"Your boss kissed you, and still no promotion? That's just wrong!" Klara Hyde told her best friend, and housemate, Paisley Holmes. She stood before a broken full length mirror, smoothing the ruffles of her dress. Paisley groaned and sighed, rearranged herself more comfortably in her bed. Her room had been the one privileged with a full length mirror though it wasn't in very good shape. So that was where Klara did her dressing and makeup every morning.

"So what? He's hot! That's worth the promotion." Paisley grumbled, before going back to her sleep.

"Well Mr. hot boss won't consider that kissing session of last night when he fires you for turning in late this morning. And, we still live in this dump Paise; we need that promotion.”

"Ugh! Leave me alone! Y'all give me a break! Don't you have some coffee to serve this morning?" Paisley pushed the covers off her body before scratching her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Ha-ha! Very funny! Okay, wake up and get ready for work, I'm going out. See you at dinner!” she threw on a grey jacket and hurried out.

Newman street wasn't the nicest in view: a little nasty here and there, tugs and addicts in the streets, drunks in the gutters and serious people just walking along minding their own damned business.

Ever since Klara got her job and started working at the Lycanthe House of Enterprises main office building, moving out of that dump together with Paisley had been a number one priority on their list. Life hadn't been super nice to them after their graduation from Raven South: Institute of business administration. They had chosen to live there because back then, it was all their waitresses jobs could afford. But as things got better for them, Paisley got a job at FinCom and headed towards getting a big promotion, while she, Klara was at prestigious L.H.E.

Although their earnings weren't as much as they'd wanted it to be, it was better than the minimum wages they got working as waitresses at a small club called Chanty's, and with a little more savings, they could finally move out of the dump called Newman before someone finally had the courage to harass them.

As Klara hurried off to the bus stop, she felt the touch of a cold hand from the side, on her hand. She got herself ready to elbow them, whoever it was, in the crotch and run, but, she noticed a little girl: she had a black eye and a swollen bottom lip with a cut on it as if she had bitten herself.

"Chloe? Oh my God! What happened to you?" She gasped  in shock, taking in the appearance of the girl. Klara knelt by her side so as to carefully examine her face which now looked more bruised up close.

"Benji! It was Benji!" Chloe cried, "He hit me again! He came to the attic and wanted to- he wanted to do something to... He tried to touch me again Klara and when I denied..." she sobbed heavily. You could tell she was very scared and also very cold,  "please Klara help me!"

Chloe had been Klara's first acquaintance when she'd moved into the neighbourhood. They'd met under challenging circumstances but still ended up affectionate for each other. Klara had admired the girl's courage and strength at such a young age. She'd been living with her promiscuous older sister and the abusive boyfriend who thought all women, no matter the age was good only for sex; even a twelve years old like Chloe.

"When did this happen?"

Klara asked, cleaning some blood clothed on the side of Chloe's mouth.

"Last night."

"Was your sister home?"

"No! She was out! As usual. When I ran out to find her, she was getting into a truck with someone and wouldn't turn back. She told me to suck it up, so I just came back here." Chloe sobbed,

"Wait! How long have you been out here?"

"Since midnight."

"What? Chloe! Why didn't you come to me upstairs? Why did you stay out here? It is as dangerous down here alone as it is with that nut job your sister is blindly dating."

"I thought you'd be asleep and I didn't want to bother you."

Poor thing! several times Klara had tried confronting the girl's sister about her boyfriend's abusive ways towards Chloe but he'd just denied it and lied about the child. And Chloe's sister had  always taken his side. One time they even threatened to sue Klara for meddling. She became so pissed about the entire situation but could hardly do anything about it. She couldn't help this girl. But sure enough she made herself a promise to help Chloe in anyway she could, the moment things got better for her.

"It's OK now! Stop crying OK?" Klara comforted her and she nodded. She put her jacket over the girl's shoulder to protect her from the cold, "Now go up and meet Paisley, she'll help you clean up and get something to eat, I have to get to work, OK?"

"But they'll come back here! Jade is going to come here and take me back home. I don't want to go back there Klara! Benji will just hurt me again." she cried

"It's OK! Nothing of the sorts will happen. I'll text Paisley and she'll know what to do in that case OK?" Chloe nodded, " And I'll try and see if I can find some one, maybe of child protection services to help. Now go." Klara told her and she ran off to the building.

Devastating as the situation was, Klara now worried about worse. She was late! And job hunting scared the bits out of her thoughts. She'd missed her bus and was now compelled to board the next one. She waited impatiently for its arrival and quickly texted Paisley to take care of Chloe and hide her in case anyone came looking for her.

Paise: what? have you gone crazy? I can't just stay here and babysit her waiting to hide her if someone comes for her? I have work too Klair!

It had completely skipped her mind that Paisley had to go to work too. But the girl did sleep like someone who was already made.

Klair: God Paisley! I don't know what to think! Just keep her in there. If you have to leave lock her in if she'll agree, until I get back. Just do something to help me on this please.

Paise: Then what, adopt her? C'mon Klair you know better!

Klair: Listen! When I get back I'll take her home myself just keep her there for now, just for now.

She knew the risk of all she was thinking but she couldn't think of anything else to help. She took the desperate measure.

The bus finally came and Klara hurried in. She prayed mentally that no one noticed her absence. She was sure no one will notice that their coffee server and desk fixer wasn't around yet.

Not long to that, she arrived. She'd had arrived her destination. A giant building gleaming the colours of the sky highlighted the streets. At the top of the building was marked big bold gold letters: Lycanthe House.