Don't Blink!

Mimic

Lunch

Break Room

"The launch of the new interstellar weapon, 'Mimic' made its remarkable debut today," the reporter on the television atop the water dispenser said.

"Hey Pam, turn the volume higher," Jim said, stirring his mug of coffee.

Pam pressed the remote and was now also interested in what's in the news.

Jim sipped his coffee as the reporter continued.

"This new superweapon can produce higher frequencies of sound that can detect other celestial forms in space. It can also send signals all over the galaxy..."

"So they finally made it huh," Stanley interjected, joining the news watching.

"That's new. They used sound, huh," he scoffed. "It's the first of its kind."

"Or the first they allowed the public to see," Dwight, leaning on a desk, added.

Ryan, the temp, just came in with a lunch box and asked, "What are you guys watching?" No one answered him.

Jim, Pam, Stanley, and Dwight continued to watch the news. The other people in the break room were busy having lunch. Angela was carefully placing her chopsticks. Kevin was having difficulty opening his can of Coke. Phyllis was praying and Meredith was watching her pray. Toby, enjoying his food, sat silently in the corner of the room. In the background, the news kept introducing the breakthrough.

"Do you remember that contestant who auditioned for America's Got Talent?" Jim asked his officemates.

"Which one?" Phillys asked back as she started eating.

"Peculiarly enough, it has the same name as that weapon, Mimic."

"I remember that," Meredith replied. "It was two years ago, right?"

"I remember now," Phyllis said, her mouth was full so she could barely speak. The judges were beyond amazed by this contestant because of his range. And I mean a range of 8 octaves."

"Mariah Carey can only do five," Angela chimed in.

Merideth nodded. "And that contestant, Mimic, could produce the lowest of notes and highest that can even crack a glass," she added.

Dwight took over. "More than that he could copy any voice or any sound he hears. Even the voices of the judges!"

"It's like he has an audio player in his throat," Jim concluded.

"He was instantly famous," Stanley asserted. "It was something no one had ever seen. Or heard."

"Did he win?" Pam asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

"No," Jim answered. "In fact, after his audition, he disappeared."

"Nah, cuz he ain't human, I tell you," Stanley said.

"I agree," Dwight replied. "It wasn't just that. At the start of his presentation when he opened his mouth, I heard something I have never heard before."

"They said it's different for everyone," Jim added.

"What did you hear?" Phyllis asked.

"To me, it was like a lullaby," Merideth said. "Good for you, it was like a key scratching on a car for me," Stanley complained

The buzz in the office continued to spiral, the speculations of the contestant's ability fueled their curiosity. To Jim, it was a rockstar's scream, to Pam it was the rustle of grass, to Phyllis, it was a symphony of bells, and so on.

The mundane office setting became a backdrop for a mystery that transcended their understanding. They couldn't help but wonder if the disappearance of the contestant called Mimic was just the tip of an otherworldly iceberg. Had he become the subject of secret experiments? Was he a government asset with powers beyond comprehension?

"Conspiracy theorists said this guy is a mimic," Dwight explained. "Scientists, authorities, the government might have already experimented on him. Who knows?"

"Maybe he's one of those X-men, who knows?" Jim said.

"Do you really believe in that?" asked Phyllis.

Jim shrugged.

"Do you think it's related to the weapon they made?" Pam asked.

"Who knows?" the office agreed in a chorus.

"What do you think Toby?" Dwight asked their HR who was halfway biting his sandwich. He dropped it. "Me?"

They all looked at him, waiting for his answer. But when Toby opened his mouth, all the people in there thought they heard something they'd never heard before. Stanley covered his ear, Phyllis' eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost, Angela gripped on her chopsticks as though she meant to stab someone. Ryan looked at each one of them, perplexed.

"What did you say?" Dwight could only ask.

The office mates exchanged nervous glances, Pam leaned closer to Jim.

"I said," Toby cleared his throat. "If he was what they said he was, it was his fault for showing what he can do."

He started eating his sandwich again while his officemates, both stunned and confused, anticipated every word that came out of his mouth.

"He should've hidden his abilities because he should know he'd turn him into a lab rat. But I guess he has other reasons."

Smooching each of his fingers, he said, "Who knows?"