“Oh good, you’re here,” Mrs. Brooks said, the door opening as two more woman strode into the conference room. Sally led the way, a stack of papers in her young, delicate hands. Behind her walked Erin, astutely studying the room. “Erin, have you found Mrs. Sledge?”

“No, I can’t get a hold of her,” Mrs. Sledge’s assistant answered, fixing a loose lock of hair and moving to the desk and taking a seat. “I’ve looked all day too. Called all around the hospital, her home phone, her personal phone… everything.”

Mrs. Brooks nodded. “She must have been one of the people who disappeared. Damn, she would have helped a lot with this type of thing.” The woman then stood up, breathing in, a wave of confidence flowing out of her. It was moments like this she knew to step up, to act like a real leader. “We should start then. We can’t waist any more time. Sally, you have the briefing?”

“Yes mam,” The intern said, passing out a sheet of paper to those at the table. When she was done she sat down, letting her feet slide under the table. Her feet had been killing her all day. This probably wasn’t the best time to try out a new pair of shoes, especially ones that barely even fit her. They were a cute pair of pumps that she had bought just this weekend, with leather straps along the top that were just a bit too tight. As Mrs. Brooks stood up to begin the meeting, Sally slowly wiggled her way out of the shoes, breathing a sigh of relief when her warm toes were exposed to the cool air.

She knew it wasn’t professional, but they were under the table. No one could see, so who would mind? The girl sat back in her chair, finally comfortable, listing to her boss talk about the current state of things. After a little while she started to feel antsy, a tiny ich presenting itself.

The girl discreetly bent down, digging her nails into her foot. First the shoes were too tight, now it looked like she might be allergic to them. That decided it, no matter how cute they were - and they were really cute - she had to take them back.

When the itch was finally settled she kicked her feet back out, turning her attention to the next speaker. Mrs. Brooks concluded her introduction, giving the floor up to one of the other girls.

“Chloe will now tell you about some of the tests that are being performed,” Mrs. Brooks said, pulling out her chair and motioning for the girl to start.

“Thank you, Mrs. Brooks.” Chloe then turned to the projector screen, reading a list of complicated Latin names without any difficulty. Mrs. Brooks tried to listen, but her focus started to drift. Today had been such a long day. First half of her office goes missing, including Adam and James, now they find out the hospital is in a catastrophic disaster, and it’s up to her to sort it all out.

Half of her wanted to just run out of the room and start yelling at people. The other half was just hoping one of the other women had a solution to this entire thing. Whatever happened, it was going to be a mess of paper work. Unconsciously she tapped her foot on the ground, her leg bobbing up and down rhythmically, until Chloe was finally finished.

Clair wasn’t doing much better with all these talks, even though the research department was her field. She was a take action first, ask questions later type of girl, and these meetings were the antifascist of everything she stood for. There was a solution, they just needed to find it. She played with her hair a bit, her eyes drifting down to her feet below the table. That’s when something caught her eye. A dark little form between her shoes.

The researcher smiled, moving her shoe and bopping the creature to the side. It got up slowly, moving around like the bug it was. For the next few minutes she played with the creature, gently stepping on it, then taking her foot away. She’d let it run for a second, then move her foot to block its path at the last second. But it kept trying, the cute little thing.

She was debating how to smush it when she was called up to present. “Oh, of course,” she said, standing, immediately forgetting about the bug.

Amy watched as the beautiful researcher stood up and moved to the projector, thinking about how much she wanted to be in her shoes. Not literally, she liked her Uggs well enough, even if they were a little muddy, but to be a researcher was something she always wanted. To study things, make new drugs, new treatments. To help people and look good doing it. Who wouldn’t want that?

She shifted around a bit, moving her boots closer together, and looking down at them. Maybe she should start wearing more professional shoes. Or, at least something that doesn’t track in so much dirt and grime. Even in the shadow under the table she could see that there was a small puddle already forming.

“Erin,” Mrs. Brooks then said, turning to the young assistant. “Do you have any of Mrs. Sledges plans?”

“No mam. Everything was on her computer, and I don’t know the password.”

“Oh, I think I actually have something like that,” Amy answered, her mind coming back to the task, and forgetting about her dirty boots. She pulled out her phone, going to her email. “Yesterday Mrs. Sledge forwarded me an email about this type of thing. I think it… yes! It had an attachment about emergency protocols. I just sent you it.”

“Wonderful,” Erin said, receiving the email. “Okay, I think I can talk a bit about it then.” Mrs. Brooks motioned for her to go up to the projector. “Thank you,” she said, moving through the small isle.

Amy’s eyes followed the young girl as she walked, noticing how pretty her shoes looked. White flats, immaculately cared for. Yep, way nicer than her boots. That decides it, she was going to pick up some new shoes tomorrow.

But something else caught Amy’s eye. As she followed Erin’s stride she saw a tiny black object on the ground. A small, moving creature, directly in the girl’s path. “Oh, Erin!” she tried to call out, but she had seen it too late.

“What is it?” Erin asked, her flat smashing to the earth, right on top of the little bug.

“Oh, uh, nothing.” Amy figured it would be best to just forget about the entire thing. “Ignore me.”

Erin smiled, then kept walking. Amy glanced down at the carpet near her feet, but the bug wasn’t there.

So she shrugged, her attention going back to the girl as she spoke about emergency plans. Clearly this was more important than a little insect crushed under foot.

Erin continued her discussion for a few minutes, moving through some bullet points and plans, none of them really too helpful. Then she paused, seeing a shadow form on the semi-transparent door to the conference room. Another person was coming.

Everyone turned as they heard footsteps on the stone outside. The door to the office was pushed open, a slight breeze caused by the pressure of the room.

“Sorry I’m late everyone,” a beautiful woman said, looking stunning in the natural light of the windows, her hair blown back by the wind. A figure of power, with a face that radiated class and significance. A woman who had command of any room she entered, who could take control of a conversation with a single word. And, as a director of the hospital, just the person the committee needed most.

“Mrs. Beth,” Mrs. Brooks said with a smile. “You’re right on time.”