Masks

Chapter Eleven

I carried coffee thought the lobby and over to Paula’s white desk. She sat behind it wearing her usual attire or a mid-length pencil skirt, a white shirt, and a gorgeous pearl necklace. Her hair fell as perfectly as always.

                “Good morning Avery,” she said perkily. “How are you today?”

                “Oh good thanks,” I said. “Bit windy out though isn’t it?”

I held my breath after the words left my mouth and I drank in every detail of her movements and words following.

                “Is it?” she asked. “I haven’t really been out for long. I drove here.”

                “Oh,” I said. “I see.”

For a moment I stood there staring at her. She blinked up at me as if waiting for me to continue on. I suppose I was waiting for something but I wasn’t sure what it was.

                “Hadn’t you better be getting that coffee up to Dr Robinson before it gets cold?” she asked.

                “Yes I should.”

                “I’ll take you up,” she said standing.

As we crossed the room to the elevator I watched the way she walked, the way her hands swayed at her sides and the distinct way she looked back at me and smiled when she’d realised I’d slowed down.

                “Paula?” I asked.

                “Yes Avery?”

                “Have you told anyone about my fear of heights?”

                “No,” she replied easily.

                “Are you sure?”

                “I’m sure.” She nodded.

                “So you’re the only person who knows?” I clarified. This all felt too easy.

                “I suppose I am,” she said as we stepped into the elevator. “I’m a great believer in secrets. I’m very good at keeping them.”

I said nothing in response. She placed a light warm hand on my shoulder and I looked up into her deep mud pool eyes. That was all the confirmation I needed.

                “Are you good at keeping secrets?” she asked with a tilted smile.

                “Exceptional,” I said.

She gave my shoulder a squeeze, let her hand drop, and looked forwards once more.

                After recovering from the confirmation of my Boreas theory I made sure to focus on the task at hand and it was the over spill of hot coffee on my fingers that woke me out of my trance. I liked the coffee spill off of the back of my hand and held the collection of coffee’s straight again. With my hands full I used my side to push open the lab door, which for the first time in a long time, was shut tight.

                “Hey Robinson,” I said as I pushed, “I have a whole heck of coffee, I hope you’re ready to-“

My voice died in my throat as I saw who stood before Dr Robinson. The fiery orange costume and concealing black mask held my gaze.

                “Avery?” The R looked truly perplexed his eyes widening and his legs carrying him backwards a little.

                “The R?” I repeated. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t work with Robinson?”