I had never felt colder...

A chill more cold that the freezing earth set in me. I had never felt colder. My purse -it wasn't there! In it was all my worldly possesions. Keys, a cell phone, my passport, money, all but the clothes on my back and a ticket in my pocket. I pulled my coat around me. This couldn't be happening -not to me! It was five days before christmas, and what had started as a fun day of christmas shopping and siteseeing in Chicago turned into a nightmare. A taxi slowed and honked as I stared numbly in front of me. I shook my head unable to do anything else. I turned and walked back toward the art institute of Chicago. I still had my ticket with me, surely they'd let me back in to search for it.
"sorry miss, it's after five, no one is alowed back inside."
I searched in my coat pocket and pulled out a ticket stub.
"I-I think I've left my purse in there..."
He continued to shake his head. I began walking away distraught.
God, i've seen purpose for everything else in my life, why this?
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a small yellow sign. Employees ONLY, it read. Without daring to look behind me I ran toward the door and quickly slipped inside.
Footsteps drew nearer, I searched quickly around, nothing but two shelves of cleaning supplies and an apron. I grabed the apron.
"So you're the new employee", said the voice behind me with distain." You're 20 minutes late."
"so-sorry" i studdered. The man snorted, motioned to follow, then turned and walked away.
I was stuck now, so I tied the apron on and grabbed a pail and the supplies in it and ran after the tall man, who walked too fast. Abuptly he wheeled around and faced me. I took a short breath in. "In the future you will hand your coat up, pull back your hair and report to me promptly at five. Now. we are using the employees stair case to the upstairs, here is your copy of the key."
He thrust a tiny bronze key into my hand and then took a replica of his own out and opened a door which had previously been invisible to me.
We soon came to the top of the ancient stairs and opened another door....
To be cont....