MASKS

" .....The witch smiled as the colours of circus tent turned into ashes. The blazing flame danced under moonlight, as the witch moved to its rhythm."

Silence.

Oh no...

"Finally, it left heaps of ash; it fleeted away in cold breeze and settled on fresh grass at her feet. The witch grinned. Her face was content. They called her a demon and so she became one."

And now breathe.

"The End."

Ashe finished reading out her book and looked around the room for response. Her hazel eyes nervously shifted across the faces staring at her and halted when it met a pair of sharp brown orbs. It's powerful stare bore through her. She knew very well what it meant.

Another failure.

"We will discuss about this with our Boss and let you know", a middle aged lady's stern voice echoed through the room. Ashe smiled back awkwardly and the lady left. Few other men with their perfect black suits and blank faces followed her. The room finally emptied, leaving the brown eyed man and Ashe alone.

"You know these people are important and yet you don't deliver", he sighed and removed his rimless spectacles. He rubbed his temples in frustration.

"Sir Thomas, I really revised everything. I even brought the original draft of revised version", Ashe tried to explain.

"No. It's been how many times already? Hmm? Three times? Four times? I don't remember. If you dont throw away that old book about witches and start a new one, I'll fire you before you could even blink", he screamed at her.

Ashe took few steps backwards. She clutched her black A- line skirt and gulped down hard. Mr. Thomas, like a rigid man he is, brushed away her reaction. His frown made fine lines on his face prominent and his nostrils flared in anger.

"Seriously, you have lost your spark. I'm going to give you one last chance. If you don't produce something good, you are getting sacked", he continued on.

"Thank you sir...", Ashe replied in feeble voice and left the room. Tears streamed down from her eyes and made her cream colored shirt wet. Her moist eyes looked at the papers she held in her hands. A single line which she read from her papers, played like a loop in her head.

They called her a demon, so she became one.

"Damn it", she crushed the paper through it away. Her face became a painful shade of pink, as she sobbed hard. Her thin hands tried to hide the streaming tears.

"Book got rejected again huh?", A chirpy voice addressed her. Ashe lifted her head up. The brown locks parted ways as her hazel eyes squinted to get better vision.

"It's me", the girl made a dramatic twirl as her beautiful pink tulle skirt floated in air. Her straight blond hair and blue eyes sparkled like a diamond. The morning sun paled in the shadows of her radiant skin.

"Hey Silver", Ashe greeted her and got up. Silver was the person Ashe wanted to avoid at all costs; she was young, beautiful, talented and guys were constantly swarming around her; Ashe wasn't any of those. Looking at Silver in office everyday nailed her self esteem to ground.

"You should probably change the profession", Silver mocked. Ashe didn't respond, she was better than that. She walked away. "Loser!", Silver spat and laughed out loud.

Loser!!...loser.!!...loser.!!..loser..!!..hahaha!!!... damned loser...!!..

Silver's voice haunted Ashe as she made her way through the empty street. The eerie night dampened her mood further.