Bright Lights

Playing Tricks

The long hallways, the white walls that stretch the blank landscape. The longing in the click of every step, the sigh of every single breathe. *where are you* the only words that ring in my ears. I have been searching but nothing's coming up. What exactly am I suppose to look for? Does it matter? I shrug my shoulders and continue down the stairs. They spiral downwards as I face the window. My reflection bouncing back at me through the darkness of the pane windows. Then I see it, the moon gleaming a pearly white as if it was beckoning me forward. *There you are* I thought and slid down to admire it but you know what would make it better? I whispered. Then the lights turn off. I smile."Much better."

¤

That was the first of all nights since I had that crazy dream. Was I actually smiling at the moon? I probably looked stupid, probably was delusional. "It must be the stress from work." But even then, why pick the creepy scenario. Why couldn't it be me just prancing in the field of butterflies. Why did it have to be the fucking moon. Silently I hoped I wasn't becoming the next moon moon, that wolf was dumb.

Anyways, today did I not only get up to realise I was a lunatic at heart but that it was still past midnight. I groaned and flipped the bed covers over my tiny frame when lightning bellowed like a hungry monster demanding to be fed. It shook the bed as I tried my very best to ignore the flashes of lightning. "Ugh. Rain rain go away come again another day." I said not bothering to go along with the rhythm and song.

"Do you have to bother me? Especially on my day off?" I said to no one in particular and sighed. I realised that I do not live with my family anymore and it makes me wonder if I could call them up one day and ask how they are doing. But...I've lost contact with them for a very long time. I doubt I even remember their names or how they looked like.

I picked up my phone from the bed side and looked through the messages. *You have 3 messages* I swiped through them, One was about a promotion at starbucks, Two was my friend Sandra asking if I was free today and Third....third was...Oh god it reads. "HEY CYNTHIA! HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA IGNORE MY MESSAGE. GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE. DID YOU EVEN LISTEN TO ME YESTERDAY DURING YOUR BREAK?! DON'T ACT LIKE YOUR SICK. YOU STILL HAVE WORK TODAY! - Pan.

Pan, my co-worker and my unlikely friend. I shake my head in disbelief. If there is anyone out there that I would gladly go to work with, it's Pan. I smile and type."Kk you don't have to be so rude~ Oh and btw, it's You're not Your genius."

He text back almost immediately. Almost at lightning speed. I laugh at the thought and look to see his message. "Shut up. Just get down here. Pls."

¤

I arrived at my workplace and see Pan wave me over. Once we were in close range of each other it occurred to me that I never wondered why he would get me out to work at 1am. "I'm sorry am I missing something? You said I had work to do. So what exactly am I doing up out of bed, freezing in this cold rain just to see that doors are locked." I leaned in closer peering into his blue eyes. "You aren't planning something behind my back now are you because if you are I will slap that smirk of your face right now."

Pan puts his hands up, "Relax Cynthia." He muffles a grin but I spot it coming out of the corners of his hands. "There is still work to be done. Chill now will ya? The boss just wants us to arrange the storeroom and chemicals at the back. He says nobody else will do it and I inquired that if we did it he could raise our pay." He grins proudly like he just told the biggest secret and is showing off. "Double? You sure?" I couldn't help but smile. "Then what was that all about with you texting capitalised letters at me. Sounded like you were angry with me." I pouted.

"Look Cynthia, I know you like I know the back of my hand. If anything's gonna get you to wake up it's always an angry message." He rubs his face with his hand and smoothes his hair back. He didn't wait for me to ask the question, like he said he knew me. "Because you usually would get this kind of messages often from your ex. I probably made you scared shit straight...my bad."

"No no it's fine. I'm uh, I'm over him. Over Virgil." I bite my lip but I don't lash out at him. I knew things were going to get rough with me and Virgil but that was then and this is now. There was no point in thinking about the past. I straighten up and Pan coughs. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's clear up the mess inside and maybe after this we can eat out a little. What do you say?" I try to smile.

"Fine by me." Pan replies.