Opal

Chapter 1

It hit me like a brick. I didn't know where I was or how I had gotten there. I just knew I was in trouble, me and... and.. and who was it? Why can't I remember them? They were small, had hair.. I think? They were also definitely sitting next to me, but they're gone now. And why am I tied to this chair?! This isn't working.. I need to start at the beginning.

Chapter 1

Wow, I guess we really are starting at the beginning. I'm Monica, and I'm your average young adult. I go out to parties, chug bitter shots, and yell at white politicians. I live alone in the bursting city of New York, but no matter how many people are around me, I always feel lonely. I've read a self-help book about that, but it really did not give me much insight. I suppose it could be because I never read past page 2. Since I was 19, something in my life has been missing. I'm not sure what, but that point of my life is completely blank, or the parts I do remember never seem true.

As I woke up in the morning, I felt the warm sun on my lower cheek. It shined through my half closed curtains and let brightness into the room.

I hated it.

I sprung out of bed and shut my curtains. They were a bore. I ruffled back into my bed, covering my body with my blanket.

* BEEP BEEP *

"NONONONO!", I groaned. "5 more minutes, PLEASE."

* BEEP BEEP *

"Fine, I didn't want 5 more minutes anyway," I noted, lying to myself.

I kicked my blanket off myself and angrily went to brush my teeth.

I had a busy day today, which I caught saying to myself now every day. Everyday was a busy day. I barely had time to breathe from going to work, checking in on my parents, and going partying. Should I be partying on a work night? No, most definitely not, but I sure as hell am going to keep doing it.

After getting dressed for the day, I grabbed my favorite drink and headed out the door.

"When will you finally listen to your alarm clock?" Ameera said with a grin forming at the corner of her mouth.

"When are you finally going to stop getting here early?" I replied.

"I can't help being punctual," Ameera began, "it's in my nature."

"Well, can you get out of your forest? Let's go, I can't be more late than I already am."

"You're the boss." Ameera smirked, and with that we drove off to MySpace.

Work

I admire my work. I have always been a lazy workaholic, I liked to call myself.

"Voice recognition please," said the automated check-in voice.

"Monica Gallinger."

"Access granted."

My workplace was like a second home to me, I knew where everything was, I knew everyone, and I always finished the food in the staff refrigerator. MySpace New York was my vision.

"Morning Ms. Gallinger," Lionel, the security guard, began, "coming in late once again I see."

"Lionel, you should know my routine by now, seeing as you always get here before me."

"Well, it is my job." Lionel chuckled.

"And how early or late I get to mine is not your business," I said rushing off to my office, "and not paying attention to the job is a dock in pay!!"

I smiled under my mask and opened the door to my office.

I had my own personal office, seeing as I was one of the top workers at MySpace. I did creative writing. My mom, who was a fan of my work, always loved reading my stories when I was younger, and I always loved writing them. Writing was and still is my escape outlet, and after I turned 19 I began writing a lot. I wrote down anything I could remember when the missing chunks of my teenage life came back to me. They did not come often, but when they did, they hit hard. I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop. My latest batch was me in a hospital, I'm not sure why I was there or who I was there with, but nevertheless, I wrote it down anyway.

* KNOCK KNOCK *

"Come in!"

* KNOCK KNOCK *

"I said, come in!" I yelled a bit louder this time.

* KNOCK KNOCK *

Who the hell is this and are they deaf as well? I stood up from my chair and opened the door.

"I SAID COME-"

To my surprise, there was no one at the door. There was a box, however. I saw Lionel doing his rounds and called out to him.

"Lionel! Did you see anyone drop this off?" I picked up the box and gestured to him.

"I believe not, but that note on it may tell you." Lionel walked off to continue his rounds.

"Note?" I whispered to myself.

I went back into my office, placed the box on my desk, turned the box to its side, and did indeed see the note that Lionel was referring to.

"Open Me."