The moment Mabel touched the door of the bus, the engine roared to life, and it sped off with lightning speed. To add insult to injury, a glorious wave of dirty rainwater splashed over her, soaking her even further.

  Mabel stood there, drenched and speechless, while the passengers inside the bus erupted in euphoric celebration.

  “We made it! We made it! I'm so happy!” the first passenger gasped, clutching her chest like she’d survived a near-death experience.

  All the other passengers shared her sentiment and made similar comments, thanking the impromptu driver.

  “I told you all not to worry,” the impromptu driver said, grinning. “I knew we could make it.”

  “No one is safe,” the fourth passenger muttered, “We have to warn people.”

  “No one will believe us,” the seventh passenger said with a grim shake of her head.

  “We couldn’t even reach anyone at the time because of the network outage.” the second passenger added.

  “Did anyone get it on video?” the eighth passenger asked hopefully.

  A long silence followed.

  After a pause, a regretful voice answered, “We were all too terrified to even blink, let alone record.”

  The second passenger narrowed her eyes. “Even if the world doesn’t believe us, we know the truth. We’ve seen one with our own eyes. We must always be on guard.”

  A collective and determined “Yes!” rang through the bus like they had just formed an underground resistance movement.

  The original driver looked down guiltily. “I'm sorry I didn’t believe you guys at first.”

  The impromptu driver patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. We survived. That’s what matters.”

  Meanwhile, back at the crime scene of Mabel’s misfortune, she stood frozen, exhausted, dripping, and increasingly frustrated.

  Then, with every ounce of determination left in her soul, through chattering teeth, she raised her fist to the sky and yelled, “I still will not give up!”

  Despite the relentless downpour, the dramatic crack of thunder, and her throbbing foot, she limped all the way to The Very Important Company.

  Finally, she reached the vicinity of the company. For some strange reason, every security guard she passed scrambled out of her way, eyes wide with terror. Mabel barely noticed. Her singular focus was getting inside and securing her job.

  With a deep breath, she pushed open the grand doors and sighed in relief. I made it.

  Candace, the receptionist, sat at her desk, sighing at the never-ending rainstorm outside. Just as she wondered when it would let up, an intense flash of lightning illuminated the entire room—and at that exact moment, she saw her.

  A young lady standing at the entrance. Drenched. Smiling. And looking like something straight out of a horror movie.

  Fear gripped Candace’s entire being. Who—no, what is that?!

  As Mabel stepped forward, the building’s lights flickered as a result of the thunder. Candace's hands trembled. Should I run? But what if it catches me? What am I supposed to do?!

  Mabel was some feet away from the counter when a bolt of thunder roared through the sky, and the entire building was plunged into darkness.

  Candace’s heart stopped.

  A second later, the lights snapped back on, and Mabel was directly in front of her, still smiling.

  Candace screamed.

  Mabel, startled, screamed back.

  The two women shrieked at each other for several seconds until Candace, now violently shaking, managed to choke out, “W-what do you want?!”

  Mabel, barely able to talk from the cold and the fact that she’d bitten her tongue—twice—slurred, “I-I'm h-here f-for a jjjjob... W-why are y-you ssscreaming?”

  Candace, already on the verge of a panic attack, hears something that sounds like a sinister declaration of intent. “I-I'm h-here f-for your bbblood... W-why are y-you ssscreaming?”

  Candance’s pupils shrank. Her breath caught in her throat.

  Another crack of thunder split the sky.

  Candace fainted.

  Mabel panicked. “Uhh… are you okay?” She rushed behind the counter, shaking Candace’s limp body. When that failed, she attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

  Candance instantly gained consciousness and opened her eyes just in time to see a terrifying, drenched creature hovering over her, about to put its mouth on her face.

  “AHHHHHHHHH!”

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  Mabel screamed and tumbled backward. “Why do you keep screaming?!”

  Candace, still trembling, squeezed her eyes shut. “P-please don’t eat me! Please don’t eat me!”

  Mabel recoiled. “Eat you?! Why would I—”

  Then, she finally caught her reflection in the glass door and gasped. “Is that me?!”

  Candace, still shaking, nodded slowly.

  Finally, Mabel grasped why everyone had been acting so strangely. Mortified, she asked urgently, “Bathroom? Where’s the bathroom?”

  “T-that way… next to the lost and found,” Candace pointed.

  “Lost and found? I can take clothes from there, right?”

  Candace, still dazed, muttered, “People don’t usually lose clothes, but… sure?”

  Mabel gave her a thumbs-up and disappeared toward the bathroom. She went through the lost and found bin, found a luxurious bag containing a beautiful professional outfit, and darted into the bathroom.

  Meanwhile, Candace sat frozen, her mind racing. She seemed normal just now… Maybe I misheard and overreacted? Maybe she really did just get caught in the rain…

  Then, she remembered the flickering lights. The thunder. The presence.

  Nope. She’s definitely not normal.

  A few minutes later, Mabel reemerged in a sleek, professional outfit, looking shockingly put together. She struck a cute pose. “I look better now, right?”

  Candace blinked. “…Yeah.”

  “Thanks!” Mabel grinned.

  Candace watched her warily. She could be a shapeshifter. How is that creature this gorgeous… I should definitely be careful around this person. She did say that she was here for my blood. Why did she suddenly change her composure? Or does she need to look good before taking my blood? Does she need my trust before taking my blood? Then why did she say it so openly that she is here for my blood?

  Mabel noticed her disturbed look, “Are you ok? Is something wrong?”

  Candace inhaled deeply. Then, with all the courage she could muster, she demanded, “What do you want to do with my blood?!”

  Mabel, puzzled. “Your… blood?”

  “Yes. You said you were here for it! What do you want to do with it?!”

  “I said I was here for a job!”

  “A job? Candace paused. “Oh. I… I may have misheard.”

  “It’s not totally your fault. My speech wasn’t coherent because of the cold, and I did look sinister. Even I was scared of my own reflection”

  Candance let out a sigh of relief, “Yeah, you really looked terrifying. I was so scared.”

  “I know, right?!”

  Both women chuckled, the tension finally breaking.

  Candace asked, “So… what job did you apply for?”

  Mabel beamed. “The Super Important Job.”

  Candace’s jaw dropped. “You’re Mabel Harold?! Oh my! The three CEOs have been waiting for you!” She practically jumped from her seat. “Come on, I’ll take you to their office. I’m sorry for earlier. I didn’t know it was you.”

  Mabel laughed. “It’s fine.”

  They reached the office. Candace knocked. “Ms. Mabel Harold has arrived.”

  A deep, commanding voice replied, “Let her in.”

  Mabel walked in and immediately noticed a tall, imposing man standing beside a window, hands clasped behind his back. His presence exuded authority. She straightened up and greeted respectfully, “Good day, Sir. I am Mabel Harold. I am here for the Super Important Job.”

  The man turned slowly, his deep, husky voice echoing off the walls. “So, you are here for the Super Important Job?”

  Mabel blinked. With a deadpan stare, she thought, Yeah, I just said that. But she replied with the utmost professionalism, “Yes, Sir. It is a plea—”

  “So why are you late?” he interrupted.

  Mabel barely had time to react. “Sir, I didn’t mean to—”

  “I hate tardiness. The mentor recommended you, and that is the only reason you are here. Yet on your first day, you come late. Do you think I will tolerate this? And another thing—why is your hair wet?”

  Mabel, still calm, answered, “I missed my bus, so I had to walk here in the rain.”

  Eadric squinted at her, disappointed. “You mean to tell me that a lady like you walked under the rain for a job, got her hair wet, yet her outfit and makeup are perfectly fine? Really? You expect me to believe that?”

  Mabel opened her mouth to explain, but he was already on a roll.

  “Also, even if that were true, do you not realize that walking in the rain could make you sick? Which would then cost this company money? Money we would have to spend on your medical bills, even though this is your first day? That is—if you still get hired.”

  Mabel, feeling like she was on trial, replied earnestly, “Sir, I didn’t want anything to stop me from coming to work on my first day at this very important establishment. I feel really honored to work here. So, I gave my all to be here.”

  Eadric, not convinced, folded his arms. “Why did you miss your bus? Were you late?”

  “No, Sir. I was there on time. But for some reason, they drove off the moment I reached the door. I guess they didn’t see me.”

  Eadric pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “You people always come up with the most absurd stories to gain sympathy.”

  Mabel, slightly offended, protested, “No, Sir. It happened just like that.”

  Eadric let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s not like I expect you to agree with me.”

  Mabel frowned. “Sir, I wouldn’t lie to you. I wouldn’t commit such a criminal act on my first day of work.”

  Eadric narrowed his eyes. “So, tell me, why aren’t your clothes also wet?”

  “I got them from the lost and found after I arrived here,” she said.

  Eadric raised an eyebrow. “You got such nice clothes from the lost and found?”

  “I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I was also very surprised to see them just lying there in the bin.”

  Eadric crossed his arms. “Really?”

  “Yes,” she replied calmly.

  His gaze sharpened. “So, how about your makeup? How is it still perfect?”

  Mabel blinked. “I am not wearing any makeup, Sir.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Eadric stared at her in silence for three full seconds, then wordlessly handed her a handkerchief. “Here. Wipe your face.”

  Without hesitation, she took it and did as she was told. When she handed it back, it was spotless.

  Eadric inspected the handkerchief. No traces of makeup. Is she actually telling the truth? Or is she just really good at making a lie look true? I could call the cops to confirm, but honestly, I’m not in the mood for that now.

  He finally looked back at her. “Let’s say everything you said is true. I’d still be disappointed in you. Do you know why?”

  Mabel blinked. “No, Sir.”

  Eadric chuckled sarcastically. “You don’t know why?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t, Sir. Please enlighten me.”

  Eadric straightened up, his expression unreadable. “Since you don’t know why, I see that you are not fit to work here. You know where the door is.”

  Mabel’s brain short-circuited. What?

  She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off before she could even get a word out. “I don’t want to hear any pleading and begging. Just leave.”

  Mabel felt her annoyance bubbling, but she remained composed. Her tone shifted to something firm—calm but authoritative. Her patience was stretching thin. “Look—Sir. I don’t know what kind of mind reader you expect me to be, but I’m sorry—I can’t read minds. Unfortunately, I wasn’t endowed with such an ability, just like the rest of humankind. I think I have to explain this, even though you should already be aware of it, but I will since I see a need for it: I can only understand spoken words, just like you. It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. Just because I get to be your employee doesn’t mean I instantly become superhuman and start reading minds. I only—”

  “Miss Mabel?” Eadric interrupted an amused glint in his eyes.

  Mabel, still in her calm rage mode, replied, “Yes—Sir?”

  “When you got the email inviting you to work at this very important company, did you accept it?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Before you accepted the invite, did you at least look up what kind of company you’d be working for? Its rules and regulations?”

  Mabel replied candidly, “Yes, I did. But none of it included mind reading.”

  Eadric ignored the jab. “What did you learn about how we treat tardiness here?”

  Mabel hesitated for a second before replying, “It is not tolerated.”

  Eadric smiled victoriously. “Good. Now leave.”