Pandora's Dreams: Chapter 1

Pandora's Dreams

CHAPTER 1: the darkness comes over her

I hear them. They come again. Screams. Screams of people I don't know. They become clearer and clearer. I can almost make out their faces in the darkness. Who are they? Their features deeply shadowed in the night. Then I wake up... Sweating. Panting. And wondering... who? Just a dream I tell myself. Only a dream. But sometimes, I know. I know it's not. It's real. So real. And it's the scariest thing I've ever known.
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"Pandora! You are going to be late" My mom yells from our front door. She seems to yell a lot, but she's a pretty good mom. Her name's Helen, that's what I call her when I am mad. Today, she's wearing a juicy sweat suit, it's blue, last night's make-up, and her hair in a mess of blond curls. She just woke up and looks utterly glamorous as she smokes her cigarette. I am jealous of her.

"I know mom! I am leaving right now." I yell back. I kick on my black heels, and shrug on my black jacket. Crap. Where's my purse? It has my cell phone, money, and I am on my period. I need it, I am going to be really late, I can't deal with this. "Pandora!" I spot the purse. It lies lazily under a huge pile of dirty clothes in the living room. My hand reaches for it.

"I am coming," I grab my purse and I run down the hall, pausing to look at myself in the mirror. For a brief moment I see my pale skin, pale hair and deep dark brown eyes. They are black holes in my face. Big black holes. Like my dreams... Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Don't think about the screams, and the darkness.

"Pandora! If I have to say it again, I am going to come and get you myself." She finishes the sentence as I slide across the hardwood. "Okay, remember, you are beautiful, you are my daughter, I love you." My mother kisses me on the head. "I know you'll do wonderful."

"Bye mom. See ya. Love you too."

"Wait, grab something to eat. Your too skinny!" She looks at my tiny frame and down at her curvy one. She has a beautiful hourglass figure that I could never achieve. My mom is skinny, but not in the way I am. I am tall and lanky. When I was young, I was awkward, but I grew out of it. My mom is small and has hips, a butt and boobs; it works for her.

"Mom I am a model, but I'll grab something on the way." I don't want to be this skinny, but my agency is crazy for skinny. They look at my ribs and smile and drape chiffons and silks on me. I don't think I am beautiful. I think I am weird looking. I run to my car, a little red sports car. It's some fast French car my agency bought me to look rich and professional. I open the shiny new doors and start it. "Bye mom!" I yell out the window. I rolled it down mostly because it's really hot out. I get a "Bye honey." as a response. It's Unusually hot for eight-o-clock in the morning. Well, I was supposed to leave at 8:00, now it's 8:12. I pull out my cell phone, a blackberry (provided by the agency as well). I push speed-dial 2, AGENCY.

"Hello Pandora, what is it?" Says the phone. It's Daisy (she‘s French), the secretary of the modeling agency I work for, Malley and Frankford Models. Everyone calls it M&F.

"I'll be about five minutes late today. Can you make an excuse for me?"

"You know how Edward can get..." She's talking about Edward Malley. One of the owners of M&F. The other is William Frankford. He is on vacation right now, I believe in the Bahamas. Edward is the most uptight person I think I have ever come across. He also feels all of his models and employees should be perfect and flawless. This includes time. Actually he is a stickler on being on time. His motto is something to the extent of, five minutes before is behind schedule. I decide I would rather lie to Edward then face his wrath, "Daisy I really need to not appear late today. It's a big day."

Daisy sighs. "Okay hun. Here's what you do. Go to star bucks and get a double shot white chocolate no whip latte. Make that two. And It'll make it better. Don't say you got it from me, but that's Edwards weak spot. When you get here, lie and say your late because you had to spoil your favorite boss." I take it in. The nearest starbucks is only a block away. Perfect.

"Thanks Dais."

"Welcome. This is the last time I am going to help you."

"Uh.. Okay."
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"Pandora! Where have you been? It's 8:40, we were supposed to start at 8:30! That makes you fifteen minutes LATE!" Edward is a little man, clad in colorful Gucci buttonups and crisp black Prada pants. He is bald and has a goatee. Today he is stomping his little Gucci shoes and his head and face are turning red. "You are one of my TOP MODELS! I CANNOT AFFORD FOR YOU TO BE LATE! We do not pay you for TARDINESS!"

"Sorry Edward," I say in a soothing tone. "I just wanted to drop by starbucks to get a present to spoil my favorite boss." I reveal the cup holder from behind me. The two white and green cups sat steaming deliciously in front of me. Edwards eyebrows raise. A big grin that takes up his entire face.

"I knew I always liked you. That's why I hired you." He takes a cup in each hand and sips one. The other models roll their eyes end sigh. Then he spits his sip out. all over his pretty assistant. "WHY THE HELL DOES THIS HAVE WHIPPED CREAM! If you are going to kiss my..."

"Edward remember your blood pressure." His assistant interrupts. She wipes a blob of whipped cream cooly off of the arm of her Chanel suit.

"...then do it right!" He finished. Then sighed and ordered me to get my 'freaking' make-up done by Georgia. Georgia orders me to sit in his or well, her chair, and take a deep breath. I do. Georgia is a big black man, who decided he didn't want to be a man. 'She' has gotten lots of surgery and wears lots of eyeliner, pink lipstick and fake eyelashes. She is not that unattractive. All of M&F adores her. The thing that everyone adores is her calming nature. It's moments such as now that I especially love her.

"I'll do your hair first honey. Just relax. He'll forget it soon." Georgia runs her big hands through my thick blond hair. I look over and Edward's lovely and very polished assistant get doused in his cup of coffee. She gapes at him with her arms held out in suprise.

"How your dreams been?" Georgia asks a bit worried. She's one of the few people I have told. I think she saw me looking at my lap as the images replayed in my head and the voices and screams rung in my ears.

"Not good, Georgia, not good at all." She's putting big curls in my hair that stick strait out. It's an editorial shot today. I guess my dark mood will work for the shoot.

"Pandora, I think you should see Madame Josephina..." She looks at me through the mirror in front of us. "Maybe she can tell you what these dreams mean."

"I am not into that stuff Georgia."

"I know, just do it for me, because honey, you're dying inside." I don't want to admit it, but I know she's right.