Away with the fairies or A way with the faeries?

I can quite honestly say that I never thought I would write about fairies. As lovely as they are, for me it was just not something that I would even consider. Now, I think I have mentioned about how ideas almost float around a person like a asteroids. Those idea asteroids float around a person's head until it is time to land. There are times when there are so many asteroids floating around a person that they find it difficult to concentrate because those pesky little blighters fight for attention because they want to be landed. I am sure you have all had those creative moment before sleep where you turn the light off, have an idea, write the idea down, turn the light off and so on.. I have even taken to writing in the dark. Bizarre? Erm yes!

Thinking about it, I feel I have to take this a step further. I think these asteroids (metaphor for ideas) may actually be intelligent. Yes, this is actually making me sound particularly away with the fairies. The reason I say this is because Elora, (sorry but I can't give away the rest of the title a it is top secret while it is being edited, proof read and the cover is being illustrated) literally would not leave me alone until she was written. Her name kept appearing in places and the name of the baddy literally played around my head until I wrote it down. I did my absolute best to ignore her; however, people started appearing with fairy tattoos and I kept hearing the word fairy... Oh - gosh - I sound so odd. The thing is these characters take form in the unconscious and they do what they can to get your attention.

There I am at work with a fairy asteroid vying for attention and wanting to be creatively landed. At the same time the baddy name is tormenting me as I am attempting to work on business analysis. In the end I sat back and thought - 'right I hear your name... now show me what you want me to create for a baddy!' No sooner as I had said that - the baddy arrived in reality. Honestly it was astounding how she literally turned up. My next meeting became a full analysis in note form of the lady who carried the baddy traits. She was phenomenal. Soooo phenomenal that I almost sat in a business meeting with my mouth open. Are you curious? Okay. Have you ever felt as though the life is being sucked out of you because someone is so miserable? In that business meeting people were sitting around a table and it was as if they were turning grey in her presence. The image of a hoover attached to their foreheads kept flashing up in my mind. I wrote and I wrote and I seriously wrote. She must have thought I was so dedicated to business analysis. Later on I had a chat with her and discovered a whole new level of pessimism. In the end I asked her if she had a comedian she liked. She didn't she didn't find anything funny; in fact laughter irritated her... Do you get where I am going with this? In the end she made it clear that life could not be fun, work was not fun and that misery was what she expected. Oh my goodness - the perfect piece of inspiration for my story. As much as she has since made me redundant (oh and don't be concerned about this because all is good) she has given me three months garden leave because of my access to the systems. What makes it all the more exciting is that I have managed to complete 3 more books in this time because I am writing full time at the moment and not allowed to start work until October! Life is beautiful and the fairy hauntings have resulted in me writing a book that I feel is so my fun, filled with laughter and considers what would happen if one cruel baddy turned the world to sorrow. So...  Away with the faires? Answer is yes. A way with the faeries? I think the faeries had a way with me and wanted a book written about them. Who knows about unseen forces and their plans?

Enjoy audio books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

THE HIARY-LEGGED MYSTERY ON AUDIBLE LINK: http://www.audible.com/pd/Kids/The-Hairy-Legged-Mystery-Audiobook/B01H2HF0XU/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1468187800&sr=1-1#publisher-summary

Satisfaction...

Finding Satisfaction

The quickest way to lead yourself into dissatisfaction is to make comparison. If you think about it, all of us are unique and not one of us is the same so what is the point of making comparison?

One of my friends is working on her ‘grudges’ against people who have more than her. It has been an interesting insight into how she sees things. It seems that what makes her angry is those people who have miraculously large amounts of money arrive in their bank accounts as if by magic. Or people that get free luxury holidays. Obviously from the outside it is relatively amusing watching someone go red in the face over the fact that a friend has been given a free luxury holiday in Australia or Dubai; however, it did get me thinking. Why can’t people be happy for other people’s good? What is the point of jealousy? All of it is a waste of time and energy. When you are throwing yourself into aggravation over someone else’s good then you are not working on your own. I shared this with my friend and asked whether she could compare a bamboo to an oak or a tulip to a rose. She seemed bemused at first and then she realised what I was saying. There is no comparison; what’s more, there will always be someone richer, prettier, fitter, stronger, cleverer – so why are you comparing to them? You are unique and you have your own things that people are comparing to.

 

 

 

For me dissatisfaction is a sad experience, one that I have been working on for a while. It is learning what is it that makes a person feel dissatisfied and why? I realised I was causing my own dissatisfaction by comparing myself to some of the literary greats or the world’s most successful people (quite clearly I may have aspirations of grandeur) and through doing this I was ensuring that I felt bad. The thing is have you noticed that one is more likely to compare to people who have more than you rather than those who have less? Those who have less would be more than grateful for what you have? So how I combatted the comparison / dissatisfaction issue was to really focus on my stuff and when I caught that little voice in my head making comparison, I watched what it was saying and asked myself where the voice had originated. It is fascinating what the inner commentary tells you and what it drives you to do. It is almost manipulative ‘you will only be good enough when…’ 'If you do so and so... have so and so... then life will be so much better.' Then the next chase begins... 

 

 

So why compare? comparison was necessary in primal times to establish your hierarchy within a tribe. Maybe that is why we still do it. The thing is I do not intend to spend my life in a state of dissatisfaction that I have created for myself through comparison. The root cause of the dissatisfaction is comparison so therefore by not comparing and focusing on what you have and what you have achieved then you will experience satisfaction. Give it a try and see what happens.

 

 

 

 

You can find my books at the following link: Ruby Allure books on Audible:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

 

 

 

AUDIBLE BOOK AVAILABLE HERE:

 

LINK TO BUY ON AUDIBLE:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Development/A-Short-Course-In-Creative-Writing-Audiobook/B012OVUKE8/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1443260320&sr=1-1

 

LINK TO PAPERBACK ON AMAZON.COM

A Short Course in Creative Writing
by Ms Ruby Allure
Link: http://amzn.com/1517234832

Another Letter to 'Take All The Credit' for OUR work - The Rebellion is in Full Swing!

To my Dear Office 'Take All The Credit', it seems that the very fact that I have shared your existence with the world has had a strange knock-on effect and people want to share their stories about how they dealt with people like you in their office or work place. You are a universal entity that everyone knows exist. What's more, by sharing your escapades with the world has increased my book sales. So thank you for that.

 

So I would like to share my continued rebellion, which I don't think you have figured out. You see you know that I am a hard worker. It is in my nature. You also know that I can't say no to a challenge, it is the athlete in me. Yes it is an unfortunate trait, yet, since you 'delegated' your work to me and claimed it as your own, something shifted. In fact my rebellion has provided its own challenge. What a beautiful challenge it is. You see when you emailed me yesterday afternoon demanding me to do a full analysis by the following morning for your meeting you noticed that I said no. That was the first time in nearly two years. Oh that was satisfying but I did have to go for a walk and have a chat with myself about not giving in. You know I am reliable and am usually up for the challenge. You love to play on that - especially when I am leaving for the weekend. What is worse is that I would have worked late and provided you with something spectacular.

I have noticed that people who take all the credit play on hard working natures and prey upon those who seek to be liked. You know who the walk-overs are and who will not stand up to you. It is a kind of corporate bullying. You also know what to say to your hard workers and when it comes to bonus time your perfect patter transforms from 'we & our' sentences to 'I and my'.

So yesterday I realised you were bemused by my big No! Especially when I advised you I had more important projects that were priority. Some of them are fantastic. My favourite, and excuse my language, is 'Project Fuck Off To Those Who Take All The Credit', 'Project We Are Going To Say No at the Last Minute' and 'Project INNOVATE'. I will share more with you on that last one another time.

 

Now I want you to know that it isn't just you 'Mister I Take All The Credit' - I am making sure your female equivalent  is receiving the same treatment. She recently received a bottle of Champagne for all the effort on the project she achieved completely by herself. Well four of my team members were dumbfounded since they had actually created the whole thing and she said she had worked on it alone. She has a big learning on the way: the people who did all the work are also going to say no to working with her - commonly called amongst us 'no, no and definitely no!' Guess which project that one is.

So my final little confession of the day is that you left your screen unlocked, what a shame. We could have emailed the head of the corporation saying that you had handed your notice in because you had clearly fallen in Love With him. Instead we came up with something far better and I cannot take all the credit for this. We cancelled and re-booked your 'Continuous Improvement' meeting where you take all of our ideas and tell the management they are yours, and invited some rather interesting characters. I have to say it was a real joy. We all loved watching your face in that confined glass meeting room with the other 'Office Take All The Credit'. I guess you weren't expecting to continuously improve with all 'The Office Stinkers' from around the office. We had two flatulent types and three 'we don't know what shower gel or shampoo is'. Amazing! Oh it was wonderful: five really stinky people in a confined space and the 'STINKER MANIFESTO POWERPOINT ON A HUGE SCREEN.' Of course you only read the title once it was on screen because we named the file 'Continuous Improvement', which it was: it was a stinkacious improvement! Oh how very satisfying!

Anyway I have to thank you Mister I Take All The Credit because you have fuelled my rebellious nature and helped my compulsive need to efficiently complete projects before deadlines. What you don't realise is my first letter to you literally brought thousands of people to my blog, many have worked with people like you. The general consensus of opinion is that your type last about two years maximum and then are either found out or move roles to prey upon other decent hard working people.


Other than that, my news is my books are selling well. I know you don't have a clue that I am an author because you don't take interest in those who do the work, which makes it even more amusing. Oh, and you know what? It seems people found the Office Types in the Office Zoo very real, that is because they are real and based on real people like you. After my little letter to you at the weekend the LOVE HUNT books suddenly had a beautiful sales surge. I guess it is because the story is about what goes on in the office when two women chat over email about their dating escapades. Without you and watching the office dynamic then the Love Hunts, Money Farm and Office Zoo would never have existed because I needed somewhere to direct the bizarre happenings, odd observations and bonkers behaviours. So you being a complete dick is literally perfect. As I have said before flowers grow from shyte and I am looking forward to seeing where a flower emerges from on you (probably the end of your nose, it spends enough time in shyte).

Finally my authorial life has taken off and the power has shifted. I don't have to impress you because you are not my boss and.... I do not have to rely on my job for income anymore - thank goodness. The best part, which is my favourite, is I get to lead a double life knowing you have no clue how the world is reading about your dire antics... Happy days!

Thank you TEAM REBEL! It was so much fun!

Link to Ruby Allure books on Audible:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Love-Hunt-Dating-Game-Audiobook/B015G4ICYA/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srImg?qid=1448187651&sr=1-1

Come on admit it - as much as we deny it - we ladies like a good love hunt.

We have tick lists, ideals, and we hunt in high-heeled packs. Of course, we're all hunting for that elusive right man who ticks every box and even has tidy nostril hair. Okay maybe not you, but you know other ladies who love the hunt.

Well, it's time for Eva and Gracie to love hunt, and their "targets" are rich men - the golden sperm. Such exciting escapades would provide the pair with entertaining discussions during their dull office hours - or so they thought. What they did not anticipate was the discovery of the "booby man"; humorous but very hard truths about wealth, themselves, power; and the RichIdiot.com phenomenon.

The question remains: can love really be hunted?

 

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Love-Hunt-II-The-Love-Game-Audiobook/B0176Z9Y08/ref=a_search_c4_1_7_srImg?qid=1448187651&sr=1-7

The Love Hunt has returned. Gracie is back on the dating horse after a huge fall in her first tick-list-tastic love hunt.

Her new dating adventures take her and Eva into the depths of "the love game".

In the meantime, Eva, the ultimate Russian gold digger, has come to the conclusion that her poor "village idiot boyfriend" will never be enough. He will certainly not pay off her accumulating debts. She needs a rich man, and that means rich idiot dating.

In The Love Game, Eva and Gracie travel the journey of extreme love learning. On the way, they will discover their love and lust lists, their intrinsic issues, and experience some hilarious and jaw-dropping dates in pursuit of the wealthy ideal.

All of this in the pursuit of love.

The Love Hunt II is on!

A letter to all those that love to 'Take All the Credit'.

Dear 'Take all the Credit',

I have been observing your existence for a while now. You really do fascinate me because you and your type appear in most of the corporations I have worked in. You may not be aware there is a whole 'office animal' section dedicated to you. The thing is it seems that this is the time of year where you ramp up your game. I worked out why it is too. It is the end of year appraisal time and you will do whatever you need to to enable you to attain the largest bonus.

Of course you have spent the year working up to the finale by practising on various projects and discovering the best workers to take all the credit from. They are a type too: they are those who work hard and do their best and don't speak up. This may well be the 'office shafted', the 'office actual worker' or the 'office extremely efficient'.

 

The thing is my dear take all the credit is that people know who you are and discuss you. Many avoid working with you for the reason that they have been shafted by you in the past. Others have found new techniques to make sure people know they did the work. I personally embed my name on the whole document. However, I have found ways to make you look like a wombat. My favourite of late has been providing you with a presentation with completely incorrect data to make you appear a complete fool. I notice you have not approached me for anything since, so it worked! I guess that was because your name was emblazoned with big letters on the front of the presentation that you made to the Managing Directors. Woops!

 

My dear Take All the Credit is you need to be aware that I have been leading a small rebellion against all the 'take all the credits' in this world. I have seen so many decent people be trampled by your credit taking behaviour. It started small in our corporation where a number of people gave The Office Zoo book as the Secret Santa present. They highlighted the 'Office Take All the Credit' within it. I noticed you laughing all the way through the different office types until you came to the highlighted pages and glanced around the room wondering who had discovered you. We have all known it for all while and felt that you should not get away with it. We also felt you needed to know that we knew what you were up to! The thing is from shyte the beautiful flowers grow and you behaviour has united a rebellion through other offices too. You see I mentioned what my colleagues did to some of my friends and they thought it was great and did the same. I guess it could be misconstrued as some kind of bullying but taking advantage of others is also bullying too. In truth all the decent hard workers simply spoke up in a different way.

So I do want to say thank you because your office type contributed to the The Office Zoo - A Field Guide to Office Animal Observations and it would have been missing a key animal had you not demonstrated your traits so clearly. What's more, observing you and how you treat people has contributed material to the Love Hunt books, which are selling nicely. It seems people who work in offices completely identify with the antics that go on! So thank you so much for showing me all your underhand tricks for taking all the credit. Without you I would have missed out a crucial part of corporate life. So thank you and.... We all know who you are!

To hear Ray's sample on audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Comedy/The-Office-Zoo-Audiobook/B013H90AZU/ref=a_search_c4_1_4_srTtl?qid=1448708535&sr=1-4

 

If you were an office animal, what would you be? Erm...what do you mean an office animal? Well you may not know this, but there are numerous varieties of office animal migrating to the workplace each day. Every type, with its own characteristics, is awaiting discovery in The Office Zoo. All of those who enter the office jungle on a daily basis have potential for office animal categorizing adventure. Whether we like it or not, each of us falls into one of the many office zoo categories. So which one are you? Which office animals surround you?

 

The paperback on Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/B00H7MRV5G
 

   

Alex  : "Read this. Share it. Discuss it with your friends."   -    

I’ll try to write this without spoilers or going too long winded, but the basic gist of this review is: If you are a fan of humour with a generous helping of wit and you’ve ever worked in an office, you will like listening to this!

Boy, it’s a jungle out there. If only there was a field guide with the helpful hints, tips, and ‘general don’t get yourself eaten accidentally’ advice that could help us navigate it all…well this might just be it! Office zoo reads like a Nat Geo guide or a safari special, but on the study of a species of 'animals' that you don't need to travel outside of your city to see in their natural habitat (yay!).

The book reads from point of view of an explorer, which added to the experience and immersion into the guide. The author’s tone was to me perfect for the subject matter. It took me a moment to get used to the narrator’s voice, but once I settled in I realized it was actually a good choice. The narrator reminded me so much of animal nature guide narrators, and that definitely put my brain right in the action, and I had no trouble visualizing the office beings that the author was so helpfully describing.

Despite it being in the humour category, there were quite a number of valuable lessons presented, albeit some slightly over emphasized - the better for us to recognize and work to correct them. If only all company welcome packages included certain snippets of this with the avalanche of company policies - if not only to show that humour is not dead in the office world, but so that people would have a much more enjoyable (and more memorable) reminder to be aware of how they engage with others in the office. We spend so much of our lives in offices (unless you are an actual safari guide, professional base jumper, or something equally office-free), a guide is definitely needed.

There are some characters that were rather harshly covered, but these are made in ‘lemme tell it to you straight’ tone, so it fit with the narrative of the book. Near the end of the book a few of the character’s seemed repeated, or at least very similar to those described in the beginning of the book (granted a I listened to the whole book in one shot, so it may be better to listen to the chapters in segments).There was a weird thing with the recording on my device where all of a sudden it sounded like the narrator teleported to an echo-y tunnel right in the middle of a chapter. I got over it, but it is jarring.

I went into this book expecting to be entertained. I was. But it also got me thinking about my everyday environment in a different way. A humorous take on office culture and a well spent afternoon! I will look up the author’s other work.

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Love-Hunt-Dating-Game-Audiobook/B015G4ICYA/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srImg?qid=1448187651&sr=1-1

Come on admit it - as much as we deny it - we ladies like a good love hunt.

We have tick lists, ideals, and we hunt in high-heeled packs. Of course, we're all hunting for that elusive right man who ticks every box and even has tidy nostril hair. Okay maybe not you, but you know other ladies who love the hunt.

Well, it's time for Eva and Gracie to love hunt, and their "targets" are rich men - the golden sperm. Such exciting escapades would provide the pair with entertaining discussions during their dull office hours - or so they thought. What they did not anticipate was the discovery of the "booby man"; humorous but very hard truths about wealth, themselves, power; and the RichIdiot.com phenomenon.

The question remains: can love really be hunted?

 

 

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Love-Hunt-II-The-Love-Game-Audiobook/B0176Z9Y08/ref=a_search_c4_1_7_srImg?qid=1448187651&sr=1-7

The Love Hunt has returned. Gracie is back on the dating horse after a huge fall in her first tick-list-tastic love hunt.

Her new dating adventures take her and Eva into the depths of "the love game".

In the meantime, Eva, the ultimate Russian gold digger, has come to the conclusion that her poor "village idiot boyfriend" will never be enough. He will certainly not pay off her accumulating debts. She needs a rich man, and that means rich idiot dating.

In The Love Game, Eva and Gracie travel the journey of extreme love learning. On the way, they will discover their love and lust lists, their intrinsic issues, and experience some hilarious and jaw-dropping dates in pursuit of the wealthy ideal.

All of this in the pursuit of love.

The Love Hunt II is on!



With What's Happening in the World...

 

COURAGE + LOVE => CHANGE

 

I don't know about you but I feel of late that the world has gone mad. With everything that happened in Paris, the migration of so many Syrians and fellow human beings being in peril, it makes me wonder how on earth humanity has lasted this long. Yet with the constant bombardment of media showing us fear, torment and suffering something has transformed in many. With such crisis there has developed unity, a unity where courageous souls have addressed the killers of their loved ones and stated they will continue to love. They will not be tormented by fear, control and the evils within the world. Instead they will move beyond that and continue life with an open heart, albeit suffering loss and grief. For me this is an inspiration. It is a true representation of the courageous soul, one who has lost yet will stare into the face of the enemy and not demonstrate hatred, rage or retaliation but instead an empathy for a twisted creature whose anger and rage resorted in them killing fellow human beings.

 

It is the power of empathy and courage I wish to focus on instead of the cruelty, the terror and the rage. I do not wish to focus on conflict, war and the harming of others; instead I desire to see more courage, more love and true authenticity. I love that man whose bravery and wisdom inspired the world on the BBC and Facebook. I am astounded by the true inspiration he evoked in a time of utter despair for him. I love that man unconditionally for showing the world a vulnerable and masculine man who can rise above the cruelty of others and move others to unite in their hearts. For me this is the way forward - to love others unconditionally, to demonstrate vulnerability, love and courage in the face of adversity. If more people opened their hearts instead of residing behind the armours of fear, defense, hatred and rage we could raise humanity to the next phase and progress into a peaceful and united state. It is the anger, the hatred and the damage that drive people to kill others in vengeance. People who love, experience kindness and tranquillity do not have the desire to harm others. So why aren't we working towards our own personal healing rather than fear and terror?

I may well be an idealist; but that is why I write. I write to make suggestions, to reach people and share the inner workings of a complex interior world. Maybe something I will write will inspire others to become the best they can be because I want you to know, that even though I never met you, I am your friend because I, like you, am human. I am vulnerable and have the courage to be authentic. I hope you feel inspired you and that your inspiration will inspire others.
Ruby

Labyrinthine Chapters 7-9

Labyrinthine

TO LISTEN ON AUDIBLE: http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Labyrinthine-Audiobook/B011N0QVN0/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srTtl?qid=1445681627&sr=1-3#publisher-summary

 

 

CHAPTER 7 

The answerphone beeped. Olivia listened to the message and glanced at the intruder; it stood with its arms folded shaking its head. “Don’t trust him. His tone reveals he’s a liar.”

Olivia ignored the comment as she grappled to sit upright. “You know what? I don’t get this... What are you doing here? What do you want from me? If it’s money...”

“Why does it always have to be about money? Do I look as though I have the slightest interest in shiny pieces of metal?”

What did that mean? “Then…?”

“As I said... I’m waiting.” The person in black paused and glanced out of the window and back to the hourglass in front of it.

“Are you some kind of weird stalker of ex-child prodigies?” asked Olivia.

“God, no!” The intruder leant against the wall and sighed. “Do you understand the concept of timing?”  

“In relation to what?” asked Olivia glancing at the door.

“Don’t bother thinking about escape. There isn’t time... And the timing is in relation to the universe,” it responded.

What did it mean? How could she get out? She squinted and touched the back of her head. It was still painful. Olivia frowned; the intruder was real, wasn’t it?

 

 

CHAPTER 8

 

The art agent clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. “She’s done it again! How many times do I have to endure this behaviour?”

Richard, the agent, attacked his mobile phone and pressed re-dial.

“She’d better be on her way! Or... or I’ll...” he muttered. Unconsciously he stamped on the black and white patterned marble floor of the gallery. The phone rang.

“This is Olivia, please leave a message,” said the answering machine clicking on.

“Where the bloody hell are you? Get your pathetic arse over here now! I will not take this shit anymore! You will get here and put this exhibition together or we both lose everything!” he yelled. When he was finished, he snapped the phone shut. Smack! It collided with the floor. The agent loosened his collar; beads of sweat caressed his forehead and dribbled down his nose. Clasping his chest, he groaned and swayed.

 

CHAPTER 9

 

Olivia’s instinctive response was to recoil while the verbal darts flew from the answer machine.

The intruder appeared entertained by her response.

Silence.

Smiling, the intruder watched the last few golden grains trickle through the timer.

“That’s it, my timing’s done,” it said calmly. 

“No! What? You held me at gunpoint so my bloody arsehole of an agent could have a go at me? What kind of weirdo are you?” she demanded.

The intruder turned its back on her and shook the hourglass.

“Yep, the timing is perfect. Time to go. We did well. Er… Thank you.”

She flushed red. “Wait! What are you and who are you working for? Why did you do this?” 

With its back to her, the intruder removed its dark glasses. For a moment, it paused and blinked a couple of times.

Olivia recoiled, “What the...?” She dug her fingers into the carpet and jammed her feet into the floor. Her instinct was to escape but all she could manage was to shake her head.

“I work for someone higher. I am known as the Connector and the timing is falling out,” it said casually. “It’s all got a bit chaotic, usually I wouldn’t take such measures…”

“You’re mad!”

The Connector’s thin lips curled. “Believe what you wish.”

Olivia shifted to kneeling. “What on earth are you?” asked Olivia, tears trickling down her cheeks.

The Connector waited, it expected the inevitable.

Urgently, she grabbed her stomach and suppressed a wave of nausea. Goosebumps prickled all over her body.

It glanced back at the hourglass, “I have overstayed my ‘time’ and witnessing my eyes will help you in the future - we will meet again.”

“But I don’t want to meet again!”

“The conscious choice is not yours and it will be a much nicer experience next time. I won’t bring the weapon.”

Olivia hugged herself; the Connector’s eyes were large and clear. They were so beautiful, so turquoise. Yet there was something missing.

The Connector gestured, “By seeing my eyes you will know what you are looking for - what is extra in you and what I am missing. You are now on a search for Retina Blue: it will be the genius behind your work. Think of it as a divine gift.”

It paused and gazed into her eyes, “You are very lucky - if luck exists,” it smirked.

“Retina Blue? What on earth does that mean?” she asked in a dazed tone.

“I said our time is up! The rest is up to you.” The Connector turned towards the window, paused for a second and glanced back.

“Olivia, consider the people you have in your life. A lot of them are arseholes. Time to clear them out! Transformation is coming!” It grinned, waved, ran and then jumped.

Olivia scrambled urgently to standing and sprinted towards the window. Her glance navigated one hundred and eighty degrees. Nothing. It had disappeared... How was that possible?

The space between the ground and the window was empty. There was no evidence and nowhere for it to go. Nothing. The only other visible living entity was a squawking raven perched on a chimney of the apartment block across the street.

“Go to routine Olivia,” she whispered to herself.

 

To listen to Labyrinthine on audible:

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Labyrinthine-Audiobook/B011N0QVN0/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srTtl?qid=1445681627&sr=1-3#publisher-summary