Annoying boss
She wears a black casual long sleeve blouse with bell-bottom blue denim. She combs her hair backwards and clips it into a ponytail. and as for the last touch up, she applies some Mascara and Lipstick. Perfect. She thought
"Well Look at you, hot as always" She winked at her reflection on the mirror.
And after a few seconds, she starts to laugh. What was She thinking? it is not like she is going to please Old McPhee. She does not have to ware nicely to the Museum. there is no one in there to look at her. but still, she thought to dress polity. And she hopes my Denim and Blouse will do it.
I pack all of my Painting stuff into a huge bag. Paintbrushes, paint bottles, cloths, Extra clothes and many more. I still had no idea about the things I am going to paint in the place.
...
She took a Cab to ride to the museum. it's not far from her apartment. but because of her first day, she decides not to get wet in the middle of a snowstorm. She pays for the driver and slowly pulls out all of her painting equipment. she needs all of them. and the driver help's her to carry them inside to the museum. And surprisingly he didn't ask for a tip.
"Hey, Cam you are early " She heard Annie's playful voice.
Camellia smiles with her while Annie ran towards her and hold a side of her heavy Bag.
"Dammit this bag is heavy," She said annoyingly. ''how in the world you carry it''
Camellia laughs at Annie's comment. Well yes, she is right. this damming bag is heavy. Camellia thought. but it is the only bag She found to put all of her things.
"You are So lucky because you don't have to carry this all the time, Annie," She said.
Annie smiles back with her. She helps Camellia to keep her bag on top of the Receptions table. Camellia look around while caching her berth. everything in the museum looks normal as yesterday. No one is here. it seems like no one is coming at all. She wonders how Mcphee is going to pay her when he didn't have a monthly income from this place.
"So dark ha," Annie asks.
Camellia nodded and approve her idea. all the statues are covers with a black shade of dust. the place is too dark for some reason. is it because of the light? she thought or because of the stormy weather outside.
"Hey Cam, do you need some coffee? we have to wait until Mr Mcphee arrives. he is the one who knows what to paint" Annie said while pouring some coffee into her cup.
"Coffee sounds nice Annie, by the way, when will he arrives?" Camellia stares at her phone. its 8 am. She is ready to paint anything at the moment.
"Well, I don't know. I never keep a lot of attention about him, Old McPhee is an annoying man" Annie said annoyingly.
Camellia wide her eyes in surprise. did Annie really mean what she said? she is his receptionist and his Personal secretary. Camellia didn't answer back to her newfound friend's rude comment about their boss. And Annie suddenly realizes what she said and try to hide her emotions with a smile.
"Ops Sorry. that came out without thinking" She said and look around.
"Do you know what is the funny part is" Annie suddenly change the subject. and Camellia didn't push her further to talk about Mcphee. But what she said quiet surprise her.
"I start my job 3 years ago. since then, every morning, I notice something weird about this place" Annie point her finger towards the T REX. " I think that animal is moving," she said.
Camellia bust out a huge laugh. what was she talking about? a billion years old dinosaur is moving? she thought.
"Hey stop that" Annie hit her arm." I wasn't joking"
"Okey whatever you say, Annie," Camellia said with a fake smile.
Annie glared at her but give her a cup full of warm coffee.
"See yesterday his mouth is half-open. but today. it's a bit close"
Camellia rolls her eyes while walk towards the Dinosaur. What Annie said doesn't make any scene to her at all. how come an ancient skeleton of a T-Rex moves its body day after day. Camellia read the information picture of the T Rex in front of her. it is the same animal. nothing is changed.
"It's not only the T Rex, but that monkey also moves too," Annie said from behind.
A small smile curls Camellia's lips. a Moving monkey. but she decided not to smile as earlier. it's not polite to laugh at Annie and her weird imaginations for the second time she thought.
"What Monkey, "Camellia ask with a surprise.
"The capuchin monkey in upstairs. oh, I forgot to show you that part yesterday." Annie said in an apologies tone.
...
Camellia walk around the museum until Mcphee arrives. its 11 am but still no sound of her new boss. this is great. she thought annoyingly. it's her first day here and her boss isn't here at all. according to Annie, Macpee is always good at getting late to work. sometimes he is not arriving at all. It seems like Macphee never cares a lot about this place at all. the way Annie said, he hates this job. he even hates this dark place. sometimes he argues with the staff members and the visitors. it seems like this place is abandoned by its owner.
Annie shows her the Egyptian section Yesterday. and that's why Camellia decide to walk towards another section. She found the third-floor full of animals. it calls the African Mammals. She saw the Monkey Annie mentions to her this morning. it's actually a Capuchin Monkey just like she said. Camellia slowly touches it.
"Did you move little guy?" She asked.
But the monkey didn't reply at all. Camellia doesn't know what kind of books Annie read at night. but she doesn't think Annie sleeps well at night. not when imagining unreal stuff like moving skeletons and dead monkeys.
Camellia travels inside as much as she can. She passes the Huns area, Indians, Red Indians and many more halls. the place is a treasurer to all the History lovers around the world she thought. too bad no one is coming. and for some reason, Camellia thinks most of the people around here hate Mcphee.
"This Nature History Museum is bigger than you thought. Am I right? Miss White"
Camellia suddenly heard Mcphee's cold voice from behind. She turns towards him with a pleasant smile. But he didn't smile back with her,
"Mr Mcphee," She said and shake his hand.
"Miss White," He said." it seems like now you know what to find in where?"
"well Yes, Annie shows me around"
"Hmm, that's good. Well follow me I show you what I want you to do in here"
Mcphee said and walk forward. Camellia exhales a huge breath and starts to follow him. She doesn't really care what Annie told her about him. because still, he is her boss.
...
Mcphee asks her to start her work inside the Egyptian Section. he asks her to paint something new on the wall in front of the mummy. it had been paintless since the day this museum starts. not all the stuff they used to decorate this place is real. some of them are new. and this wall is one of them.
"You see all of these walls are real and highly decorated, we found them with the Mummy"
Macphee show her an old wall. "But this wall is a part of the museum. I hate this blankness"
Camellia shows him some sketch ups and internet images with new ideas of Egypt. and in the end, they both start a small argument about what to paint. Mcphee wants some pyramids to be painted in his blank walls. but her point is, ''it will ruin the beauty of the place, Sir''
So, in the end, they both decide to paint some story's they heard about the Young Pharaoh.
"Very well do it your way Miss white. after all, people are not visiting here anymore." McPhee said in anger.
Camellia shakes her head with an agreement.
After Mcphee left. She opens her paint bag and slowly unpacks everything in it. It seems like Annie was right about him She thought. Macphee is fighting with his staff members. and his argument about the wall is stupid. he is so annoying. Camellia couldn't believe this. yesterday he was so nice to her. but today he is arguing.
...
First, she draws a small line from her dark pencil. painting is no easy task. Camellia doesn't know how long it will take. speciality when she paints something regarding Egypt. She decides to use Harmful paint specially delivered to the museum to paint inside the walls. She has to be careful. everything in the room is old.
It has been 3 hours and no one disturbs her. it was only her and the mummy Pharoh. Camellia hasn't seen McPhee or Annie around for a while. not even that night guard. it seems like no one is coming here. not even people. the whole place is horribly silence. just like a man less pyramid in Egypt. Camellia plugs her headphones and plays a song while painting.
"Take me to infinity. mmmmm"
She slowly sang while painting. well, no one is here to listen to her she thought. even there is. it's a dead body. the dead body of the baby king. She wonders how does he really look like when he was young. She still remembers his mummy. She saw it on the TV when she was little. it seems like the baby Pharaoh never had a chance to rule his own kingdom.
"URMMM"
Suddenly a cough distracts her thoughts. With a sudden surprise, Camellia slowly turns and remove her headphones. She saw McPhee's annoying face gazing back at her. She wonders why he came.
"Hey, sir, what do you think" She shows him the half painted wall.
he smiles with her and keeps his glance at the painting. Camellia smiles back, but her brain notices something different in his presence.
"Good work Miss White, it seems like you were right about your opinion," he said while approving her art from his head.
"Well thank you, sir," Camellia reply polity. wow her sketch looks nice to his annoying eyes.
"This is going to be a real masterpiece," He said again.
Camellia thank him again and stare back at the half-drawn painting on the wall. What a weird thought. that's not true. this is not going to be a Masterpiece. Camellia knows her paintings were normally good. but a Masterpiece? that's a big word.
"Mr Macphee, why do you think that this looks like a Masterpiece? because it's still a sketch."
Mcphee stares at her face for a few seconds. Camellia half glare at him. is he laughing at her painting? unbelievable.
"Well the colors are very well combined," Macphee said slowly.
Camellia wide her eyes in surprise. something is wrong. she can smell the lie in his face. annoying man.
"Miss. White. you have done a good job. I really love it." He said and slowly walks towards her.
Camellia suddenly feels an uncomfortable air surrounded them. something is going on in his mind and it scares her a bit. She steps backwards.
"Miss. White can I talk with you for a second". He Suddenly said looking directly at her. Camellia looks around to find any help if she needed but nodded.
"Miss White I want you to do something for me."
"What is it, Mr Mcphee"
"I want you to spy Larry"
"WHAT"
Her eyes turn in to the size of an orange with a surprise. he wants her to do what?. Spy on that Nightguard. is he mad? Camellia keeps her colour board on the floor.
"Yes, Miss White, you know him. I saw you talking with him yesterday. Larry"
What the hell was he talking about? He wants her to spy Larry. it seems like he was the one who spies her yesterday. This is crazy. Camellia glared at him from her heart. She here to do her job as an artist. and now her boss wants her to do his dirty work. before Camellia talk...
"Only for tonight Miss. White. If can you do this to me. I pay for extra money."
Camellia threw her paintbrush to the floor. she saw it roll under the Pharaoh's coffin. But she didn't try to stop it. she glares at Macphee.
"Mr McPhee I am sorry but I can't do that. I came here to paint your walls not to do your dirty work." She said angrily.
"Miss White please, I am not doing a bad thing. But I think Larry is." He said looking at her again." I only need your help to save this museum. strange things start to happen after he came. "
Camellia stares at Macphee' s annoying face for a second. She doesn't think he is telling the truth. from his face, she can say he was lying. but what does he mean when he said strange things start to happen. isn't that the same thing Annie told her this morning. but she said weird things start to happen since the day she came. but still, Camellia can't do that.
"Please help"