Broken Love || The Music Freaks AU

Chapter 2: Love, Daisy

Stacy's POV:

My eyes lazily traced along the never-ending pages of my work notes. Snow viciously attacked the foggy window ahead of me as faint thunder and lightning burst in the distance. Yawning, I rub my eyes, trying my best not to fall asleep at my desk. I still worked at the same law firm as I did three years ago. Luckily, no one found out that I snuck three unauthorized people inside and gave them incriminating information.

The only difficulty I was facing now was the challenge of working overnight. Overnights meant that I had to be there all day, and all day, but luckily I got two days off after. I was the only person inside the building as even the janitors had left about half an hour ago.

The door leading to my office creaked, spilling open a bit. I wasn't sure if I was seeing things because I was tired or if someone was there. "Hello?" I called out to the darkness. I didn't hear anyone walk towards my door or away. It couldn't have been the wind. Due to the frigid weather, my manager always sealed windows shut during the winter.

I stood up from my seat, the sudden movement making me dizzy. "Who's there?" I call out again. I grab my door handle and wrench my door open. Nobody's there.

"I must be seriously sleep-deprived," I mutter, turning back to continue what I was doing. Until a heavy slam of a door alerted my attention back to the pitch-black hallway. 

My heart raced. My head was a mess of thoughts. My breath shuddered as I rummaged around in the dark for something to yield. I found an umbrella and held it tightly, walking down the narrow hall.

"Hello?" I say again, my voice quiet and shaky. I see the lunch room door, which was open when I went to refill my water just moments earlier, now slammed.  Grabbing the doorknob, I slowly enter. The inside of the room is consumed by darkness. I can vaguely make out the tables ahead and try my best to avoid them.

With my umbrella in hand, ready to swing at any second, I trace around the room, unsure exactly what I was looking for. I was ready to turn away and hole up in my office until morning when heavy and rapid footsteps led themselves outside. I could somewhat make out the shadow of a small person sprinting out of the room.

"Hey!" I scream, giving chase after them. As if they were a ghost, they vanished as soon as I left the lunchroom, with no sign as to where they could have possibly gone. My mouth felt like a desert as I kept walking down the endless hallway. Looking for an open door, or something they could have dropped. Or just any sign that I wasn't going insane.

I saw something shiny on the ground, although I couldn't make out what it was. I picked it up carefully, trying to make out its figure. The desolate moonlight shined through the window beside me at that moment, giving light to the object I had found. A knife.

My heart stopped. I dropped the weapon as it fell to the floor with a clutter. Sweat began to build up on me and I spun around furiously trying to see that figure again. I heard the floor creak behind me and without looking back I sprinted back to my office and quickly locked the door.

My brain was going as fast as a race car. Amidst the chaos, there was only one thing I could think of. The police. I pounced on my desk phone and dialled 911. The signal was busy and the call wouldn't go through.

"Are you serious!" I yell in anger, pulling out my phone. No service. I tried calling the police but it would decline my call every time. So there I was trapped in a law firm office with some maniac god knows where ready to kill me.

I let out a hitched breath, looking around the room for anything more deadly to defend myself with. I regret dropping the knife. 

A sudden banging on my door makes me screech. They hound the door desperate for me to let them inside. "Go the hell away!" I scream, tears stripping my face. The banging continues for a further few minutes before it eventually stops and I can hear footsteps receding away.