildly as the beautiful secretary opened the door to the manager's office. The door opened like they were in slow motion as she held her breath. What took the secretary three seconds was like a minute to her.

This is it. Her very first job interview.

He took a deep breath then looked at the secretary. "Are you sure you're ready?" the secretary asked bothered at her pale face.

He nodded. "Yes!" But in reality, his chest would explode with extreme nervousness.

The beautiful woman smiled sweetly which encouraged him. Her smile is as beautiful as her face. "Okay, goodluck!" he then politely pointed to the open door. "You can go in."

Her eyes smiled with her lips. "Thank you!"

He gave her another smile of gratitude and then he went to the office of the person who would dictate if he still had a house to go home. This manager, whoever he is, must hire her. Because he really broke up with his mother when he wasn’t hired for this job.

He slowly stepped forward and peeked inside. A man in his forties was comfortably sitting on a black swivel chair. His hands rested on the back of his head and both his feet were raised on the table. His back was leaning on the chair while he was closing his eyes.

He sneezed loudly to get her attention. The man flinched as he opened his eyes and they looked right. It immediately arranged a seat. "Sorry, you can sit down!" its offer while pointing to the chair in front of its desk. She smiled and walked in.

Only half of her ass was sitting while her back was straight and tall when facing the man. She is also trying to make eye contact as much as possible. She needs to look confident. His mother told him that if he was brave, he would be more likely to get a job. It makes you look reliable.

She glanced at the acrylic desk name plate in front of her. Engraved on it is the name Jacoben Alonzo. There is no title stating its position in the hospital which usually reads under the name. But he was sure he had heard it called the secretary's manager earlier.

"Name?" the manager asked with an accommodating smile. Her nervousness was somewhat reduced by its gentle eyes. This man does not look intimidating. It looks kind. Very approachable.

"My name is Lesley Madrigal," he replied then smilingly handed over his resume.

His forehead furrowed slightly when he saw the shock on the face in front of him. What’s in her name and does it seem surprised?

Her eyes were fixed on him as she took the resume from his hand. He looked at the paper he handed him for a moment and then looked at his face again with a shocked expression. "So she accepted ... Interesting ..." he heard her whisper. And for some reason, his eyes are sparkling.

"You're hired!" he nonchalantly said as he stood up and returned the resume to her.

"Yes?" She looked at him in disbelief.

"You're hired!" its repetition smiled broadly.

Her lips parted and she stared at his face. He made sure it didn’t read the resume it held for only five seconds.

Both of these eyebrows rose in his face in disbelief. "What? You don't want the job?" he joked.

He shook his head violently. "No! Yes! No I mean-" Stunned he stood up and held out his hand. "I-I want the job! T-thank you so much sir! I'll do my best! Thank you!" She said then he reached her hand.

"You're more than welcome!"

Why is he still thinking about things? He is accepted! She should celebrate! He was told that this hospital was desperate for people so maybe they would just accept anyone.

Then he picked up the phone on the table and dialed a few numbers. "Mrs. Dapit, come to my office now. Orient Miss Madrigal here. She will be assigned to V-03," he ordered the person on the other line while looking at her.

When he hung up the phone, he folded his arms and looked at him from head to toe, then laughed softly. "Are you sure you want to be a janitress here?"

He bit his lip so hard and bowed in shame. She looked at what he was wearing. "It's my mom," he said a few times. "For raw presentable."

Laugh at it. "I'm just messing with you! It looks good on you."

He smiled softly. "T-thank you ..." He averted his eyes shyly.

She entered here as a part-time janitress but she was in corporate attire and her skirt was too short. Where have you seen a janitress mopping the floor in a pencil cut skirt and long sleeves? Then he also prepared a lot of answers to the possible questions that the interviewer would ask him but he did not use any. The only question asked was her name.

Her face was already red with loneliness but her mother did it. Go back to his memory of what happened the day before. This is what forced her to put on her clothes now and search the internet for how she could pass this supposed interview. The job seems to be professional.

One afternoon after school, he found his mother whispering and talking on the phone. The expression on his face was dark and his feet were restless as he walked back and forth. When he saw her, he said good -bye to the person and approached him.

"You were absent on Wednesday. You're going somewhere," he said quickly.

"Where?"

"I'll let you into the company of someone I know. You have to work there." He could not paint his face as he approached the mother and held her hands tightly.

"A-what? Why, Ma? Can't we just go on vacation? We'll have an exam next week!"

It violently withdrew its hands from him. "Are you still asking ?! Do you think my income is enough for the three of us here ?!"

He was stunned in shock at its reaction. Who is he talking to and why is he suddenly working? What is happening? "But I—"

"I'm not going to change my mind!" it interrupted his protest again. "One more thing, you're too much of a burden to me. It's only right that I take advantage of you!" he said angrily as if he had done something to make it angry.

He even tried to plead but after he criticized her for the difficulty in raising him even though he was not his real child, he still refused. They said they were in dire straits and deep in debt. According to the mother who spoke on the phone earlier, the company she will join is ready to give an advance salary.

The next day, his mother knocked on the door of the neighbors to lend him clothes for his job interview at a large and private hospital. But after taking her here, the mother told her that she would be a part-time janitress. And it was only here that he found out that this hospital was a mental asylum.

"Mr. Alonzo, I'm here."

He thought about who opened the back door. An old woman with red and pixie cut hair and with large round glasses entered. Her red and long skirt is bright and her tuck-in white polo shirt is uncluttered. The old man's stature also dominates because of his black shoes that are four inches high and his pearl necklace and earrings are striking.

One of its thin eyebrows rose to see him and scoffed at him from head to toe. Draw its lines on the forehead and radiate the veins in the neck. She was engulfed in nervousness. The woman is intimidating from head to toe and it seems like she does not like her. He hasn't done anything yet but it seems like he's guilty that he immediately looks bad.

"You're scaring her Mrs. Dapit," said Mr. Alonzo reasoned to pity her deadly stare at him.

C. 1.2

"This is a joke, right?" the old man's steady answer then turned the man's eyes back to him. "I asked for a healthy, strong, masculine man! Not a skinny teenager in a skirt!" he said and then quickly walked to Jacoben's desk and stretched so that their faces were close together. "What trick is this ?! How can she defend herself when he gets out of control again? Ha ?! 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 the old man said. He raised his two eyebrows and stared at the two of them. A-a-ano raw?

Jacoben just laughed. "You know what? That's a good idea. Maybe a beautiful girl's boobs will calm her down," he said, staring at her even more. Why are they talking about my boobs? What did that have to do with my job?

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

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

"Hey, relax, your wrinkles are coming out!" said Jacoben jokingly as he pointed to the drawings on the old man's forehead. But it did not shake the sharp gaze of Mrs. Place between the two of them. His face wrinkled even more.

Jacoben sighed. "Here it is, the morning, highblood," he added before sitting down.

"I'm tired of dead bodies Jacoben! Replace her! She will only last a day!" cried Mrs. Somewhere paralyzed his body.

It was as if some cold air suddenly enveloped his whole body at what he said. He didn't know if what he heard was right. His eyes were full of astonishment as he stared at the old man's face. What does it mean there?

"See? You're scaring her," Jacoben calmly promised while pointing at her. "Please, orient her now and stop being paranoid. I know what I'm doing, Kali. Am I still? Believe me, she's just the right person for the job."

He didn't know what the two were referring to but he had a bad feeling about it. He seemed to want to back out. Can I still?

A heavy sigh was released by the rude Mrs. Dapit. "I don't really know what's running through your mind Jacoben. It's up to you! I'll do what you asked but her blood is in your hands. It's your fault when something happens to her!" It shook and turned back to him. "Follow me."

His feet seemed to be cemented to the ground and he could not step or move. The two just talked about her dying. 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 sounds like this job is going to kill me? When else has it been deadly to be a janitress? Or maybe I’m just thinking too much. Maybe they mean something else there. She hopes.

He was a statue for a few seconds before he raised his head and turned to Jacoben. She showed him her worried look and hesitation. She needs him to say it is not what she thinks. And what they said was just a joke to make her nervous or to tease her because she is a newbie.

He fortunately noticed her frozen face so he smiled at her. "Don't worry Miss Madrigal, I promise you'll come out here in one piece and unscratched," he said to calm her down. She saw the fear in the dark expression on her face. "Mrs. Dapit is just joking. She doesn't like beautiful girls," he joked with the old man's eyes fixed on her. It calmed her a little but the scary thought is still in her head. Mrs. will not say that. Place if it just doesn’t exist. Something else is going on in this hospital. Something scary, creepy ... deadly ...

He forced a smile then nodded. "So-sorry, I'm just a little nervous. This is my first job."

"Don't we all?" smiling at this answer. "Trust me, you'll be fine." Somehow, this man's smile is calming her.

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

Mr. pointed out. Alonzo at the door. "Go on Miss Madrigal. Mrs. Dapit will take care of you."

He nodded. He took a deep breath before finally walking and following the hurried steps of Mrs. Dapit. The atmosphere was awkward as they walk. He just quietly tailed behind it until they came to a large room full of lockers.

It pointed out what her locker would be and where she could get the cleaning supplies she would use. He was also given an employee handbook. This includes the rules and regulations of the hospital. She stared at it for a couple of seconds. Maridona Nobles Asylum Handbook.

After pointing out where his office was, they took the elevator. Applied by Mrs. Place its ID on the small scanner next to the floor buttons. When the scanner turned green the old man pressed the B1 button. Just a few seconds later the elevator opened as well and they continued walking until they came to the opposite side of a red door.

"We're here," he said then facing 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."

He nodded quickly. "I understand."

"Good." It applied its ID again to the scanner on the side of the door.

While waiting for the scanner to light green, she suddenly felt scared standing in front of the bloody door. There is something in this room that makes her heart beat faster. Whatever is behind it, he feels it. She can feel someone's presence and it's the person behind the red door.

He couldn't explain but his whole being felt very heavy in his presence.

Her heart beat faster as she watched the carving above the door.

"V-03 ..."