The Institution (2 of 3): The Secretary

I looked around the hall, I saw a door leading to what must be another office, but the door was closed.
Outside was a large desk, and a man sat behind it talking on the phone in a low voice.

I came closer to his desk, he didn't look up. I'd have thought he didn't notice me, had his voice not turned to a whisper as I approached.
He quickly ended the call and looked up, his face had a concrete look but his eyes shone behind it. I found myself asking him to let me into that office.

He seemed to look through me, and with a flat tone informed me that the general manager is not feeling very well, and he would rather not see anybody.

I insisted, citing something about the right to meet the head of the establishment for which I work.

He looked through me again, and I realized he was looking at something behind me, and then he raised his voice and said that I shouldn't think he doesn't know who I am and why I'm here, how he is aware of everything happening within the walls of the institution and outside it, and then he seemed to focus his gaze on me again and told me to leave now or he'll take disciplinary action.

I looked behind me, and that's when I saw there were tiny cameras hung from the corners of the hall.

In a sudden spark of inspiration, I slowly spoke about how I can write to the papers and tell them how the secretary of the institution on which all eyes are set was terrorizing its employees, how he prevented anyone from seeing the manager and assumed his responsibilities already, I spoke even more slowly and deliberately, stressing the words as I added that he acted as if the manager was already dead.

His face finally broke into anger and he yelled at me. I was fired and must leave now or he'd have me thrown outside, I shook a little but held my ground and told him that nobody will be able to force me out of there.

Then a speaker buzzed on his desk and a tired, crackly voice told him to let me in.

The secretary answered yes certainly your excellence you are too lenient we are coming in a minute. He wiped all expression from his face again and in a voice that barely betrayed his rage told me to follow him.

(to be continued)

The Institution (1 of 3) - The Official

Days and weeks passed, and sometimes I doubt they were months and years, me roaming the corridors of that age-old governmental institution, with its walls looking dirty and their green-tinged wallpaper bloated and falling apart.
And that smell, faint and insignificant at first, but the more you stay inside that place the more prominent the smell becomes, but you pretend it's not there and go on trying to conclude your business in this place, if you can still remember what it is.

I walk into yet another room, pale fluorescent light reflecting on the piles of paper on an old man's desk. I approach him with my queries but not without a hint of hesitation, he looks kind, but he looks at my ID first like they all do. Instructions from higher up, no doubt. Afterwards he begins to look at the forms I've filled, looks up to me, and gives me the same answer all the other officials gave me.

I patiently nod and then tell him that I'm afraid that's not good enough, I understand that you have your rules and your laws be they written or otherwise but to me they fail to make sense and to be completely honest with you I don't know how they make sense to you and I don't know how you can think they work while your own desk littered with paperwork and denied requests and unanswered queries proves they don't and why don't you care about that?

He looks slightly annoyed and shakes his head, I'm afraid I can't help you, feel free to take your queries to somebody else. Then he hands me back my forms and papers and tells me not to forget my ID.

I walk out thinking that he didn't seem about to call his colleagues to warn them that a "troublemaker" is on his way to them like others have, he looked kind.

I see some dirty steps leading to the next floor of this labyrinth, I sigh as I walk up the steps.
I arrive at another small hall with corridors lined with more offices, but I turn around and decide to keep going up the steps.
And so I do until there are no more steps to walk up, and I find a slightly bigger hall in front of me.
I think this is it, if I don't get everything sorted out here, I never will.

(to be continued)