I stared out the passenger’s window as Mom drove to her job. I glanced over at Mom, seeing her tired eyes, set jaw, and limp posture. She looked exhausted.

    She looked defeated.

    But life must go one, missing husband or no, so she was going to work. I was tagging along. I figured I should. She was under too much emotional stress to worry about me being okay.

    Mom, her blue eyes stormy, parked near the AGO building. We both got out. Walking into the building, I immediately noticed everyone was tense. Eyes were looked around, fearful. Mouths were pressed into thin lines. Foreheads were wrinkled with fear.

    “What’s happening?” I whispered.

    Mom frowned. “It’s our boss. If he’s worried, we all are.”

    I stayed quiet. Together we walked to Mom’s office. I still wasn’t quite sure what job she did, no matter how many times she told me.

    Mom sat down in her swivel chair. “Go wander around.” She turned on her computer. “Stay out of trouble.”

    “Yes, mother.” I turned around and started walking. The AGO building was huge, and no matter how many times I’d been there, I still hadn’t explored everything. As I was walking down a first story hallway, I noticed a closet open. I’d never seen it before. I walked inside, finding a coat closet. Not interesting.

I turned to walk out, and saw the janitor close the door. I lunged for the door, but it was already closed and it was locked. I groaned and tried to bang on the door.

No one opened the door in ten minutes, and my hands were aching. I turned to the other wall and dug through the hung up clothes. Behind them, was an old window, dirty and long out of use. I grabbed the jamb and pushed up. It took much force to push it up a little ways so I could clamber out.

The window opened just enough, so I pulled myself up. I tried to swing my leg over, but it wouldn’t fit. I started to wobble. The fell backwards into the bush under the window. The branches stung my face, one striking under my cheek. I crawled out of the bush. My hair and clothes had twigs tangled in them. I reached up and felt my cheek. My cheek was wet and warm. I pulled my fingers away, seeing blood smeared on my finger.

A worker by the name of Joe was walking inside the building when we spotted me. “Hey, Lia is it? Do you need back inside?”

I nodded. Joe let me inside. “Thank you.”

“Your welcome.” Joe went off towards another hallway.

He didn’t ask me why I looked so ragged. Why? Was this a normal occurrence at AGO?

I started back towards Mom’s office. I let my mind wander; not paying attention to where I was walking. The floor changed under my feet, making me stumble. I looked up, noticing my surroundings. The walls had changed to shiny metal, as had the ceiling. Bare lightbulbs hung from the ceiling. The floor was dirty carpet with bits of concrete showing.

Some voice in my mind whispered at me to go back. That it wasn’t safe here. Stay away. I could get in trouble.

I didn’t listen.

Following my excitement’s instinct, I ventured deeper into the hallway. As I went, the hallway got more disheveled; the carpet for the floor got fewer and further between, the lightbulbs that still worked were few, the metal on the wall oxidizing.

It felt like hours, or maybe it was really minutes, before I got to a door. Down that entire hall, no other hallways had branched off, nor doors opened up. The hall was empty.

I didn’t know whether to be relieved or frightened by the door. It was the same metal as the walls, but clean like it had been put up yesterday. The handle was a giant wheel, like those old cliche vault doors.

That annoying little voice in my head appeared again. Don’t go in there, it said. What if a rabid dog was in there? What if it’s holding government secrets?

That last one sold me. I went up to the door and pulled on the wheel. It turned easily. A click sounded from the door, and it swung open, sending a blast of cold air, and revealing… revealing…

I fell to her knees, dry heaving.

The vault held rows and rows, and maybe even more rows I couldn’t see of pink, raw, meat. It made me sick, thinking about how many animals had been brutally slaughtered for the sake of this vault. This vault that was…

A thought struck me. This vault was illegal. Was someone hiding a giant vault of murdered animals on government property? AGO didn’t have good security, anyway.

Could AGO be behind it? If so, they had to be going against the United Earth’s, or UE’s, wishes. As the capital of Northern America, that would be illegal for Ateimdale. Our president, who was also our mayor, could be fired. That was bad news.

The pull of curiosity overwhelmed my disgust. Stepping carefully, I entered the vault. The smell of meat was disgusting. I made my way through the metal shelves. My stomach protested, trying to make me heave up breakfast. I breathed deep to avoid spewing on the raw animal fat around me.

I wasn’t far in the shelves, when I heard shoes clicking on the floor and a feminine voice; “Hello? Anyone here?”

A.N.

There ya go.

Also, thanks so, so, so, sooo much to those who have been reading this and giving me feedback.

For you, I edited the first chapter and will edit the entire Day One.

Happy reading, lovelies

-Cal