Patience is a virtue, only few people on the face of the earth have. Love is a feeling and an emotion, anyone could feel it. Happiness is a state of mind that can easily be induced by all sorts of forces; everyone gets a shot at happiness several times in their lives. Peace is also a state of mind, but more comprehensive than happiness. Fear? Fear is a burden, a phase of a person’s life, a force on its own, something tangible.

Many things could be born out of fear. Love and hate, passion and the lack of it, pain and joy, shame and the lack of it as well. Many genuine evils are borne out of fear. Fear of the now, or fear of the future, fear of being discovered, fear of dying, fear of living, fear of loving, fear of life and existence in itself. The fear of anything and everything. Fear is a force that has shaped the lives of many a man.  Fear could be productive as well, not just counterproductive. For instance the fear of being poor could spur a man on to hard work and consequently to immense wealth and affluence.

Annabel Yeboa continued typing frantically on her office desktop computer. She didn’t pause in between. Not for a break, for air or anything else. In fact, she badly needed not to get air. She wished at this moment in her life that she would run out of air and be unable to breathe and bang she would be dead. At least being dead will be a better feeling (well, death is not entirely a feeling) than what she was feeling now.

Maybe she could try shedding tears; it may give her release from the terrible pain she was feeling. Jossy had suggested that to her and she had tried, but the tears wouldn’t come, try as hard as she may. So, yeah she had done everything she could do.

“Hi girl…..” A voice rang out suddenly out of the blues, startling Annabel in no small way.

Oh God, who could this be….

Annabel looked up from the desktop, and looked into the eyes of her boss.

Oh God, not now, pleaseeeee

Annabel tried to force a smile onto her oval shaped face, and she tried the most effective trick she knew how to use. She flashed her white teeth, and her dimples on both cheeks showed.

Please, get this going and over with…. Pleaseeee

“Hey Lily, how you doing?” She Replied

“Am Alright.” Lily said, running her eyes over Annabel in her characteristic saucy way.

Why could she be looking at me like this, could it be that she is about to…..?

“Do you know how long I have being standing and watching you type like a maniac?” Lily asked, with a smile.

“I have no idea, how long.” Annabel replied.

“Well, long enough to appreciate that you are a beautiful workaholic who needs to stop trying to impress our slave driver boss and relax.”

Come on, cut to the chase… am running on a short clock here.

“oh really” Annabel replied

“yes…, anyway…….”

Oh here it comes……

“……. Just wanted to tell you that the boss does not need those documents anymore. We found the previous one you prepared, and yes, you are getting a promotion and a raise”

I can’t believe am hearing this….

“Are you sure about all these, especially about the promotion and raise bit?”

“Yes darling, I couldn’t be more serious.” She started to walk away but stops for a minute and stares back at Annabel.

“…..Take a break dear and let’s go for lunch. I will meet you in a few minutes.”