Choose (A Choose Your Own Story Adventure)

26. Insist on Staying

"I don't want to be a burden, but do you think I can have another hour or so?" Mia asks. "If you like I'll lock up when I'm done. I'll make sure to get the key back to you bright and early tomorrow."

Linda puts on a tight smile. "It's so nice to have such motivated workers. Don't worry, I'll just stay for a little longer. There are surely a few things I can do, too, while I wait."

Linda goes back into her office. Mia smiles, relieved. She goes back to what she has been working on.

"When you said you were staying, I didn't think that you were actually going to work so much," Terry says. He has his feet back up on the desk again.

"Why else would I stay?" It seems fairly obvious. Terry huffs and starts playing with the clicker on a pen. Mia would have minded if that hadn't been Therese's tic; she's used to it.

A slight sound fills the office. It sounds like a faint beeping that occurs in three-second increments. Mia assumes that it's Terry's phone going off or him watching a video, trying to be quiet. Mia sighs and turns to Terry. "Can you turn that off?"

"Turn what off?"

"That noise. Can't you hear it?"

Mia grows silent. Terry leans in, trying to hear the noise for himself. He nods over in a random direction. "Sounds like it's coming from over there."

Mia stands and walks towards the area that Terry motioned to. The noise grows fainter. She slowly walks around the office. It's as if she's looking for her lost phone and the ringer is turned off.

Finally, she reaches a spot where the noise is the loudest. She pales. She's standing right in front of Linda's office.

Mia goes back to Terry. She tells him where the noise is. "Well, go ask her to turn it off."

Though Mia doesn't want to let Terry boss her around, she does as suggested. She slowly approaches the door again. Releasing a long breath, she creaks the door open wide enough for her to look through. After a moment, she opens the door all the way. Mia gasps.

She quickly closes the door and heads back to her desk. She clutches onto her chair tightly but doesn't sit in it.

"What is it?" Terry asks. He's trying to stay calm, but he's clearly concerned by Mia's reaction.

She shakes her head. "It's Linda...she's not in her office."

"What?" Mia's wondering the same thing. They would have heard if she left her office. Where did she go? She couldn't have simply disappeared.

"Maybe she just slipped by when neither of us noticed," he suggests. Mia nods, unconvinced. Linda's heels can be heard from a mile away. She would have had to be really sneaky to get past both Terry and Mia.

"Someone needs to investigate the office," Mia says. "Figure out what the noise is and where Linda is."

"Well, it's not going to be me." Terry looks genuinely afraid. Like Therese, he is highly superstitious. Who knows what crazy conclusions he's drawing in his head? Mia rolls her eyes. What a hero.

Admittedly, Mia doesn't want to investigate, either. It would be much easier if she forced Terry to go while she stays at her desk. If Linda had just snuck by then they both would look foolish, but Mia doesn't want to take the risk. This is an old building, meaning that there could likely be shifty passages and secret rooms. What if Linda is stuck in one? Is the alarm her way of signaling for help?

If so, then Mia has to help. If Terry refuses to, then someone needs to make sure that Linda's alive and well. Mia has never been one to be brave or adventurous, but if it's to ensure someone's safety, then she'll go back into the office.

The noise dies down. Mia sighs, relieved. No need to worry about that.

All of the lights suddenly turn off. Terry screams in surprise. Mia places her hands on her desk. She can hardly see the computer in front of her face. Did Linda go home? If so, then someone just needs to turn the lights back on.

Terry turns on his phone light. He pans the phone around for a light switch. "It might be in Linda's office."

What a weird place to put all of the lights. It's plausible, though. "Someone can check out the noise while they're there, too."

Terry nods. "Am I going or are you?"

Make Terry Turn the Lights on ... Chapter 28

Turn them on Yourself ... Chapter 29