“One of the photographers for the newspaper was Louis; he started his internship not long after I arrived. He’s a shy person and preferred to be behind a camera instead of in front of one. “With him assigned to another journalist; we only saw each other on occasional lunch breaks. After Miss Billings became the ...

“Even though Mackenzie Billings had created a toxic company. She’s smart enough to keep those factors in the dark through non-disclosure agreements, bribes, and threats. Because of this, the newspaper and Billings gained a positive reception from the unaware public. As for her employees and interns who made the foolish decision to stay, we strived ...

  “When the founder and former CEO Martin Porter died at ninety-four years of age. The newspaper immediately decided to promote Mackenzie Billings as CEO and editor-in-chief. No one argued with the decision, as she was a popular employee. I became her proud and eager right-hand woman, to the envy of the other interns. “With ...

“Y-you were betrayed?” I ask with hesitation. Miss Jessica gives me a sad smile. “Yes, everyone deals with it at some point in life. Here’s how it happened. “Like you, I had an idol to look up to; her name was Mackenzie Billings. She’s known for her intense investigative journalism and dogged determination. All the ...

Jessica looks up at me and sighs, “I used to have role models in my youth, too. The problem is that you forget that you and that person are two different people, and even then, you don’t know the person that much. Heroes always disappoint when you get to know them. I’m sure I make ...

Miss Jessica shakes the frappe in her hand for several seconds, then responds. “Tamara, I remember you as being a high-strung and introverted nature for your age, but an intelligent girl with big dreams. “When we first met at the social services office that afternoon, you didn’t talk to me for the first ten minutes.” ...

“Here you go!” I look up to see Jessica in front of me; she holds two tall glasses of iced frappe coffee with straws in her hands. Her left hand extends to offer one of them to me, which I accept in silence. She sits in the hammock chair opposite mine and sips her coffee ...

Once we arrive at the path leading up to Jessica’s house, I can see the clear blue ocean below the hill, with the olive trees dotting the beach. My mind tries to remember when I saw and smelled them. But the recent revelation overshadows any calm I felt before it. We enter Jessica’s glass house ...

I fail to notice that I have fallen bottom first on a rock with my legs stretching out; the shock is immense. I sit in a daze while Jessica Galton and Fizz look at me. After a minute of silence, Jessica Galton smiles at me and says, “I’m sorry for the unexpected surprise; this is ...

The map’s directions point to the left side of the island, up a hill with a wooden walkway. Beside it stand rectangular rock pillars. My wristwatch says it’s 11:45, so I have over two and a half hours to spend here. With a deep breath, I clutch my tote bag and head toward the pathway. ...