Pieces Part 1

I DON'T KNOW YOU & YOU DONT KNOW ME

A familiar voice piped up when I was about to jerk back into the wall. "Hey, boss, I'll do it!" A girl offered.

My boss snapped, "I don't care who does it; just get it done!"

Light footsteps approached the door, "I'll take that," she said. I had so many coworkers that I couldn't puzzle together which one she was.

"Thanks," said Kevin. He wasted no time hurrying back to his station, where he likely awaited more orders from the king pig.

CLICK!

The door opened, and my female colleague entered Tina's office.

I got into a defensive stance under the desk, pointing the tip of my pen toward the intruder's kneecaps. If she came any closer, I'd carry out an ambush. I felt pretty bad about attacking someone going about their day, but I knew I wasn't free to hang around here. Based on the workplace chatter, I was still considered a prime suspect in Tina's death. I lost not only a loved one but my right to live humanely.

The employee closed the door behind her and remarked, "Whew, that was close! Of all places, why did you choose to hide at work?" I watched her footsteps apprehensively. Maybe she was looking for some secret office fling—because I had no clue what this girl was speaking of.

"Uh, Hello-oooh?" said the girl in a singsong voice. She began whistling and randomly swinging Tina's closet doors open. Crap, why was this snooper so persistent?

"Moe," she called out for the first time. Well, there went my 'secrecy.' Now, all she had left to do was drag me to the main room for an impromptu court hearing. "Moe, I saw you already—get up!" She barked.

I bumped my head into the bottom of the desk while rising from the floor. "W-What? How..." I trailed off as I met Amber's blue irises.

She placed a finger on her lips. "Shhh! Keep it down. Are you trying to get caught?" She must've missed my full-on breakdown where I cried so hard, I could barely breathe. Honestly, I was grateful that'd remain a secret.

Once she was sure I wouldn't betray a peep, she strode to the office door and peered out the tiny slit. "Okay, the coast is clear." Her focus returned to me. "I tailed you last night."

I didn't know how to reply. Her eyes scanned my body, stopping just below my ribs. "Is everything okay?" I asked. She stared at me like she'd witnessed a ghost materialize out of thin air.

"They said you were shot," she responded.

I shimmied so my right side was facing her. "Oh, you mean right here? I was only grazed."

Amber let out a big exhale. "Okay, that's good. By the way, here's a shirt." She tossed a wrinkled white tunic my way.

I unfolded the shirt and went to a corner of the office to put the shirt on.

As I pulled down the tunic, I felt something grip my wrist.

"What the hell is this? Why is there a cut on your wrist and finger?" Amber demanded. I immediately turned around and tried to waive her suspicion but was met with a slap. She regarded me intensely. "Why, Moe? Why would you do that? Don't you got more to live for?"

Crap, she wasn't supposed to see that.

"No... I don't. I have no one, I am no one, and in everyone's eyes, I am a murderer. I'm just better off dead." I murmured. Amber crossed her arms as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'm serious. I have no reason to be here anymore."

"Moe, you didn't go through with it. So stop lying to yourself; you have a reason, or else you would be dead."

"How am I lying to myself?"