OddityVille: Ground Floor (Book One)

Chapter Five: The World Above

Jeff remains seated and his expression unchanged. Lindsy switches between the monitor and the guard several times before focusing only on the man. He spins the seat with his loosely tied boots, exposing the entirety of his torso above the desk. His wrinkled shirt squirms over the aged body.

"You're supposed to be at your post. What are you-"

"Did you see her?" Jeff doesn't answer and continues to stare at Lindsy with his lips hanging apart. "The girl, downstairs?"

"What's going on?" A thin-faced man steps out from the same side room he had been in when Lindsy first met him.

"Michael!" The man springs his chin from Jeff's direction to Lindsy's, eyes widening as he does so.

"Hey- uh- how's your first night going?" The soft voice quivers as it speaks. Lindsy takes in his body language and wets her lips before speaking again.

"The girl." Michael squirms in place; one foot still in the other room. "Have you seen her?"

"The only girl is you, Lindsy." Jeff spits viciously from where he is lounging. "The same girl who should be at her post on the ground-"

"Where is Morgan?" Jeff sharpens his gaze, seemingly offended that he was cut off.

"I thought she was training you?" Michael places a hand on the archway he is standing in and furrows his brow as he questions Lindsy.

"She was supposed to be, but-"

"It doesn't matter what she's supposed to be doing. Right now the only thing that matters is what you're supposed to be doing." Lindsy leers at Jeff as she grows impatient with his attitude.

"I'm not going back down there." Jeff sighs and presses his back into his seat. "I want answers." The round man surrenders his efforts and motions for Lindsy to take a seat in a small chair that rests on the opposite side of his own. Lindsy accepts the offer and faces Jeff as Michael makes his way over to them. Jeff moves a hand over a round piece of silver plastic and makes circular motions with it. As he does so, the cursor on his screen mimics the movements. He then clicks on an icon and brings up the same camera feeds he had closed out earlier.

"What do you see?" Both Lindsy and Michael study the images as Jeff awaits an answer.

"The lobby, halls, elevators, the main entrance,  my post-"

"Your post." Jeff closes the window once more and folds his fingers together on the desk, leaning toward Lindsy. "Why are you up here when you were assigned the ground floor?"

"You know exactly why she's up here, Jeff."

"That is not the point, Michael." The spikey black hair atop Jeff's head exposes red skin beneath the thin patches. His face begins to change tones along with it. "Whatever you've heard, it's just a story. They are all just stories. If you can't take your job seriously and remain at your post then you should just leave." Lindsy stands and plants both palms against the desk as she towers over the pudgy figure.

"I already tried that." Her pupils narrow as she inspects the scruff beneath Jeff's nose and chin and where both meet at his cheeks. "How about you open the doors for me?" Lindsy tips her head in the direction of a box at the edge of Jeff's desk. Several circular buttons make it obvious to her that it is the building's emergency control panel. "Kind of odd that you're in charge of the doors on the bottom floor and not me, isn't it?" Jeff doesn't reply and simply returns the stare.

"I'll go with her." Both turn to face Michael, who is shaking from the knees down. His chalky face making the fear obvious.

"Michael-"