The Poisened

looking in dark places

The phone was lifeless with the wire disconnected, a monotone voice eventually told me to hang up and try again.

"I called the warehouse Jason works at, the woman was a witch. She said it was after hours and just hung up. Can u believe that?" I say hanging up the phone. Perez leans against the couch looking just as worried as I feel. He runs his hand down his face, stress pulls down the corners of his eyes.

"Asp, I'm going to be late for school. I don't know what you want me to do. Some of us go to school all days of the week including Friday." I step away from him appalled. I feel my jaw drop and my eyes pierce him with anger. Why would he say that? He steps forward reaching out to me.

"Hey, hey I didn't mean that. I'm sorry." I ignore his apology and side step around him.

"I'm going to the warehouse, you can do what you will." I grab my coat off the rack swiftly with no intention of followers. His parents are so strict about his education I can't blame him for upholding a spotless record. As for mine, you can't ruin what was never great.

"I'm coming with you wait." He says at the last second as I'm about to shut the door behind me. Instead I release the handle so the door stays open, stuck in a motion that should have been fluid of opening and closing.

We pull up to the old brick structure Jason works at. A factory of some sort that produces products people don't question how they are made. When I cut the engine the area is a quiet  that feels hollow. I lead the way toward the small entrance door and open it without trouble. The lock had been broken years ago and the company still fails to replace it.

"Is this legal?" Perez whispers in my ear as we walk through the darkness. I've never walked further into Jason's work than to the door. I don't even know how to turn on the lights.

"Probably not." I whisper back. I stifle a laugh and hold my hand over my mouth.

"Well okay then." He says in a normal voice. The lights click on and we both freeze. I search the area but we are the only visitors. Motion censored lights if I would have to guess. The  area is large and has pallets stacked high. Stair cases made of unsteady metal lead up and down into the darkness.

"Damn this is creepy." He says. "I'll look down if you want to go up?" He asks but starts heading down the wobbling stairs without conformation. I don't really want to investigate this dark factory but it might help us find Jason. He must have come to work today  right? I think about the motion censored lights turning off because of my motionless body. I shiver and nearly run to the stairs. They creak as I climb and I wonder when was the last time this place was up to code. The next floor's lights turn on and all I can see on the floor is desks. Rows of desks line up perfectly and only a few doors seem to lead to another room. I walk to the first desk and open the drawers only finding useless papers. I sigh and walk towards the closest door. I try the handle but it won't budge.

"Hey!" I jump and spin around in surprise. A woman in a suit and heels storms toward me with an expression I can only describe as annoyed. It is the woman from the phone and she is a poisoned. I back into the locked door, trapped like a mouse.

"What are you vandalizing? What did you break?" She makes a stance in front of me blocking off my view of the room.

"I'm looking...Jason Curk." I squeak to the fierce woman. Suddenly her eyes change to anger and fear but before I can wonder why she is fearful or even angry I am in the air. My feet are inches off the ground and my throat is closing. I claw at my neck to make the pain stop but I know it is useless. She is poisoned, this is a power beyond my control and I'm going to die. My head is heavy without air and my throat burns like acid. The woman blurs a deep black then a grey. I hear a glass breaking scream but I wonder how I managed it without breath. Did I-? Before I can finish the thought the ground comes to my face fast and the last thing I see is concrete before nothing.