Flipped

1.22

None of this, of course, helped to solve my main problem. Sandy and the other guy were data-entering a bunch of records - perhaps all of them? - because some computer technician had destroyed all of their servers. And, apparently, they were just starting with the re-entry, by the looks of things, starting with the newest records first.

I had just happened to crash their party, which explained why some of the paper records were missing from the front.

If they were going from newest to oldest, my dad had been in about a week ago. If I stayed long enough, maybe they'd get to his record and then I could maybe snap a photo of the computer screen if I was behind them. Or something. I mea, it was always a ridiculous plan, especially since I didn't know how this invisibility worked or how long it would last.

But if I focused on this problem I didn't have to think about all those people who were going crazy, probably because of us.

I wasn't ready to think about that. Part of me was in shock, and part of me was still processing.

You know when something really big and horrible happens, and it kind of numbs you at first? Like, you know how you should be feeling, and you certainly know in your gut how you will be feeling, but there's nothing right away? I guess that's what shock is, although I know that sometimes it can go on for far longer. After my mom and dad divorced I felt nothing for almost half a year.

That's how I felt now. Which meant of course that I also felt no fear. And I was planning on using that, because why the hell wouldn't I?

I saw a box of files in the corner. Those must be the files they were going to look at next, right? Maybe, if I was quiet enough..

Slowly, I eased myself out of the chair. I put all my weight on the balls of my feet as I pushed up with my hands. Gingerly I hoisted myself up, standing up straight.

For some reason, I always maintained excellent posture when invisible. Figured.

Ignoring Sandy and the other guy - I knew looking at them would psych me out - I crept carefully toward the side of the room. Everything seemed more intense in this tiny, quiet place. Step. Step. Step.

I knelt down beside the boxes. If I was right, and it was filed in order of appearance, I had to basically go through the whole thing. I rifled through, every file confirming my hypothesis as I scanned through injury after injury, all in the last few days.

'Marshall Webber, 68, head fracture'. Ouch. I shuddered. 'Sheri Copper, 38, head injury.' It went on and on. I had to stop every few seconds to remind myself to be quiet.

And then - there! Three quarters through. 'James Deslaro, Age 46. Car Accident.' That was it!

Okay. Now what? Could I lift the file out of the box? The two of them looked as focused as ever. But they'd have to see if I moved a file up. And if I blocked it with my body while I moved the file, that obviously wouldn't help at all, either.

Unless - wait. I took a closer look at the folder I was holding. And then I looked again. Yes, it was true. I saw the same cut out pattern I'd seen on myself on the folder I was touching. On the folder, but not on the files. Unless I touched them!

Of course! That's why my clothes were invisible along with me. Anything I touched became invisible too! I looked at my shoes - thankfully I'd worn really short socks today, which left the skin on the bare shoe, rendering the shoe invisible too. Lucky me - long socks would have likely meant me running out of the hospital and hospital ghost stories for eons to come. The worst kind of ghost stories.

So - I breathed a sigh of relief. I angled the folder as I held it and slowly stood up. I tried flipping it upside down so all the pages were invisible, but it was clearly too risky - any small page inside or any shift would have left a floating piece of paper - no good. I'd have to hold the folder and angle it to block the paper.

And so, with that in mind, I pressed the folder up against my body, clutching it tightly to avoid any slippage (I didn't even want to imagine) and started heading towards the far wall, behind the two of them.

The way I figured it, there was no real way to actually move the door and get out. Yes, I could flip the light switch off, but the door opening would still be obvious. I needed to hang out behind the two of them and wait for them to leave.

And so, once there, I got down and prepared for a wait. I hadn't been focused on my breathing or anything else while rifling through the files - so that helped. Still, it had been a nerve wracking 45 seconds while clutching my file to my shins, until I finally sat down.

It was an hour of nervous waiting more before I slipped out behind the two of them and made my way back to the courtyard.