--SHORT STORY COMPILATION--

-3-

That day, I knew what it felt like to be famous.

"Oh Nana...Earth to Nana...Nana!"

"What is it?" I shift my attention from the computer screen to my colleague, Jacklyn, whose standing at the entrance of my cubicle, while tapping her heels impatiently and biting the inside of her cheek—crossed armed.

Jacklyn lets out a loud sigh and swings her arms to her sides, "Jeez Nana. . . It's time to lock up!"

"Oh already? Do you mind going on ahead of me, I'm staying a bit longer."

Ever since a week ago, I've been staying overtime at the office. Not because I'm some diligent worker. Oh no, I'm just a selfish individual, doing it for her own selfish reasons. It started after watching the news that has taken not only me, but the world for a spin. Consecutive warnings about a spy, hacking into companies all over the world, especially stock markets, has taken over the media. Because of this spy, many CEO's and owners had to resign from their jobs—ensuing in many reliable, loyal and hardworking employees to lose everything. The scary thing is that, no one has a single clue who this spy is. While everyone in this company is sitting on their little bottoms—not giving a care in the world, partying and living their lives like they normally would, I'm here researching my ass off to get this little spy into a perfect place he can call home. Jail. And why would a short, chubby, middle aged woman go through all this trouble? Simple. I cannot risk losing a job that I have spent too much of my valuable time on. Because in the end, all my efforts would go down the trash can. I'm a selfish person, what can I say.

Jacklyn peeks her head over my shoulder, "Huh? Are you seriously researching this stuff again?" She pauses, waiting for a reply. But doesn't get one, "Just leave it to the professionals Nana. I mean they're called professionals for a reason."

I let out a sigh and continued to glare at the computer screen while jotting some notes down on a scrap piece of paper, "You don't get it! I will not sleep until I find the culprit." I hissed.

"Sheesh. An office lady doing the job of a cop. Bravo! How admirable." Jacklyn starts to clap slowly, as she heads for the door. She suddenly stops, and her tone becomes more serious, "Anyhoo, I'd love to chat and all, but I better go for tonight. See ya!"

"Yeah, see you." I mumbled.

The room went dead silent, and the only thing illuminating it was my computer screen that reflected onto my glasses, seeming ten times brighter than it usually does. A sudden shadow diverts my attention from the computer screen. Someone was in here with me. I  wriggled  my hands towards my phone, gripped onto it tightly, and rushed towards the floor like a ninja. I crawled towards the nearest cubicle, because turning off the computer would be way too suspicious. I covered my phone screen as best as I could, and disregarded my shaky hands. My brain working faster than my fingers could follow—I finally dialed 9-1-1.

"This is the police department, what's your emergency?" a robotic, woman's voice answers on the other end.

"Help!" I whisper shouted. 

"Okay ma'am, please stay with me. Where are you located right now?"

"Found Street. High rise building. Plea-"

"Beep. Beep. Beep"

No! Of all times, why'd the stupid battery have to die now. Why now?!

"I know you're hiding! Show yourself!" A deep, manly, Australian voice demands from the other side of the cubicle I was hiding under.

While I want to believe that this man is just a colleague, everyone had gone home for the night. On top of that, it's already 2am. Whose gunna be here, chilling out in the office, until 2am, besides me? No one.

"I said show yourself!" this time his voice is much louder than before.

I gripped onto my knees tightly towards my chest, while his presence only seemed like it was getting closer to me by the second. Just when I saw him peeking into my cubicle, a pack of police officers came barging in, knocking the metal door down to the ground with ease, "Freeze!"

And just like that, my pounding heart that felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, finally settled down. I was saved. Turns out the Australian man in the room was in fact the culprit. A spy that hacks into the system, through the use of an employee's computer. If the police didn't come when they did, who would've known what could've happened to me, let alone the company. The police obviously arrested the culprit, for a sentence of ten years, and well, I somehow became famous the next morning. An army of journalists, reporters, and writers surrounded the exterior of my apartment building, welcoming me with an overwhelming amount of questions, one after the other. That day, I stopped believing that hard work goes unnoticed.