The only police officer in the building, the new guy, James, was half asleep in a reclining state at the desk. The only lights on in the station were the ones in the hallway towards the bathroom and the lamp on his desk, plus the glow from his dimming computer screen and the reflection from the street lamps outside.
He jolted awake with a snort. "Hrhmg?" James grunted, reaching for his coffee mug. He was supposed to stay awake in case "something happened and he needed to respond". In fact, none of the police officers had to stay in the building at night. They all had radios that would go off in case of an emergency and were playing a joke on James by making him stay up. Even worse, he didn't know he would have to go to work the next morning.
He yawned, stretching into the floor. The emptiness of the building rang out through the building, assuring his being alone. James shook off the eeriness and grabbed his flashlight from his belt. His boots made a heavy thud on the concrete floor. The office he was sitting in was a whole hallway away from the break room, containing the sacred coffee pot. He gave another yawn and checked his watch.
Another 20 minutes until midnight. He thought. Suddenly, the creepiness made its way up his spine. He stopped dead, looking around, waving the flashlight up and down the walls and floor. Nothing unusual. The feeling of being watched, however, didn't fade.
Once inside the break room, the clapped his hand against the wall until the light turned on. The coffee in the pot was stale, now cold, and slightly burnt. James cursed, setting his flashlight on the counter and emptying the pot. He could have sworn he heard a rustle when he turned his back to the open door.
Shaking it off, he returned to making fresh coffee.
After making a new supply of caffeine that would be promptly wasted like the pot before it, James nervously paced back to the office. He was halfway through his mug and was beginning to fall back asleep when the phone rang.The noise echoed through the cold, silent building. James, almost afraid, picked up the phone. "He-Hello? Traverse County Police Department...?"
The line was dead.
Then the scream of a middle-aged man.
"Sir!" James exclaimed. This must be a prank... right? "Sir?"
"Please! You must send help!" The crackling voice through the speaker panted. "She-she got out!" He yelled. The man on the other line was obviously in some form of pain and was panicking.
"Who is she? What is going on?" James began poking a code into his walkie-talkie. "I need an address to dispatch help to."
"No no, you need to get to her-" a low sigh through the phone. "Get to her before she gets you!"The man on the other end hung up.
This was obviously a joke by a bunch of teenagers. James could have sworn he heard laughter in the background. Or maybe this was a prank by one of the other officers. In that moment after James hung up, he noticed it. Something itched the back of his neck, making the hairs stand up. That feeling of being watched poked at him.
James slowly turned around in his chair, looking around the dark room. He felt around his belt for his flashlight. Once it was in his grasp, he clicked it on, shining bright circles of light onto the door. He inched in a circle in his chair, scanning all the nooks and crannies.
Then, behind his computer, was a figure. James froze as words failed to come to his mouth. The figure was probably 5'7" and was fairly skinny, but James couldn't make out a face. Long auburn curls falling from under a grey hoodie covered the face of the person.
Slowly, she pulled her hood back. She had large, hazel eyes and a soft face, much like that of a child. She held a finger to her mouth to assume silence.
YOU ARE READING
Her Name is Quinn
Science FictionThe government isn't completely honest with you. Cloning, genetics... they're all more advanced than they want you to think. These aren't just conspiracy theories. Her name? It's Quinn.