" Hey, you're interested?"

Ariel flinched. She turned to the woman whose voice had startled her out of her trance.

Her heart thudding loudly against her chest.

The woman who seemed to be in her early forties was smiling at her. She had noticed Ariel standing outside and staring at the vacancy board and had figured she might be interested in applying for the job.

Ariel inhaled sharply, gulped, and greeted her. " Good...afternoon."

" Are you interested in applying for the job?" She ...