My eyes were aching with the strain of staring at the laptop screen for 7 consecutive hours. I'd decided to help out with the editing and selecting from the shoot, but Jimmy, had left two hours before leaving me to do the rest on my own.
I sat in his office with the door closed and the small white blind shut over his window, the dull yellow light not taking anything off the bright lights of the computer.
There was a faint knock at the door, followed by the maintenance guy- Luke, I think his name was- peering through the slightly ajar door. "We're closing up in 5, so you need to start packing your stuff please." Oh my god, how late was it? I peered at the clock in the bottom right hand corner of the computer, and it read 11:45.
The last time I checked it was 7:30, jesus. "Oh, yeah sorry. I lost track of time." I muttered to Luke, saving my work and shutting down the laptop. I stood from the chair and offered a weak, tired smile to him. "It's okay," I said. "I'll be gone in 30 seconds." He nodded once and then he was gone.
Once my laptop was safely in my bag, I made my way out of Jimmy's office and through the dimly lit corridors. My feet against the surface were the only sound, punctuated by the heels I wore as they echoed off the bare walls. The buzz of electricity that could only be heard in complete silence, was thick in the air, the mechanical whine adding to the eary tension trapped around me.
Luke wasn't around, and neither were any security guards. Huh, that was strange. I pulled the strap of my bag a little tighter around me, clutching it tightly to my chest.
I knew nobody could get into the building without security checking them, and if you were cleared then you would be known to the business and the people working there. So then why was I checking over my shoudler every so often? The hallway felt so much longer then it had walking down it this morning, the far stretch of stainless white walls like a prison cell closing in on me.
I felt a strange sensation tingling at the back of my neck, the hairs standing on edge. I froze. Spinning slowly, I scanned the corridors. The lighting was automatic, so at the very end, right where I had just come from, the lights had begun to switch off, cloaking it in darkess.
My eyes were decieving me when I thought I saw something move. Which was impossible, because Luke would have made sure nobody was still here after closing. Or it could be Luke. Yeah, I told myself, it was just Luke.
And then there was whistling. A high, piercing whistling, making the tune of an eerily old song I didn't recognise. But the sound was so close, wrapping around me, I couldn't tell what direction it was coming from, and the darkness and the slender figure at the end of the hallway was disorientating, and I felt like id been pressured into some sort of horror movie.
I span around quickly and started half-jogging. My legs were moving faster now, pressing onto the heels of my feet to push me faster, but in a mid-thigh length tight skirt, it was difficult.
It was like my body deflated as I finally made it out into the open front desk space. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding, and sagged, only for a minute. There were two of the security guards by the front doors, there backs to me.
"Goodnight, gentlemen." I called, walking to the glass door exit.
"Oh, before you go," one of them replied. I turned to watch as the taller one reached around the desk and pulled something out. I felt my gut clench before I even saw it.
But I knew, and I expected it, just as he pulled out a white envelope. "This was delivered here today. This afternoon." The guy said, walking around the desk to hand it to me.
I didn't want to see it. To give myself another thing to worry about? No thanks. I took a step away from him and closer to the door. "No, that's not for me."
The security guard have me a confused look. "Urm, yeah the man said it was for Laken Bennet. He delivered it with the other post." He said.
I was shaking my head again. "Oh, well I don't really... Uh- could you just throw it in the trash for me? I know what it is, so it's okay. Thanks." I quickly turned before he could get another word in, and then I was outside and away from the dark hallways and that letter and whatever the hell was happening to me.
I hadn't actually thought, at one point through this whole thing that this was... Was I being stalked? I don't know, that word- 'stalked'... It just sounded so dramatic. Serious, which I didn't put this into. But they'd sent things when I was out, they'd sent it to my fathers grave, and then they'd followed me and talked about Levi, and then they'd come to my work. I felt goosebumps rise on my arms like little mountains.
This couldn't be happening. I didn't have time for this. Whoever it was... I didn't know what I was going to do, but hanging around in a dark alley at 12 am probably wasn't the best idea.
And then I remembered- this morning, because I needed to get out if the house, surround myself with things to do to take my mind off a certain someone, I had decided to walk for extra time. I walked to work, and now I would have to walk back.
There were no street lights in this part if town, only back alleys and a small bridge that ran over Summerset lake, from the east to the west. And that was it. It wouldn't take too long, maybe 45 minutes at the most.
But still... My knees were already weak thinking about it.
I paused outside the building. Was I being responsible or overly naive in walking home? Naive, completely naive, and for that, I pulled out my phone and called a cab.
As I waited, I scanned through my contacts for things to do. I was passing 'L' when the name flashed up. I hadn't deleted it. I needed to, I really did. Then I couldn't stare at his number every night and debate whether I should call, and then alway end up switching it off.
I'd been doing that for the last 2 weeks, ever since I'd told Levi to go.
The taxi came around 15 minutes later, and I was grateful that I hadn't walked as we drove through the streets, covered with a thick, blinding fog.
I gave the driver the money as he pulled up to my apartment and flashed him a smile. I walked across the pavement, my heels the only sound echoing in the silent street.
I heard a car start up on the opposite side, and turned slightly on instinct. Through the darkness, I could only make out the shape of a posh-looking car, but it's colour was masked. As it drove off, I thought I imagined the way it slowed as it passed me on the side walk. I told myself I imagined it, until, of course, I noticed the same mark on the back- a cloud stuck to the back, like some sort of label or logo.
I felt my whole body jolt physically, bile rising in my throat, and the I was running up the stairs. I didn't care if people could hear me. Good I thought, at least if I was about to die I'd have witnesses.
I slammed my body through my door, completely overwhelmed with relief when I remembered the new locks Levi had installed, just like he said he would, the morning after.
I had asked the men there to pass on my thanks, but I couldn't bare to call, to hear his voice, because I'd crack.
But now, all I wanted was to hear his voice, to know I was safe. Because if he was here, I knew I would be.
And despite the fear penetrating me like a spear, I still felt the anger at knowing I needed Levi. I wanted to be able to deal with this myself but... It was becoming too much.
What had I done wrong? What did I do to make this happen to me?
Maybe I deserved it. From my first breath, I was being punished for something.
All I could think was, maybe I had done something so terrible in the life before this, it had carried through with me to this life.
God, I really didn't deserve someone like Levi.
