Disclaimer: I own no rights to any of the characters of the Patriot etc.
Chapter I: No need for pleasantries
It's late at night, the moonlight putting a silver glaze on all that it reaches…the surroundings so seductive, the soft light seems to wrap up all it touches in a velvety embrace, making the night all the more potent for false promises and tender caresses. A man leans in to a giggling girl, a coy smile lurking in the corner of her mouth as the handsome male leans in to…
CRASH
"What the…?" the man stares at the floor above him, a more than annoyed girl glaring at his head as he continues to gaze at the ceiling. Chewing the corner of her mouth, she shakes her blonde hair and looks at her watch sitting on skin so orange, it was bordering on radioactive. She hadn't gotten laid in a week, putting on her best seductive voice "Come on," she whispers, "we're going to mine." The man, mouth open, gets led out the building wondering what the hell was happening in the apartment above his.
Meanwhile…
A lone figure sits at a small kitchen table, one hand covering her eyes whilst the other reaches out instinctively for a hot tea, ignorant of the mess surrounding her. Mess being the understatement, the source of the noise, a laptop—or, the various pieces of a laptop, lie in the corner in a pathetic heap. Various articles of clothing are strewn over the room, plates piled up in the sink so high, it could pass for an artistic interpretation of the leaning tower of Pisa.
The right arm stops its futile attempts in searching for a hot beverage and a low mumble comes out of the blonde haired girl sitting at the table "I…need…tea." Sighing deeply, she stands up and walks over to the kettle, filling it with hot water. "God this place is an absolute tip…I need a cigarette" Reaching into the drawer and finding none, it brings an enraged yell "BLOODY HELL!" Right….desperate times call for desperate measures…where's that emergency pack I had hidden in here? Frantically searching through the contents of various cupboards and drawers she grasps out a packet in victory as she walks over to the window.
Smiling down at the wrapped packet, she unwraps it and takes out a single stick, "Sweet, sweet nicotine…how you ease the pain." Lighting up, she surveys the people walking below her; a girls shouting at her partner 'Look at you, you're bleeding pissed, that's what you are. Stumbling all over the place you stupid sod!' Taking a last drag, she breathes it out chuckling "Ah London, a touch of class." Throwing the fag out into the streets, she closes the window and walks back in, surveys the mess with utter disgust, and makes a beeline for the bathroom.
Turning on the shower, the gods have been kind and have given her steaming water. That would have been the last thing I needed. Relishing the warmth, she finishes and puts on bathrobe and walks back into the kitchen.
Ick. Mum's right, I should search for a cleaner….Right, phone, lets see how popular I am today… Twelve missed calls flash on screen
Right…Daddy's called, Mum's called about 5 times, not talking to you…or…you…or ick, no…oh. I'm going to be slaughtered, it's the third time I've forgotten to show for dinner…Andrew's going to kill me. Taking a long swig of tea, she hits 'redial' and waits for the shouting to ensure.
Silence. Tentatively she puts the phone to her ear…'Hello?'
"Hey! Good to hear from you, listen about tomorrow…" Phew…not completely off track then, wait! Alex, get back to reality! Remember Hitch, listen and respond, listen and "Yeah?" "Great, see you at 7 then. Take care, wish I could hold you in my arms." "Oh," she grimaces "yeah, sounds…wonderful wish I could do…that…bye" And hung up.
Why do boys always feel they need to protect their girlfriends? Are we that pathetic and weak? Urgh, I wish he could see that I did quite fine before he was in the picture and I'll be dandy after. I'm the girl, aren't I meant to be the soppy one? Guess not…
She throws a nonchalant glance at the former laptop and shrugs. Eh, it deserved it. Now I've got to write up everything…again. I need a new machine, these bloody internet cafés just don't cut it.
She shifts through two weeks worth of mail and finds a letter that was mysteriously devoid of the signs screaming 'PAY ME!'
Hmm…lets see, 'Dear Ms.' MS? MISS DAMMIT…anyway…yadda yadda yadda would like to invite you to….Interesting.
She considered the letter's proposal that she come down to South Carolina to evaluate a few items they had at the plantation there. Great, three years studying history at one of the best universities in the world and THIS is the best thing that comes along since…ah well, the only things that keep me sane are the items themselves.
There was a number at the bottom. Frowning, she considered the offer: a decent pay, free accommodation in the plantation itself, and she could see some of the Southern US, she knew New York and Boston quite well considering her parents had residences at both.
But still, something didn't seem quite right. Why had they written to her, of all people, or was it just a mass circulation? Most likely…Against her better feelings, she dialled the number and waited.
End Chapter I