10 years later….
Were heart attacks at 27 possible? She eats healthy, exercises when she can and always tries to be eco friendly, though what recycling has to do with her heart she wasn't sure.
"Annie, where are the plans?" Screamed her boss from the office behind her.
"I have them hear Mr. Shaw, just give me one moment." Anna said softly, over the years her voice seemed to become more soft and gentle than it was in high school. Making her seem even more mousy.
"I don't have a moment, I needed them 2 hours ago!"
Grimacing at plans she completely forgot about in the bottom of her drawer she pulled them out and took a deep breath. She had forgotten to send them away to the code enforcement office for approval. It took weeks for approval, let alone the 20 seconds she had before she had to present her mistake to her already irate boss.
Holding the plans tightly in her grasp, crumpling the paper as she walked into the office she waited until he looked up and acknowledged her. It was rare, and normally she prayed for any attention to her hard work, but it seems the only attention she was going to get was on her mistakes.
Mr. Shaw looked up from his paperwork, "Well?"
"Sir, I'm sorry to tell you this but...I-"
Losing patients "you what!" snapped Mr. Shaw making her jump.
Taking her last deep breath Anna admitted the truth, "I forgot to send the plans for approval."
If Mr. Shaw could have turned any redder in the face, she was sure he would resemble a bright red tomato.
Mr. Shaw leaned back in his large brown leather chair and rubbed his chin. As if she didn't just tell him the entire construction was now at a halt because of her incompetence.
"Ms. Annie?" he asked softly.
Anna swallowed, calm was never good. "Yes?" She replied not even to stop and think to correct her name to him.
"Your fired." He said simply and turned back to his computer. She was dismissed, both figuratively and literally.
Anna nodded slowly in a daze and went back to her desk. Looking at her desk she realized she had nothing personal on it. Nothing that was truly hers. Well, maybe except her pen. Yeah she did bring that from home at some point. So that was what she grabbed, along with her purse and keys. She took 2 steps away from the desk and turned back to grab the stapler, knocking over her name plate that read 'Annie' over in the process.
Holding onto the tears the best she can, she made it all the way to the elevator, down 11 stories and halfway across the lobby before she was stopped.
"Excuse Ms. Annie?!" Called a security guard rushing over to her.
Dear god, they were going to arrest her over a stapler!
"Yes?" She responded holding her purse closer to her side.
"Mr. Shaw called, we need your badge before you leave."
"Oh, yes of course." Anna lifted the lanyard off her blouse that held her badge at the end and handed it to the officer.
He nodded his thanks and walked back to his desk, not so much as a 'sorry to hear your leaving' from him or anyone else. Really? After all these years, staying until 10 oclock at night or later, ordering food, only to watch everyone else eat it and not leave her a bite, let alone apologize for it. And let's not even get started on her name. It specifically read Anna on her license! And the fact that she just started answering to it when people called her Annie and she didn't even bat an eyelash or think to correct them!
By the time she reached outside the doors of the office building that had enslaved her for the past 7 years she wanted to scream at the injustice of it all! Of course it was almost midnight because like a fool she had agreed to stay late again. Leaning against the wall she reached into her purse and pulled out her flats. Exchanging her heels for them like she did every night on her walk home.
Turning down Wallabe St. she noticed none of the street lights were lit. Seriously? She never had a problem walking home at night, but for some odd reason tonight just had to add a cherry on top of her already melting ice cream.
"Don't forget to remember me."
Anna stopped and looked at her purse as it continued to sing the Carrie Underwood song her mother loved so much. She dug in and saw why, when on the caller id read mom in big bold letters. Though right now she could use her mothers comfort, she knew she would get the, "Well dear, everything happens for a reason, why don't you come over and let mommy read your palm."
She loved her mom, but the constant supernatural talk just depressed her because she had no idea what her mother was talking about half the time. That, and she didn't want to know her future, though it would have come in handy two weeks ago, if she knew she was going to forget to turn in those plans she would have reminded herself not to forget... maybe.
Passing an alleyway near the French quarter she stopped when she thought she saw a larger shadow behind her own. Glancing behind her quickly, she could see nothing was there. Shaking her head she continued on just to hear her mothers ringtone going off again. Tired and depressed she reached into her purse once more, pulled the phone out and hit ignore before tossing it angrily back into her purse. She wasn't mad at her mother, she just wanted to be left alone right now so she could wallow in her misery.
"You should answer that, it might be important."
Anna stopped suddenly and looked to the left of her and seeing a man leaning against one of the out of service light poles. The only source of light that helped her see his face was the light pollution the city itself set off, which gave her just enough to make out his perfect features and shoulder length pale blond hair.
"You startled me." She said shaking on the inside. No matter how perfect his face might be and possibly his body from what she could see if she squinted, she doesn't trust anyone she meets near a dark alley in New Orleans. Especially near the French quarter.
"I apologize, its just that walking alone so close near the French quarter isn't very safe."
Anna had no idea how to respond to that statement, was he threatening her? She tried to slowly reach her hand in her bag for her stapler, that would probably hurt if she threw it at his head right?
"Ok, well thanks for that info. Have a nice night."
Walking past him as quickly as possible, she barely noticed him move until he was beside her gripping her arm. Before he could say anything else, she grabbed the stapler and threw at his head. She was right! He flinched, letting go of her arm giving her a chance to run. She made it to the corner of Bayu St when she was jerked back by a strong grip on her hair, pulling her back and to the ground in front of him. Crying out, she reached to the direction of her purse hoping to grab her keys and use them as a weapon. He pulled her up against his chest roughly putting her out of reach of her bag.
Anna kicked, wiggled and with everything she had pushed her head back, took a deep breath and was about to release the scream of her life when she was knocked down again, but this time by a stranger who was attacking her attacker. They wrestled for a moment until her rescuer punched the other man out and pushed him to the dark alleyway near by. He stood up from his crouched position and turned towards her.
Anna looked around for her stapler again.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here to help."
It took Anna a moment to realize he had his hands out in front of him as if he were approaching a wild animal he was attempting to tame, then she realized she was that wild animal. Her breathing was coming out way too fast and knew she was having a panic attack. before she could think of anything else, her world went dark.
