(First Person – Bill's Viewpoint)
Caroline storms into the office and glares at me as she passes, throwing open the door to her private office and disappearing inside without closing the door. I flinch as I hear books fall from her bookshelf. After a few minutes of this I ask,“Boss?”
Storming back into the outer office, she slams a book in front of me. “Read this!”
“Sorry Boss.”
“No. Don't sorry me, Read. The. Book.”
“Alright alright! I will. Jeeesh.”
Not able to look into her blazing angry eyes I look down. Heat rushes to my face as I notice the state she is in. Mud is splattered over her ceremonial shift coupled with liberally-scattered grass stains that look like they will never come out. The dampness from the mud and dew make the shift nearly transparent. It clings to her tiny form, outlining her small breasts. The large cut in the shift over her stomach shows her muscular belly. Her position leaning over my desk makes the slit gape. Finally noticing that she is no longer wearing those white harem pants she wears, my eyes move down towards wiry black--”
“Enjoying the view?”
I snap my eyes back up to her face. Her voice so cold that I shiver. “I-I-I--”
“Not another apology. Read. I'll be back in a few.”
Out of my control, my eyes follow her as she leaves, my pants becoming uncomfortable as I notice how the shift clings to her behind. With an effort I drag my eyes back to the open book Caroline had opened the book to a chapter titled “The Ravenous.” Tearing my mind from thoughts of Caroline's body, I get to the reading.
Finishing the reading, I look up and see Caroline leaning in her office door. She had changed into hip-hugging blue jeans and a long and loose maroon top. I relax a bit when I see a much calmer expression on her face. She still looks angry, but not ready to cook me from the toes up. I start to speak, but she interrupts as soon as I open my mouth. “You act like a teenager not someone in their thirties.” She walks to my desk.. “Shirking your reading, and ogling me after I barely escaped with my life. You owe me some pantaloons.”
“Yes, um. Sor--”
“I said stop apologizing. You have, and it is done. Let's move on. You finish the reading?”
“Yes.”
“What are the keys to tell that a ghost is a Ravenous?”
“um... none of the normal transitory ghosts are around, grave markers are moved around, fresh graves are disturbed and --”
Looking at my sharply, Caroline interrupts, “And?”
Sheepishly I look up at her, “And they are active during the day.”
“Will you take the book home and read the whole thing cover to cover? ”
“Yes.”
“Will I have to quiz you on it or will you just do it?”
Blushing a deep red, I respond, “Uh. No.”
“Good. See you tomorrow. Have the book read by the end of the week.”
And with that, she sweeps out of the office.
Sighing in relief I inquire to the empty office. “How can someone barely over five feet and maybe 100 lbs soaking wet, carrying a lead filled purse, scare me so deeply?”
(Third Person – Caroline's viewpoint)
Caroline storms into the office. Anger all but pulses from her skin as she glares at Bill, passing his desk in the outer office. She throws open the door to her office and immediately moves to the book shelf and roughly sorts through the books. Not caring in her anger, she knocks books off the shelf to find the book she wants. Book in hand she stalks back into the outer office, slams the book onto Bill's desk and growls “Read it.”
“Sorry Boss.”
Frowning at the lanky red-head, “No. Don't sorry me, Read. The. Book.”
“Alright alright! I will. Jeeesh.”
She continues to stare at Bill until an uncomfortable look passes over his face. His eyes move down, and Caroline remembers the condition she is in. Her ceremonial shift is covered in mud and grass stains, and her pantaloons are missing where they ripped off of her when she did not quite levitate high enough to vault over the fence. She notices Bill start to flush and follows his eyes. She realizes that the cut she had made in her shift to reach her plexus chakra is gaping open and exposing her privates. In as cold a voice as she can muster she asks, “Enjoying the view?”
Bill snaps his eyes back up to her face. “I-I-I--”
Satisfied with the look of fear on Bill's face, she relents slightly. Opening the book to the page she wants, she looks back in his eyes. “Not another apology. Read. I'll be back in a few minutes.”
Caroline re-enters her office, closing the door behind her. With a long silent sigh, she strips of the shift, a opens the bottom drawer of her desk. She pulls a burgundy blouse, skimpy panties and tight jeans from the drawer. She takes her time dressing to let her anger bleed from her, and give Bill time to read.
She opens the door silently, and watches as Bill reads. His nearly seven foot frame barely fits in the chair, and he is almost as tall sitting as she is standing. She reflects on the fact that he has been a good agent, getting her many good jobs. He just needs to get his act together.
She notices Bill finish his reading and look up. Before he has a chance to, she speaks, “You act like a teenager not someone in their thirties.” Walking to his desk she adds, “Shirking your reading, and ogling me after I barely escaped with my life. You owe me some pantaloons.”
“Yes, um. Sorry”
“I said stop apologizing. You have, and it is done. Let's move on. You finish the reading?”
“Yes.”
“What are the key to tell that a ghost is a Ravenous?”
“um... none of the normal transitory ghosts are around, grave markers are moved around, fresh graves are disturbed and --”
Bill is at the point she wants to stress, so Caroline interrupts, “And?”
“And they are active during the day.”
Satisfied with the look on his face, she asks, “Will you take the book home and read the whole thing cover to cover? ”
“Yes.”
“Will I have to quiz you on it or will you just do it?”
Blushing a deep red, Bill responds, “Uh. No.”
“Good. See you tomorrow. Have the book read by the end of the week.” Convinced that Bill will shape up, Caroline leaves the office.
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