Called in for interview

Before Kayla could introduce herself in kind, the door at the end of the corridor opened and both their heads snapped towards it. Kayla realised they were both still a little on edge, even if their nerves had lessened slightly.

The man that now left the room was in his thirties; Kayla knew he was called Jed Knight and was here for an interview because he was looking for a change of scenery, with a newspaper rather than the county magazine he had always worked for. They had spoken before he went in, and before Alice had arrived. Although he seemed to be inwardly breathing a sigh of relief that it was over, he still looked as white as the crisp clean shirt he was wearing. Another man appeared in the door frame; elderly, with grey hair, but with surprisingly trendy and expensive-looking black glasses.

"We'll be calling you in next, Miss Parks, but if you could just be patient for a few minutes longer while the panel finishes their notes..."

"Yes, of course, it's fine," Kayla replied, amazed at how steady her voice sounded.

Jed Knight glanced over at her as he walked down the corridor, and smiled encouragingly. Kayla tried to smile back in gratitude, but knew the attempt may have looked more akin to a grimace. The grey-haired man disappeared back into the room to join his colleagues for a few minutes. He left the door open, so when Alice spoke it was in a whisper: "Good luck!" Kayla thanked her, and noticed that the appearance of Jed, an older, more experienced candidate, seemed to have worried her. The levels of confidence in her demeanor had definitely dropped a couple of degrees. So Kayla added, "good luck to you too; but I'm sure you'll be fine." Alice bit her lip and didn't say anything more.

A voice came from within the room; a deep voice, but feminine, and Kayla imagined it to belong to a stern, middle-aged, headmistress-like woman. "We're ready for you, Miss Parks."

Kayla took a deep breath, and left her seat.