Bright Lights

Picture Frame

The storage room was a filthy place, like a mad scientist's lab. Full of chemicals of potential lethal death. It makes me think for a while why I signed up for this job. Yeah I know a pyromaniac, how dumb and lame but I did it because no one else would offer me a decent looking job.

I shift my leg as I manoeuvred around the pile of empty boxes and reached for the ledge holding chemicals in test tubes. "Hey Pan, are we supposed to throw these away?They look like they've been hibernating in there." I take a whiff, "Ergh and they smell too."

"Well just do what you think is sane perhaps smell them again and get radiation poisoning." I rolled my eyes."I'm serious. Just...anything can happen."

"Unbelievable." I muttered and grabbed the test tubes to pour in the sink, running them under the faucet to remove the horrible stench they made.

My eyes were itchy from the lack of sleep and I stifled a yawn-I did not want to breathe in whatever I just poured out. "Say Pan, how'd you know that I'll be awake? It's not like I told you my sleeping habits." I laughed.

"Well..you see," Tucking his head behind a pile of boxes and lifting the top one to arrange them neatly, "I had a notion that you were the type to sleep during work and be awake during nightime. It's not like the first time I saw you lock yourself in the private toilet to sleep."

"What! You...you-"

"Hey, hey I'm sorry. I swear it was a coincidence. Honest."

I was so tempted to splash him with any chemicals lying between us and watch him scream in agony but seeing myself as someone who tries with reason and less violence, I guess I could spare him.

"Fine. Forgive and forget right? Right?" Turning my voice into a lethal machine with a hint of seductivity. I glowered at him then resume to do the next batch of tubes sitting lonely on the racks.

As soon as the vile looking liquid drips and spreads itself onto the metal sink do I notice a picture hiding behind the other stack of tubes in the corner of my eye. Curious and disgusted with the empty tube in my hands, I quickly scrubbed the inside and washed it thoroughly under running water. "Hey Pan...look at this." Plucking the picture frame gently from its hiding spot.

There's not much to say except that the person in there was none other than the Boss, Mr Morin. Upon furthur inspection, I realised that this must have been a company outing. Apparently, according to Pan, the lady next to him was his wife until certain "complications" arose between them. I sighed to myself, *Relationships*.

Behind him appeared to be several guys in their huge jackets covered in thick fur. The background a snowy field with several reindeers in view. "What a depressing place to take a photo." I commented.

"Look, at least Mr Morin's smilling. Oh and that guy behind him with the fish in his left hand. He's very pleased with himself. If you think positively, it's a winter wonderland." Whisking the box away and spinning away gracefully.

"..and if you think negatively, it's a frozen wasteland." Rolling my eyes in his direction. "Hey I'm almost done are you?"

"Yep just let me put this here and - ok! All set. Let's go grab something to eat and drink."

When we left the storage room, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching us.