New Torch

-Today-

She sat across from me. But she wasn’t here to tell a story. Jess will start working for me now. She marched my qualifications. Jess sat across from me, drumming her fingers on her cheek. She just had her twenty-first birthday.

“Any questions?” I asked.

“Just one,” she said. I raised my eyebrow.

“And what would that be?” he asked. Jess sat up straight.

“Why do you do this?” she asked. I sat back in me chair.

“Someone has to tell the city’s story. We have to be the ones to listen,” I said.

“But why do you do it?” Jess asked. I thought about it for a second.

“I have nothing else. My former mentor and this job saved my life,” I said. “Why did you take this job?” Jess’s chest heaved in her black leather corset as she sat up. When I first saw her, I thought she was in the wrong place. Jess had to duck into the doorway because of her black high-heeled boots. The black cuff and white pearl bracelets, white pants, white blouse, and wild black curls gave me fighter girl vibes. Jess gave me a little smile.

“I love the city’s history,” she said. “I want to know more.”

“I see,” I said. She stared at me, waiting.

“Anymore questions?” I asked.

“When does my training start?” she asked.

“Today, you will sit back and observe me,” I said. “You will do this for a couple months. All you have to do is listen. You said you had photographic memory, yes?”

“That’s right,” Jess said.

“Good, good,” I said. Theo said those kinds of people were rare. When we got one it was like hitting the jackpot.

“So… who’s going to be our first case?” Jess asked. I perked up when I heard that question.

“A young woman who isn’t sure she wants to get married or not. Remember…” I said.

“We don’t judge or give advice,” Jess finished.

“Exactly,” I said.

I hope I can do Theo proud with this job and my student.