"I told you not to be late again, how many warnings do you want, how many do you need! You don't want to get fired do you, El?" James shouts at the top of his lungs. He uses her nickname when he tries to belittle her. He never really liked Elissa; ever since she started working there it's been an uphill battle to keep her boss satisfied. He is a real piece of work.
"Yes Sir, I'll be sure to be on time. I apologise." She says out of breath because she has come in late for work this morning. Her car wouldn't start. Elissa took the bus to the nearest station and ran from there. She can't lose this job. She has been losing everything lately. She lost her mother in a tragic car accident, then she caught her fiancé cheating on her with her best friend, she lost her scholarship at a high end business college. Her world was falling apart and this, this low paying; terrible job is all that is left. Elissa is stuck as an assistant to one of the richest businessmen in New York, Mr. Stanford. An Evil man, the devil himself...
***
"Elissa, where are you going?" James asks sarcastically.
"Home, Sir. It's six pm." Elissa already knows what's going on.
"You can't leave yet, El!" He drops a big stack of paperwork on her desk. "Your work's not done yet dear .Please finish these before you leave. Enjoy your evening." He smirks intently, before strolling out the door.
Elissa buries her face in her hands. 'I was hoping to leave before it starts raining.' She thinks to herself. Hopeless she picks up the first file.
Sure enough the rain starts to fall as soon as she finishes the last bit of paperwork. Thunder echoes through the night as she makes her way down the stairs. The building is completely empty; she is literally the only person still here. Elissa hates being here so late. There is this ominous feeling that surrounds her. The fifty story building gets eerie late at night. The only light that is visible is that of the moon shimmering through the windows.
Soaking wet she approaches the bus station, just to see the last bus for the evening pull away, leaving her alone and cold in the darkness.
"This is just great!" she shouts in frustration. As if to answer in cynical laughter lightning flashes, followed by the loud echoing of thunder.
"Well I'd better start walking." She says to the voids sarcastically. Taking off her heels, Elissa makes her way home. Hopefully she can catch a taxi, but oddly there are no cars in this usually busy street. 'This would only happen to me.' She thinks to herself. Every step gets harder, because the rain obscures her vision and the heavy winds are disorientating. After about half an hour of walking the rain subsides a bit, just enough for Elissa to realize that a man in a shaggy coat is following her.
"Shit." She utters the word silently when she recognises the man. He has followed her before. More often than not she has caught him out of the corner of her eye. Somewhere in the background he would be lurking, following her around everywhere; to the mall, to work and even to her mother's funeral. 'How long has he been right behind me?' the thought is frightening.
Only a few more blocks then she's home. The security outside her building should be enough to get rid of him, she hopes.
"Good evening Mam." says the soft and comforting voice of the security guard at Elissa's apartment. There is something really comforting about having security in your building. Elissa breathes a sigh of relief, knowing that the creep could not have possibly followed her into the building. She pushes the number '5' button in the elevator. She ponders how her life has become a strict routine. Get up at four to go for a short jog. Come home. Take a shower. Get to work by six o'clock. Work ten hours, mostly more. Come home. Eat if there is food. Go to bed. Repeat. What a wonderful life. The elevator doors open and Elissa gets out and walks to room 36 A, and finally her day has ended. Unlocking the door Elissa wonders what time it is, she left work just before nine. She glances at her kitchen clock. Twenty four past ten. She drop her bag on the chair next to the door, she always puts it there. This way she can't forget it when she is rushing out the door. At least it's Friday and she, hopefully, doesn't have to work this weekend. Elissa plops down on her couch and pulls her favourite blanket close. She switches on the TV and just starts watching some random show about people dressing weirdly; people have clearly run out of ideas for TV programs.
Faintly a dripping can be heard in the distance, louder and louder. The eerie sound slowly brings Elissa back to consciousness. In the silences the dripping can be heard; distinct and clear.
Silence?
Elissa can't remember switching off the television. Confused she gets to her feet, on a mission to find the loud dripping. Discovering the dripping isn't coming from the bathroom she re-enters the living room, she freezes with fear. Her door is open but only a smidge. Glued to one spot she stares at the light flowing in from the hallway. Slowly she makes her way to the door. Step by step. She is shaking. Strategically she places one foot in front of the other, making sure to take in her surroundings, moving slowly. She opens the door in one swift move making sure to check both ways; nothing there. Closing the door Elissa feels like an idiot. She probably didn't close it properly when she came home.
The adrenaline subsided; she manoeuvres around the kitchen towards the cupboard with the broken hinge to retrieve a glass. The clock reads exactly three thirty am.
Elissa double checks the door, grabs her blanket and clambers into bed; slowly drifting weightless into a deep sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Unknown
Science Fiction" I'm dead? I must be. How... I can't remember anything?" Elissa is nervous. A chorus of whispers invade her ears. she spins around trying to locate the source of the voices, but she can't see anyone or make out what the voices are saying. After a f...
