Excerpts From Stories I'll Never Write

Operation Nightlight - Excerpt

It's a secret I've decided to go to my grave with. I mean, I'm 27 years old now, and to this day, nobody knows my secret. And I have very strong intentions to keep it that way.

"Morning, Adam." I waved to the office janitor as I walked inside, only to get no reply. I shuffled into the crowded elevator and waited for it to reach floor number eight. Once it reached said floor, about three other people besides myself filed from the elevator and shuffled into their cubicles.

It was an extremely boring office job. Staring at an outdated desktop computer from nine to five, occasionally making awkward small talk at lunch, and worst of all, we were in the heart of the city. The constant racket of cars, trucks, horns, and sirens was more than enough to drive someone mental.

I sighed as I sat down at my desk, pushing the stray piece of hair that had fallen out of my bun away from my face. For whatever reason, I felt like all eyes had been watching me. Self consciously, I tugged my sleeve down further over my hand, just to be sure that the small tattoo on my wrist wasn't showing.

I soon found my peace at mind and began clacking away at my keyboard, not really caring who heard my constant sighs. I only stopped periodically to press my glasses back to the bridge of my nose, seeing that they had fallen down.

~~~~~

The nine to five went by fairly quick. At five o'clock on the dot, I packed up my things and hurried out of that office building as fast as I could in my high heels. I waved a "goodbye" to Adam, (still with no reply), and got to my car.

When I arrived at my car, I noticed a note on my windshield.

Welcome to Operation Nightlight, Katherine. You have 40 hours and 57 minutes remaining.

I reread the note a million times over. I jumped into my car as my breathing became uneven and my heartbeat began to quicken. Seemingly out of nowhere, tears started running down my cheeks, smudging my makeup. I didn't want this. I didn't ask for this. Sure, my current job was a nightmare, but this would be the equivalent to shaking hands with Satan, himself.

I started to pull away from the parking lot. I drove slowly and played the radio in an attempt to clear my mind. But no amount of music or time could make this any easier.

I knew I had to do it. The time had come. Everything I'd been hiding for the past 27 years would soon come crumbling down.

It was time for me to join Operation Nightlight. It was time for me to face the facts. It was time for me, Katherine Kaye Johnson, to expose my secret.