First Day At Work

Part 4

The elevator door dings again and the tall businessman exits without a word. You travel up for a couple hundred more floors alone in silence. You feel like it's already been an hour and you still haven't finished whatever reports the boss man was talking about on the phone, and you couldn't remember what the form was called that you needed from HR. Maybe you should have checked your email first? You instinctively check your pockets like you might find a phone, "What if I get fired?" It seems like your best chance at getting home.

You try to recall where your phone would be, but then you realize you don't remember yesterday, or the day before that. Your memories of being home seem like years away. Far back in the depths of your memory. You still recall everything about yourself. You are still you, but something isn't right. You examine your hands and feel your face, "Well this is definitely me."

You pace around the elevator and think to yourself, "The last thing I remember is..." You don't know. Whenever you try to visualize it, all you see is darkness. You realize you should have asked the man how to get out of here and now you may be stuck here forever.

The elevator reads, "3000" and you really need to pee.

"This damn elevator better hurry up. I might just go in the corner." You briefly consider it but then remember you still have to stand here and wait for god knows how much longer. The smell wouldn't be worth it, "Alright. I'll get off at the next stop and ask someone about the bathroom." You tap your feet and pace the elevator again in anticipation.

You think about how you ended up here and come up with a few ideas, "I was kidnapped and have amnesia, but that doesn't explain how I somehow got a job here. Or I'm having a schizophrenic break, but this feels pretty real. Is that exactly what someone having a break would say? Maybe I was in a car wreck and I'm about to wake up in the hospital at any moment, or heaven."

After a deep conversation with yourself, the door dings and opens once again. This time, it's the janitor from before, the same man wearing the same outfit, listening to the same music. With him is his mop bucket, "How did you get back here?" You ask in amazement. Then you realize he isn't going to respond, "Oh yeah, there is something wrong with him. There must be a staircase or a special maintenance elevator."

The door is about to close and you put your foot in the way to stop it and you hop out, "Okay. Where's that bathroom." The hallway you stand in tiled and cleanly mopped, "That guy sure does work fast." And you look around to see three paths. In front of you is a wide corridor with a left and right side, and in the middle are some benches and potted plants that look fake. The ceiling extends quite high and you see a walkway on the next floor that has a guardrail. The ones with the glass wall so you can see through it. There are also multiple office doors on either side of the corridor which lead to private rooms with shaded windows.

To your left and your right are two identical hallways that stretch far to the end. You really weren't in a walking mood so you took your chances and started straight forward. The tile turns to the same cheap office carpet as before. It's gray, but also green, somewhere in between.

The office doors are light brown and the walls are off white, but not quite swiss coffee. You notice none of the doors have tags on them. As you walk, you notice it's cold and you really wished you had a sweater. There was no sound here, just the faint echo of your footsteps. This office really does seem dull, "Does anything happen here?"

You quicken your pace to find the restroom. Up ahead you see a turn in the path and you get your hopes up. Then as you pass one of the office room doors, you hear a phone ring from inside, you pause at the door to listen for anyone who might answer it. You put your ear right up to the door, "RIng ring." It continues on and you don't think anyone is inside so you try to open it. Its unlocked and the office inside looks rather plain. The phone is identical to the one in your office and it sits on the same corner stand as yours too. "I'll just take a message." Your curiosity gets the best of you and you answer the phone, "Hello?" You ask.

The voice sounds like your boss from before, "What are you doing on floor 3016? Get to HR. You checked your email right? And you finished orientation?" The voice questions.

You try to explain your situation, "Oh, I don't know anything about orientation. Honestly I..." The boss cuts you off and is clearly irritated.

"What do you mean? Oh Christ. It was on your computer when you got here." He is angry with you and is clearly very stressed, "Just get to HR. I'll call you when you get there. Fuck." And he hangs up.

You are more confused than offended, "What the hell got into him?" You figure the orientation might have explained a few more things about what you do here, but it's too late now. You step out of the office room and find a bathroom waiting for you right around the corner. It might have been the only time since arriving that things made sense. The toilet paper was stocked, and there was even hot water. You take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror and notice something odd. No, your face was as it always was. There's something written in black sharpie on the bottom corner of the mirror, "No way out"