The Moonless Sky

By H.R. Tremblay

Robin Majors is known as a normal high school girl at Victoria high school in Edmonton Alberta, but that's all a lie from what the real world is, after leaving centuries ago from
Edmonton. robin has come to realize she has to go back home to see her father and brother, but in doing so of returning to Edmonton, she has to face a lot of demons in the long run if she has to come to terms on returning to the one place that caused her pain and hurt.
But once she finally gets near to her family, and comes to terms about what to do about her magical life, she sees someone she gotten close to from her past, and is dealing with
someone who died from her past the has to deal with, and someone who betrays her in the long run, what should robin do, choose to run again or face what other
obstacle dangers she has to face further on.....the truth!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524528683

H.R. Tremblay

H.R Tremblay is known as a person who just came to terms to not even bother having the career he/she has wanted, ever since she was a little child he/she has always wanted to become a writer, but other things got in the way of it. when he/she had gotten to school the third last day of school, a councillor told he/she wouldn't be graduating with a diploma because he/she had low credits from not getting them in L.A classes. turns out once they hadn't made arrangements to have L.A computer experience. now once H.R Tremblay came to realize that he/she wouldn't be graduating with a diploma H.R cried out to a point where he/she wouldn't be graduating with a diploma. so once he/she came to realize that he/she had to go after the one thing that made he/she sain enough to want to dream, leave her home town in Kikino Alberta. once he/she left she gotten to known a ex, then ended up having a little girl, once that had happen H.R vowed to do what was best for her future career and he/she's daughter so he/she can give daughter the best life possible. once that has been done, he/she left Edmonton Alberta to go back home to Kikino metis settlement, until it was time to finish making the moonless sky turns out once he/she had finished the moonless sky, H.R was thrilled and proud to finally finish that one other thing that meant to H.R other then he/she's daughter. the moonless sky, once it was finished a ready for print out. H.R had to thank he/she's mother and father for the support and love, and faith that H.R would make it to a point where they knew H.R can follow he/she's dreams no matter the experience she has.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

HOME

My mom drove me to the train station with a reoffering smell from the fiberize freshener coming from the vehicle. The temperature in Calgary was 5 degrees since its spring, when it’s not cold or clammy most of the time when you’re here in this kind of city. The weather on the other hand, isn’t what I had expected when you moved to Calgary of Alberta, the coldness of Calgary was ridicules it was -17 in the city plus the god dame wind shilled was -7 and don’t get me started on the cold snow I deeply despise. Heading to Edmonton was my only sanctuary to ever get some peace, I was wearing my favorite jersey Montreal Canadian, to match, I wore my blue skinny jeans and black purple dc shoes. Once we had gotten into the drive way of the train station, my mom and Jason started to get my suit cases from the truck once we gotten out of the vehicle.

You see since I was born here in the world with normal national people, my family and I were hiding from dark forces, who my family is scared of. Jason was my mother’s off and on again boyfriend, which I had come to like since we moved to Calgary, years ago, Jason helped my mom get my bags from the truck, and once I breathe out. well once my family got scared of the dark force that was after me and us in general, they have be shielding me from something, I couldn’t quiet now why they were hiding it from me, but I know they were hiding it for my own good-but that didn’t make me stop to question why that was.

Around back then, my parents would leave me at home with a nanny to or a guard, so I wouldn’t get taking by the dark force, they wouldn’t even let me leave the house until it was secure to do so. Even though they would go out to fight off demons, minions, warlocks so they could protect me-someone would get hurt either or. Doing so of that, my sister Alexandra, known as Alex would simply help my parents fight to protect me from dark forces-doing exactly that she lost her life in the process of protecting me.

Blinking at the thought of Alex, I began to remember how unique she use to be, I had always admire her for being so strong for the family, even for me. Around when she was still alive, I would simply follow her around, she would be my guide to know who was at our parties when my mother would host parties to show nations we weren’t a threat or about our celebrations we had through the years. She would also make Shure she would introduce me to her friends so my mother wouldn’t nag me to talk more to people so I can develop a way to express myself to our nation or to the human society, which by the way I don’t do for her benefit.

But after all of that went all about, my sister wouldn’t talk to anyone other than max and me, she would rather talk to her siblings then strangers in our house hold. once our lives were good at the point where we would care, we found out that a dark force was after me, and my magic, once they had chosen the right time to come after me and my family for the fire of the phoenix, my sister was more on guard to protect me and the family at all cost-even if it meant losing her in the process. Once Alex had faced a person who would destroy our lives, she went into battle to destroy that being who would kill me and my family. Ran towards her to stop her, but I was held there to watch my sister die before me, since Alex had died that day, things began to change for my family-once my sister died to protect us all. I watched my parents fight every night since she died, I couldn’t understand why that was, I somehow couldn’t see why they would be selfish enough not to see they have more kids then they had to concentrate on. But once they grew distant from one another, and bitter towards each other, they couldn’t stand it any longer, so my mother ask for a divorce-since she had asked that, she took me to move to Calgary so when wouldn’t have to deal with the hurt of losing two people she loved my father Carson and my sister Alexandra. You see even though my mother and I moved away from Edmonton, I would come on Summer and holidays to see max and my father-we would spend every ouch of the day when I would come home to him and my brother, sometimes we would stay in Edmonton and go to Bermuda.

But that all changes once he left Edmonton and Bermuda, to live in France, Mexico, Aisha, or Africa so he would get away from the hurtful problem him and my mother had caused. Since he left our home, things between father and daughter began to dissipate from our relationship, I couldn’t understand why that had happen, but somehow it did. I couldn’t understand why he would simply leave to not only get away from the horrifying feeling of losing Alex and my mother-but to also leave me and max to defend for our self’s. but since he is now back into our lives, once he had moved back to Edmonton, I had hope we both can rebuild our relationship so we can move on from this hurtful past. you see Edmonton was the area I always wanted to live in once we first moved here 50 years ago, since we had moved back then, I knew my life here would be at peace. But since then, when I had to move away from Edmonton- I knew things wouldn’t be the same once I came back. I had to leave with my mother once she and my father wanted a divorce, she needed me more then I needed to be here around that time, because losing Alex basically almost destroyed her, and me being there was just helping us grief for our loss-basically it was me and mom against the world when it came to losing my sister.

I love Edmonton, I love how bright it is when its fall, the yellow color of the trees once we pass houses malls, and restaurants. God I miss it, I wish I had never left, but around then I had no choice in the matter, my mother needed me-and I had to dwell over of the loss of losing Alex and my father.

Walking towards the train, waiting for it to come, I hear my mother pace around the waiting area, I glance at her, I was irritated at her with passion, I hate when she gets over protective. She looked up to see my looking at her, she came towards me. robin sweat heart. my mother said the millionth time we have been here, oh yeah her name is Angeles Rosa Marie majors, she kept her married name for some reason I couldn’t comprehend why that was.

Just looking at her I thought about my grandmother, she looked almost identical to her, it was kind of weird to find my mother looking exactly the same as my grandmother, Samantha grace Assam was her name. But doing so of getting used to it, I come to love her no matter what she looked like even though she has a temper like my grandmothers I rolled my eyes at my own thought. Just looking at her, she began to worry once I hadn’t spoken to her-I was about to spas if she wouldn’t give me that look.

I breathe out a frustration sign. Mom I do need to go.

feeling the thought of leaving my outstanding mother, makes me weak to appoint where I don’t want to leave her, but I need to, since we left Edmonton 50 years ago, when the chaos of Alex dying and my parents’ divorce I knew leaving her would be hard, even though it was just me and her against the world. But leaving Calgary to move back to Edmonton, to see max and my dad again made me happy to the bone at the thought of seeing them again. Even though I am leaving to be with my father and brother, I was also thrill in some way that Jason would be there to watch over my mother, while I was gone.

Do you really need to go hunny. she said in a plead.

I nod. yes I do mom, it has been a century since I saw dad and max.

She really didn’t like my answer, so she shook her head in frustration. Ok then, just tell your father I will see him around.

I narrowed my eyes towards her. Mom.

It would be fine hunny. she said.

But-. she cut me off.

I’ll see you later, ok. she insisted on saying so she would avoid my questionable look. Just come back when you need too ok, I would like my daughter to come see her mother. she said in a soft plea.

I sign. I’ll be back mom, I promise ok. she hugged me tight enough for me not to breath.

Even though I had to go, I didn’t want to let go of my mother, even though I couldn’t breathe from the strong hug she was giving me. once the train came, and stopped so it can wait for the passengers to get on the train, my mother walked me to the door, I glance to the parking lot Jason was leaning at the hood of the truck waving at me, I waved back and kissed my mother’s cheek once I got on the train. I sat in my seat once I watched my mom waved at me, I waved back, and I lean back on the seat. I glance out the window to find my mother, and Jason gone from the train station once the train started to move.

Once it had left dreadful Calgary, I began to breathe out a relief sign, I am so glad to get away from this dreadful city I came to hate for the past 50 years, even though my mother seems to like it here. I shook my head, I don’t know why my mom would have thought I would be happy In this dreadful city, I looked out of the window and saw the city I hate leave once I road in deep silence of hoping to see my city.

It has been a horrible 3 hours to get to Edmonton, god I always hated trains, I could have flew to Edmonton, but it was too expensive to even get a flight here. so I rode a train to get to Edmonton, once I was in Edmonton I watched the buildings flow by me once I saw it pass by, I smiled at the scene, I was happy to be here in Edmonton, I miss the Nosie cars running by, the homeless people that would cause trouble. I liked the sun shinned at the trees once the sun hit it, I saw the train going further down the area to spruce grove, and hit my destination.

I had to meet up with my father at Kingsway parking lot because Kingsway train station doesn’t have a parking lot for cars just only buses to stop there for people to get on and off of them. Once I had gotten off of the train station, I grabbed two of my heavy bags and grabbed the handle of my two suitcases, I walked out of the train station to walk towards the parking lot of Kingsway mall.

Just walking there was a struggle to even get down the steps towards the driveway. I breath out, then came to a stop once my father came out of the vehicle to help me with my stuff, he road in a limo, well isn’t that just great. My father is the mayor of the city if Edmonton, that’s why we are famous in it too, because my father Carson majors is the god dame mayor of the city. Back then he was always the mayor, the reason that maybe is as long as he is something important in the world like an officer or a mayor he would protect humans from knowing who we are. I rolled my eyes at the memory, him saying that a long time ago make me think how unrealistic he really was 50 years ago.

even though I hated to ride the train, that somehow never became the problem of me feeling agitated at the thought of coming back to Edmonton to live with my dad, it was the fact that I get to see if I can’t rebuild my relationship with my father, it’s that term of the factor that gets me nervous.

Since Carson came back to Edmonton, he called and asked of it would be alright if I would move back to Edmonton, well on that note I said yes. he was astatic at the thought of me coming back home, even though it would be a short time of having him around me. but from what I stand, he has been distant with me lately I don’t know why, but it has come to that factor-when Carson left Edmonton I wanted to ask him why he left and ignored me and max throughout the 50 years we had missed him. But wondering why he left without a word, I couldn’t help but question his motives when he came home. once we got into the limo I buckled my seat belt and waited for Travis to start leaving the parking lot, once we had- Carson froze, then said he had missed me and max, since he left Bermuda, and Edmonton in a way I didn’t find it odd that Carson would be concern on asking me he missed me and max. But I did feel odd at the thought of him wanting to get to know me, and mother than usual, I glance I him, then gave him an confused expression, just thinking that, I saw my dad wear his usual suits he always wears to his meetings in the city, since he really is the mayor of the city.

Just sitting there looking at the city, my father fidgets his tie, then glances to my direction. How is your mother. he asks.

Um… she’s fine-she is doing well in Calgary, oh, yeah she said she would see you around. I said to him, with a questionable expression.

His lips twitched into a grin. Ok.

I glance at him curiously. Um… dad do you know what she meant by that.

He shook his head. No I don’t.

I blinked in confusion, what the heck is going on with them. Ok, then.

We went in silence, in away the silence has been helping me, I was thrill at the thought he wasn’t even talking at the moment. Even thought we were silent, I began to wonder things I shouldn’t thinking of at the moment, him and my mother together again would make things wrong. don’t get me wrong I want them both to be happy, I do, it’s just I don’t think they would be happy with each other, even though they can try make it work for the family, I really don’t want them back together-it would just cause more problems in our lives.

I shook my head, them together again would be a hug problem for me and max, just thinking of it gets me irradiated, glancing out of the window-I knew in some way I didn’t like them together, but I didn’t care at the moment. Right now I didn’t think about it anymore, I was focused on the road.

Carson glance at me. Robin.

I breathe out a sign. Yeah.

What would you say if I got you a vehicle. he said, once we were passing Northgate mall, once we were going towards the mansion.

I turn to face him. wait you did what?

He nod.

No, dad that is too extravagant for you to give. I said.

Well I already have it, it’s at the mansion as we speak. he told me.

What kind of vehicle is it? I curiously asked.

It’s a jeep, a ford, I know how you say they are dumb enough to crash one of these days, but they had a really good deal on It. he said softly.

How did you get it? I question him.

Oh I went to a dealer ship near Northgate mall, they had some good prices, even some decent vehicle to get there. he said in strain.

My lips twitched into a smile. You got me a jeep.

He nod, with a smile. Yes I did.

We both went back into the joyous silence, I was still smiling at the thought of my father giving me a jeep for a welcoming home present. he began to start telling me about the reports about the dark force, who was still after me by the way, once he would start jumbling words about how we should take more precaution on what to expect from them, and to always take look out for any other dangers around us. I looked out the window when he was talking more about it, I found Edmonton the most exciting city to ever see, when I was a little girl Edmonton wasn’t a city yet it was a village of people wanting homes to survive into the world. But after see how much the village use to be, it would be full of fall yellow on the trees once we pass the roads of the buildings. we would pass by people walking along the streets and sidewalks, seeing the high sky buildings of the city, the limo kept moving out of the city to hit far welcome sight of Edmonton there were braches of green trees and moose on the tree of it with the yellow grass blowing through with the wind.

since its been twenty minutes, watching the trees blow at the cold wind coming around, I began to envy the wind blowing were ever it had wanted, I was always so jealous over how perfect the wind can do With just a blow. But life doesn’t work that way, but I wouldn’t change how I felt about my burning heat I have always loved, I smiled at that fact.

As I see the color of the fall grow bright once we drove further out, we began to turn once I saw all the yellow grass blow once we drove further down the road path straight down the gravel road. Well things never change that is all I have to say in my head. Once we stopped at the black pointed gate, there was a speaker there, Travis began to peak. We’re here.

When we had gotten into the drive way, I curiously glance to see my perfect jeep sitting there on the right of my mother’s colorful roses, my mouth open in the thrill of the color, I looked back to my father, then back to the vehicle once Travis parked at the door of the garage entrance.

I got out of the limo and headed towards the jeep, I began jump at the vehicle I love. Oh my god, oh my god, dad it’s amazing I love it.

He smiled at my excitement. I am happy you like it.

I rushed into deep color speed of orange red, to go into his arms, I hugged him really hard at the thoughtful gift he had given me. he held me real tight, it was like my mothers, once I moved enough to face him, I saw something I never thought my father would give me, lust it was pure lust, it was as if I was looking at a stranger. I gave him a shocked expression I thought in my head (what the heck is that.) why was my own father staring at me like I was some possession he wanted to chain up to a bed post. I moved out of his grasp like I was touching acid, I turned away from him, I was too shocked and a shamed of what I saw. Once I did that he glance away from me like he was trying to not make me question his motives, why would Carson do that? When I was about to say something, Carson went to the limo to help Travis with the suit cases to bring into the mansion, I wanted to question why my father acted so provocative way.

I shook my head at my own questions, I walked inside of the mansion to find it horribly quite for a family of five, just walking in with my black leather guess purse, I turn to see the family picture on the wall near the kitchen door. I watch to see the smiles and the movements of Black color of the photo’s we had, since we live in a magical world photos of abnormal move around in only black, I don’t know why but it’s how it is when it comes to magical beings like us. I shook my head and blinked at the weird thought of photos moving, I moved away from the photos to head straight up the stair way from the right side of the entrance doors, just thinking of the photos I began to think about the family in them, like the youngest in my family Maxwell majors my brother, before my parents gotten a divorce when Alex died, my brother was close to my mother, he was able to talk to her about anything, even sex, like seriously who talks to their mother about that subject. Anyways they used to be close, until my parents gotten a divorce right after Alex had died, that was when max demanded why my mother left without a notice, or a good bye. once my mother Angeles told max she couldn’t deal with the fact that Alex died near the mansion, well that is a lie, there was another reason why she left- but I rather not think about that memory- it’s too upsetting to think about. Max still lives here at the mansion, he also still goes to school so the humans don’t realize our magical existence, and I am going to do the same since I am back here in Edmonton. But since max has been here in Edmonton and helps my father hide the magic’s of our existence, he has been avoiding my mother since she had left 50 years ago- since we had first moved into the mansion max had always gotten the west side of it- which by the way is near the back yard where I wanted to go. But my parents said it was better for me to have the east side of it. Which by the way is a joke-as usual they just wanted to satisfy max.

Once I walked down the hallway, seeing the colorful changing fire lanterns with our family ancestor’s picture got down the hall all brown faded color, with it to match there was a table under it with a photo saying who our ancestors, with their favorite orchid flower is.

Once I held onto the wooden railing of the balcony of the hallway, I walked further down the hallway towards my own bed room, once I was in front of my brown door, with a yellow gold accent door knob that curves. I open the door and headed inside of my room, I looked around to memorize the room I remember, it was white walled with a red pink color, the curtains were red and pink designs I had always loved the doors to my balcony and windows I had in the room and red bedding to match my black steel head board at the center of my big room.

There were two doors connected to my room next to my front door of the bedroom, the first one next to my outside door was my small walk in closet, and to the end of the corner was my bathroom suite. But to my stunner surprise was the desk above the windows that have been open. Since when did my dad want to get me a desk, for one I didn’t ask for a wooden accent?

Desk? Which has been in our family for generations. I wanted a glass desk, so I can have a apply computer for my work for school, I shook my head, then saw the note on the desk.

{Dear robin

this is a letter telling you that it was better having this desk because it was you grandmother rose’s desk, she also use this desk for her work to get things done back in the day, so I knew since you were close with rose before she died, I brought it to your room with the help of max and Travis, so your grandmother would be close to you, so yes I didn’t buy you your glass desk for a reason, one you would have hated it even though you would have loved it, two it’s you grandmothers desk and I thought you would want someone dear to you, who has loved you through day in and day out. And lastly because you would have loved seeing this des look at the right corner you can see the name of your grandmother on the desk with her birthday and death date on it.

With love your father Carson majors.}

Blinking at the letter, I looked at the desk, I walked towards it seeing the carving of my grandmother’s name and birth date on the right corner of the desk.

{Rose Lisa majors

Born: august 20th 1302

Died: December 06 2013}

It was two years ago my grandmother died from a car crash, since we couldn’t bury her in the ground, we had to cremated her and put a fake birth date and death date on it so no human would suspect of our family being magical in our lives. knowing this is my grandmothers desk makes this wooden object does make it more meaningful, it was the best second perfect gift my father can give me, I smiled at the carvings of my grandmothers name, I traced the letters, and began to wonder the room, I walked towards my balcony doors and open them, I walked on the Tarec and began to feel the breezing cold hit my skin once, when I thought about my father’s absurd reaction when I hugged him, why would he look at me like that, what is he hiding?

***

Victoria high was a school I couldn’t come to understand, in outside of the human society it was a school of loyalty and to earn your keep once came to the school. but if Abnormals got to the school, the would start practicing there magic’s once every human would leave the school grounds, they would start levitating, run in the fast speed of color from there nation, they would also began to start moving things, see the future, fly, blow up things with their own hands…etc. the list goes on.

Since the school was so high society of everything I the school, we had to wear uniforms out of black leather fabric and have the crescent symbol of the Canadian flag. For boys they had to wear shorts and pants, the girls had to wear the long skirts either or, we wouldn’t have a choice to wear our own cloths or the uniform we would have to wear the stupid uniforms at the school no matter what we say. The girls too had to wear red bow ties and the guys would wear a tie-which I think is stupid even though I have no say in the matter of speaking. just looking around the front of the school there were 100 students on the school grounds to see, from what I can see it was kind of sad they couldn’t stop staring at me for some odd reason, I rolled my eyes, it was like I was being judged or something, it made me feel like I was the odd bunch of this stupid school I had to go to. I asked Carson if it was possible to go to a different school in Edmonton besides Victoria high, but he said he already registered me in the system of the school, so all in all I had no choice but to come to this stupid school I had to go into.

I shook my head then headed towards the front doors of the school, once I gotten in the school, I had my uniform my father gave me, I held my black jacket in my hands, while I look for the locker number I had gotten in the mail once I was accepted into the school. Once I had gotten it out, I had my purse around my right shoulder, and looked in my purse for the school map to find my locker. I went down the hall, since I couldn’t bring my other stuff in the school yet once we had gotten all of our text books, we had to bring a note book to get our information to get our supplies so we wouldn’t have to rush with our day. And we could either get to choose what kind of supplies we want once we get everything from the stores.

since we had to hide from the humans, and dark forces, we had to make do to make the humans believe that we are humans and not something they would simply understand, even though they use to accept us into the world, I don’t know why they did but they have in the past, I even ask my father about it, he said it had something to do with an abnormal betraying someone. I wish I knew who that someone is, then I would understand why, then humans turn on our kind.

I blink intensely at the image of the map in my hands, I used my left hand to rub my left eye from the long thoughts going in my head, once I looked around for number (567.) I turn to see my number right in front of me, great I’m getting blind- that helps a lot, I headed towards the locker, and began to use the combination on it to open it, we had this black steel locks with pointed edges on it. It was odd to see it, for humans they would see a black plain lock on hit, but if you an abnormal you would get a unique design on it.

I shook my head at the image of the lock, then began to start opening it, after coming the school I couldn’t sleep right last night, I kept getting these nightmares ever since Alex had died. The dream was about my mother dying from the same demon who kill my sister Alexandra, but it was different in the dream, it wasn’t only her being cut up into the dream so she can bleed to death, it was the fact of the demon hovering over her, like he was done raping her. It was like my whole life was shattering once I saw my mother dead defenseless from the horrific events my mother went through.

once I open my locker, I went back in my mind to this morning when I woke up to find my father gone before I was, he left a note saying he had to go into the office pretty early, which I highly doubt, I think the reason he went in early was the events of him giving me my vehicle when I came home yesterday. There had to be a reason why he would give me that lust expression?

once I put my purse in my locker, I grabbed a pencil and not book in my purse then headed down towards the main office of the school, once I was passing by every human down the hall, looking at me like I was an alien from outer space, I see my brother max have two girls at his arms. I rolled my eyes at the giggling, great my brother the man whore, never thought I would see the day to see that.

Since he didn’t notice I passed him, he was concentrating at the blonds lips at the moment while the red head was trying to get his attention more than the blond. I shook my head at the corner of the hall, when I turn to the area, there it was the main office, stood there staring at it, dreading to go in there to get my information on what classes I have. God why did I have to come to this school again, oh yeah because I had no choice in the matter, I shook my head once I kept staring at the stupid entrance of the office. A girl with blond curly hair was behind me, she wore the same uniform but she pulled her skirt up more, to show more of her white skin legs, I glance to see she had pure white skin like snow of ice, and right blue eyes that shows attitude. she had her not book in her hands with her black pendent that said Sullivan, I began to wonder who she is, but since I was staring at the entrance of the office, I could see the girl crossed armed and tapped her finger in her arm, and began to irritatingly tapped her high heel shoes on the ground like she was getting annoyed at me. it was as if she was waiting for me to enter the office, I began to wonder what her goddam problem was, I began to question what was it about her made me question things I didn’t want to question at the moment.

I glance at her once more, then she brought her cold blue eyes on mine. Can I ask you something?

I nod. Uh, yeah sure.

Are you just going to stare at the office entrance, or are you going to go in. she snapped with a straight posture.

I stood there frozen. Well umm.

Umm what? oh never mind, can you move then because un like you some other people in this school who are Abnormals, have to go in there to find out what other classes we have to go to. she said, once she waited for my response.

Oh, yeah, sorry. I moved away from the entrance to let her in.

She went to the glass door, she open it, then turn to look at me. Just to be clear don’t just stand there like your stupide, just get it done and over with, got it.

excuse- before I could finish what I was about to say, she turn to head on into the office, to get her information about her classes.

I stood there in shock, how dare she be so bitchy at my own appearance, and what the hell did I do to her to make things hard at the moment. It was fifteen minutes later that she came out and ignored me to leave, god I wonder who the hell pissed her off. I shook my head, then headed inside the office there were old chairs that were cracked on the cushion of the chairs, with brown coffee table, since there wasn’t anyone in the office quite yet, I headed towards the front desk. The women