Alice - WIP

Chapter 3: Drama in and out of the Lab

       In finding out her family secret, Alice was now determined to find her missing sister or who this other girl is. She was still baffled as to why this was kept from her for this long and also wondering how. At times she felt like she was missing a piece of her, or wondered, like any other kid growing up, if someone out there in the world shared the same common interests as her. There was always this inkling feeling in her gut inside that something was not right and something was missing, but couldn't put it together. Alice decided to look at the notebook that was left on her doorstep again and examine it as best as she can, hoping to find clues inside it as to where this girl can be. Going through all these pages and her mind wandering off, she didn't realize that her telephone  has been going off. She has missed five calls from Shaun. Once a page from the notebook gave her a paper cut, she snapped back to reality and gave a small grunt of "Ouch!". She sucked the blood that came out of her right pointer finger and glanced quickly towards her phone and saw it flashing; it was all the missing calls from Shaun. She picked up the phone and started to listen to the voicemails he left her. Each one of them his voice grew more worried and concerned than the last one. She felt ashamed and sad that she has missed his calls and decided to text him instead since she still wanted to work on this small mission on finding this other girl. She quickly sent him a reply of what she was doing along with an apology and went back to figuring things out. 

       By this point, she forgot that she had a way to find her. Looking for clues inside the notebook and all, but forgetting that she has one solid source to help her, her own blood, her paper cut reminded her of it and a friend of hers that is in the career of being a microbiologist. She knew there were kits out now in this day and age she lived in, but her friend will simplify it for her and make it go quicker. She stared back at her paper cut and said to herself, "Stupid Alice! Why were you over thinking things like you always do? The answer was right in front of you all along." "First thing in the morning, I will visit my friend in her lab and see if she can help me out with this," she told herself. She arrived at her job and continued on with her day and her lab work. In her mind she was very excited to start her mission in trying to figure out if this notebook was telling her the truth or if it was a hoax. Yet, she wondered, how can it be a hoax if all the pieces were being put together. Her day ended at work and she drove home still with excitement in her mind. She decided to get in contact with Shaun and tell him of all she has come across hidden from her so far and her plans. She arrived home and did her normal undressing routine and dived into bed getting ready to call Shaun and explain her absence to him. While on the phone with him she got her clothes, lunch and her daily items she takes with her to work ready for the next day. She loves being ready and prepared for the following day. She checked the weather channel to see how the day will be and decided to take her trench coat with her. She felt satisfied and decided to continue her conversation with Shaun until she fell asleep. 

~*~

           Excited to start a brand new day with the new mission in front of her, she quickly got dressed, got her things together and left her house towards her work. She went into her lab station and punched in her code to start the day. She wanted to get to her friend, Jasmine, as fast and early as she could for the mission. So she decided to visit her now and try to persuade her to help her in this mission. She arrived at her friends lab and explained to her all of what she so far knows and then asked her the main question. "Are you nuts?!", Jasmine said. "I can not do that. You know that. It is part of our rules here at our job." "Please I beg you, can you help me?", begged Alice. "Plus, I am not that type of person. I am a microbiologist, not a Hematologist. Why don't you just buy one of those kits you get at Walmark or Tangent stores?", asked Jasmine. "Because I want the test results as soon as possible and not wait for like months or whatever. Duh!" Alice explained. Alice continued to beg and explain to Jasmine as to why it was this important to her and Jasmine told her of a friend of hers that works here in that part of the lab. "I will give my friend your information and that you would stop by sometime. How about that?", Jasmine bargained. "Okay that will be great! I will make time for them sometime today, if possible", Alice stated with a smile. They both went their separate ways into their labs and continued their work. 

           As the day went by, Alice started to think as to where this other girl can be. She thought to herself and how this other girl, possibly her sister, can be and looks like. What if she was over in international waters and if she had to travel to see her. The thought of herself needing to fly overseas was mind baffling since she has never flown before and afraid of heights. Then she thought about it even more and said that this girl may not be overseas since the notebook got to her directly without the assistance of any mail carrier companies. Snapping out of her thoughts, she realized that she was behind on her lab work in front of her. She began where she left off and figured out that she will call Jasmine's friend before magically appearing at their office without notice and after all, she needs to introduce herself to this person. When it was closer to her shift ending, Alice decided to call this friend's extension. 

"Hello, this is Jeff. How can I help you?" 

"Uh, Hi, my name is Alice. I am Jasmine's friend. I believe she spoke to you about me and my situation?", Alice inquired. 

"Oh, hey Alice. Yes, she did tell me about you. How can I help you?" 

"U,h yeah, I was wondering if I can swing by after my shift is over today so that you can help me?"

"Of course, swing on by and I will have a swab and kit ready for you."

"Okay, great! Thank you!"

"Any time! I will see you then!"

         After a few moments later, Alice gathered her belongings and headed towards Jeff's office. Once she arrived at his office, she knocked on the door and she was buzzed in. Jeff indicated to Alice on where she can sit so that he can start to take blood and saliva samples. She requested for the saliva swab to be first since she is afraid of needles and Jeff agreed and went along with the request. As the saliva swab was over, next was the blood sample, but once again Alice had another request to Jeff. She wanted Jeff to entertain her while he was prickling her with a needle and Jeff decided to start a conversation about the situation. She started where it all started, the notebook. Jeff looked baffled and intrigued with the whole story and provided her with the steps that will take place with the samples and how long it will take. By the time his explanation ended, he was finished with the whole process and bandaged Alice up. She was surprised that it went that quickly and no pain to her whatsoever. She thanked Jeff and both went their separate ways for the night. 

      Leaving out of her work, Alice stepped into the outside world and took a fresh breath of air. A sign of relief and a sign that the hard part of it, at least, was over. She never liked needles, even when she was a toddler, she would always cry and fuss over them. She looked at the band-aid on her right arm and poked it for a brief moment. "Ouch!" she softly whispered to herself and then noticed that her shoe was untied. She knelt down to tie her shoelace and in the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of a bystander in a corner staring at her direction. As she was completing tying her shoe she stood up and looked at the direction of the bystander, but once she stood up, the bystander left their post. Confused and startled, Alice raced to her car to head home since it was getting late at night. "I wonder if that was the person who left the notebook at my doorstep?", she questioned herself. She got into her car and drove home and as she arrived home, she kept looking over her shoulder to see if she can see this bystander again. Not noticing the person around her and her doorstep, she stepped into her home and called it a night.