CH1

Jacob sat up in bed, he had been dreaming again dam it not again Jacob thought he had gotten rid of his dreams when the doctor prescribed him the sleeping pill, his dreams were strange to say the least The girl screaming, the  guy telling me not to go, then the flash that wakes me up same every time.

Jacob propped himself up in his bed, he knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep for about another hour, Cindy’s words repeated in his head:

            “Call me; at any time of the night, I worry about you. You need to get over this, go see a sleep doctor” She had said, that was about two months ago Cindy lived on the other side of Vanmill in a rental house, Jacob had moved out about three months ago when he dreamed he slept walked, and once he had unintentionally slapped Carla when she was trying to wake him up, she begged him not to move out, but he knew he had to. Jacob put on his robe over his workout shorts and t-shirt and walked out onto the balcony of his apartment. From the balcony Jacob had a clear view on Yao Tec, this is where he worked ever since he was a collage intern. Jacob sighed then went back into his room, he hated taking medicine for no reason, but he took another sleeping pill and a minute later he slipped off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

           

Jacob’s phone woke him the next morning, moaning, he glanced at it a ‘paper delivered’ it read, Jacob pressed the read button and the phones screen expanded to the size of an actual paper. The  technology for expandable screens, was one of the many developments of Yao Tec  it expanded to a full size flat screen tv, that was able to be taken off the wall and folded up to the size of a phone, basically what it was, was a central projector that was the size of an SD card, that projected a screen any size desired.

            The headline read:

Dark energy controversy grows

            Jacob didn’t bother to read the article, it was the same thing over and over, it was confirmed that the Yao Tec, the company Jacob worked for had discovered a particle of Dark Matter, the thing was they wouldn’t reveal the location of the matter so of course the media started attacking Yao Tec for being un-trust worthy and evil. Jacob had to sit back and role his eyes over the whole thing, the Yao family, the most powerful family in the world was withholding the information because it knew that the government would step in if they found out where the matter was, being one of the biggest companies in the world Yao tec founded be the son of Hondori and Malrissa Yao, the government was looking for any reason to declare the company an illegal monopoly but so far the United states government could find nothing on Yao tec until they could prove they had a particle of black matter.

            Jacob pressed a button on his phone then press an application ‘Send car to this address?’ the message prompted Jacob clicked the yes button then walked out of his apartment complex, and into the awaiting car.

            “Yao building”

            The car sped off, Jacob had never learned how to drive, all his life the cars did the driving, all the cars in the city of Vanmill were electrly powered and attached themselves by attaching to a tram rail that charged the battery with solar power from the street, which was made of solar panels so advanced that even the slightest reflection of them could generate enough power to keep a light bulb on for three days, even during the night the solar panels could make energy form the moon. The car pulled up to the Yao building, Jacob gulped his interview was scheduled for ten o’clock, it was nine forty Jacob glanced at his phone with reminded him that it was on the eighth floor.

            Jacob walked into the building and got in the beautiful glass elevator that he had to get on every day to go to work. Pressed the eighth floor button and began the ride up.

            The elevator doors opened and Jacob stepped out, the reception area looked as if it could be used for a ballroom; it had an oversized work area a sign marked reception in the middle of the work area, had a red headed lady in her late twenties, she looked tired as if she had been sitting at the desk all night. Jacob made his way over to her.

            “I’m here for an interview”

            The receptionist looked up from her computer and gave him a happy- fake smile

“Ah yes, we were expecting you, go ahead and walk down the hall, it is the second door on the left.”

Jacob found the door and walked in the room.

            “Jacob Thompson?”

            “That’s me.”

            “Please, have a seat, are you comfortable, is it too warm or too cold, would you like anything to eat or drink before we start?”

            “Uhh, I am fine in here thanks, are you going to be conducting my interview?”

            The short man who was speaking to him smiled “No, I was just instructed to make you as comfortable as possible and wait for the interviewer.

            I wonder what’s with all the hospitality thought Jacob “Well” he said his voice cracking from nerves “I think a glass of water would be nice.”

            “There is a water cooler right behind the door here, and if you don’t need anything else I wish you good luck Mr. Thompson.”

            “Thanks, I will need the luck.”

            The short man chuckled as he left the room making Jacob feel like he was out of place in the giant room. The room that he was in was an office of some sort, there was a giant oak desk in the middle of the room and behind the desk was a giant window that took up the length of the wall, also behind the desk in the far right-hand corner was a fire place that looked like it hadn’t been used in a while because there was plants in front of it. 

Jacob sat; in a chair in front of the desk and heard the door open footsteps came around to the other side of the desk and sat in the chair, Jacob blinked a couple time to make sure he was not imagining who was staring at him.

The middle aged face, was that of the CEO of the company Mr. Yao himself, the man had a presence about him that could demand attention even in the most crowed rooms, Jacob had only ever met David Yao once before at some Christmas party, Mr. Yao stood up from the chair  at the party and instantly the whole room of about a hundred people fell silent to hear what Mr. yao had to say, being in a room alone with his was almost to much to take.

            “H�"hello, sir I was not expecting this.”

            “Expecting what, for me to interview you? But of course I would this is one of the most powerful jobs in the company next to mine and the vice presidents.”

Mr. Yao got up off his antique looking desk and walked over to the window which offered a stunning view of the city of Vanmill, the city in the mountains, as the tourist department liked to market it.

            “Are you a betting man Jacob?” Mr. Yao said without taking his eyes from the window.

            “No sir.” Jacobs answer was true enough; he once lost a thousand dollars in a casino and vowed never to gamble again.

            Mr. Yao talked in a slow, raspy voice that stunk of cigars, chewing tobacco, and coffee. “That is too bad” he chuckled “Do you drink?”

            “On occasion.”

            “Here, I believe this occasion calls for a beer” Mr. Yao popped open a bottle of beer with a bottle opener that looked like it had come mounted on the ancient desk and handed it to him. He took a sip of, it was by far the best beer he had ever tasted the bitter sweet taste ran down his throat giving Jacob a warm feeling, almost a feeling like he was somewhere else.

            My dream Jacob thought the little gril, she is screaming for me not to go, but I never turn back, she, she seems so familiar.

            Jacob was brought out of his thoughts by Mr. Yao

            “Are you ok son? You look like you have just seen a ghost, is the beer fine?”

            “Oh, yes it’s great” Jacob said setting it down on the desk “Where do you get it? I have never tried anything like it before.”

            “About one-hundred years ago my great grandpa fell upon some money while gambling in Nevada, he was indeed very lucky, anyway he took the money and invested it into a beer brewing company just outside of Denver, needless to say the company took off and he became a rich man, but just succeeding wasn’t enough for him he was always a man who went above and beyond, so he invested all his riches into another gamble, while on a expedition in Brazil he discovered a plant that had a very bitter root to it, he decided to make a yeast that ate though the root to make the beer. This was a gamble because he didn’t know how the beer would turn out, as it turned out the root made a beer better than anything out there, he made three times what he invested setting up my grandpa for life.”

            “Is the company still around?”

            Mr. Yao smiled, “Since the root is now so rare to find, the people who have tried the beer are in an exclusive club of only a select called the Red Dragon, welcome to the club”

Jacob said took another sip of beer and savoring the taste. 

 “So, back to important things, what makes you want this job?” Mr. Yao said.

            Jacob had worked for Yao technologies ever since he applied as a collage intern there, his skill had made him move up in positions very fast, today he was interviewing for a job as one of the top productions leader in the company this job would mean serious money.

            “Well, quite frankly sir, the money it would mean me and my fiancé could finally get married and start a family.”

            “Something tells me, Jacob, that this interview has nothing to do with money.”

            “I answered quite honestly sir, this company has given me a great opportunity, and I would be crazy not to take it.”

            “That all depends on how you look at it.”       

            “How is it that I am supposed to be looking at it?” Jacob asked.

            “You should consider yourself very lucky, Mr. Thompson, let me assure you that I have only ever interviewed one other person for this job.”

            Jacob gulped hard remembering his friend Bradley who had this job before him, no I must not think about it, it’s too late for him.

             “You do realize Jacob that I know what Bradley did and it’s not your fault”

            How much does he know? Jacob bit back fear; he resisted the urge to shout, to yell something was making him very angry. I want answers about his death, that was so obviously covered up, I mean a car crash and no car to show for it?

            “I am the best qualified to take over, for er, the previous person who l-left this job.”

            “Jacob, Jacob, Jacob  there is so little you know, and there is much for you to find out, I wish you luck on your journey, and I deeply regret having to leave so soon .”

            “Leave, how could you leave?! We are in the middle of my interview!”

            Mr. Yao looked up at the past Jacob at the door, before Jacob could turn around to see what Mr. Yao was looking a Jacob felt a wave of heat hit his back of his head, then he saw Mr. Yao’s lifeless body crumple to the desk the into burst into flames as if it were some type of cheap magic show. The fire around Mr. Yao dwindled down to embers, Jacob starred at them in some kind of self-induced trace, his body told his to run but he couldn’t move, he was paralyzed the room grew hotter and hotter until Jacob was sweating.

            Help!! Jacob wanted so desperately to scream for help but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth, then the fire that had burnt Mr. Yao’s body into ashes started to from words, Jacob passed out bt he had time to read the message the fire was forming: 

             

Congratulations, you have been accepted.