Chapter 1 – Initiation (1)

Chapter 1 – Initiation (1)

Rowan stared at the dark sky as he grabbed a suit from his wardrobe. Thick gray clouds churning overhead, almost as if it were night.

Yesterday’s forecast had promised clear skies.

He was still frowning as he donned his suit. It was a shabby, cheap thing, but it was all he had. Wandering over to the bathroom, he forced the frown off his face and ignored the weather. Today was too important to be distracted.

He looked into the mirror as he styled his hair, and a rough, unshaved face stared back. He sighed. That wouldn’t do.

Still shaving, Rowan flinched as the bathroom door pushed open. He relaxed as he watched the small, furry form of a cat pushing its way in. Looking in the mirror, he noticed a small cut on his jaw. With a huff of annoyance, he shook his head.

“Really, Coco?” He glared at the cat. “You know I have to look my best for today.”

He washed his face before taking a deep breath and straightening up. He felt Coco rubbing against his legs as he straightened his tie, taking one last look at his reflection before he left.

His hair, normally unkempt, was swept back. It wasn’t perfect, but he’d tamed the wavy black locks as well as he could.

Walking out of the bathroom with Coco still winding around his legs, Rowan stepped into the kitchen. In his tiny apartment, it doubled as both a dining and a living room.

Pouring the cat a bowl of kibble, he dropped to his knees, scratching her chin. She purred and butted her head against his before turning to her meal.

As she ate, Rowan ran his hands across her back. “I’ll be back soon. Hopefully, I’ll be able to buy you something special.”

Giving Coco one last pet, Rowan stood. He put his shoes on, grabbed a briefcase with his resume and anything else he might need, and stepped out the door.

Once outside, he looked around. All around him, despite the early hour, cars honked, people rushed, and the streets were bathed in…fog? That didn’t seem right. It was the middle of summer, and the day was supposed to be sweltering. Even in the morning, it should’ve been nice. Glancing up, Rowan stared at the swirling gray clouds.

Then, he shook his head, refocusing.

It seemed as if a storm were brewing, but Rowan just shrugged and went on his way. He had a job interview to get to.

As he walked, he felt his hand tighten around his briefcase handle. What if he were rejected? Rowan shuddered and forced himself to take a deep breath. He couldn’t let this bother him. He’d made it to the third round of interviews, and his hopes were high.

He shivered as he strode down the sidewalk. He could’ve called a taxi, sure, but the interview was only a few blocks away. And, of course, the day was supposed to be nice and warm, but he could handle the cold.

Trying to calm his nerves, he pushed his doubts to the back of his mind and looked around the city. All around him were towering structures dozens of stories high, obscuring the gray sky.

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