Short Stories - {for Contests}

The Note

I walked into the office to see the dry erase board that sat on my desk had a note on it that I did not write. I peeled the sticky note off of the plastic surface and read the words scribbled on it.

Hope you have a great day

I smiled as I thought of who could have written it. I grabbed a pen from the small blue container it was in and I wrote Same to you on the yellow paper. I stuck it back onto the dry erase board. I plumped down into my chair, tired, as always. I tried to straighten up and started to get to work.

***

It was the next morning. I walked to my desk again, expecting to see another nice note. It was something that made me feel better yesterday and hopefully, it would do the same today.

I bent down and got closer to the board to read the note. The smile disappeared from my face as my breath hitched in my throat. Scrawled on the note were the last words I had expected.

Today won't be so great. Watch your back and trust no one.

This had to be a joke. My eyes scanned the small office, waiting to see a group of my coworkers laughing at how I was actually scared. Everyone, as usual, was focused on their computer screens or at the paperwork in front of them.

Who could have sent this?

As the day passed nothing happened. Nothing seemed out of place and I didn't know if I should believe the note. It could have been anyone that had sent it. It could have also just been a joke.

Who can I actually trust?

Part of me laughed, for I wished I was just overreacting. The other part of me rang alarm bells all over. I was on high alert and I felt like I should trust no one.

Come on Sara, just tell your boss. You can trust him.

I tried to tell myself but I struggled to believe it. The note said I shouldn't trust anyone, maybe I should just continue to avoid everyone the rest of the day.

I had worked at this company for ten years. I know my boss, I can trust him. I shook away my doubt and started to rise up from my seat. I grabbed the note from my desk and started to walk towards his office.

When I knocked on the door there was no answer. I turned the cold, metal handle, opening it. My blood ran cold as I saw my boss hanging over his chair, his throat slit and his clothes bloody.

The note was right, today was not so great.

His office was a mess. Papers and documents blanketed the ground and all the drawers of his filing cabinets were open.

Someone was looking for something and they just needed me to stay away from his office long enough so they could find it and kill him.