The Odd Ball Files

The Letter

 

If I'd known then what I know now I never would have gone to that interview. I never would have gotten on that elevator, and I definitely wouldn't have talked to that strange man. It all started the day I received the letter. I rue that day, I knew that letter would change my life, but I did not expect it to change in the way it did. It was supposed to be a job interview for a detective agency, but what it really was disgusted me.

 I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I remember receiving the letter, and I rememberer getting on that elevator. It was a frigid friday morning right before the begging of winter. When I arrived at the office building I recall looking up at the grey crumbling building and thinking why doesn't this feel right, I've been dreaming of a moment like this since I was kid. At that moment I decide to push that thought to the back of my head now I wish I would have gone home and forgot about the interview. Instead I walked into the building and right up the the receptionist who told me to take a seat in the waiting room.

 Upon sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs I let my eyes survey the room it was bland. It had walls so white it made you feel like your were in a mental asylum, and to contrast the color there was a small green fern standing next to it was a large oak door with cold handles. Around the room a few more of the hard plastic chairs sat against the wall, but unlike mine they were unoccupied. 

After about 20 minutes the receptionist directed me through the oak door and toward an elevator. The elevator looked as most elevators do, it had the same silver trimming around the edges and the same sliding doors as most elevator do. I pressed the the silver button with the upward facing arrow just as I was instructed by the receptionist, I waited there for a few seconds before the elevator opened. When it stopped on my floor the elevator doors slid open and a chime echoed throughout the hallway. It wasn't a normal chime, when the chime rang out into the  corridor it sound as if a thousand tiny birds were chirping . It was odd I had never heard an elevator that had a bell like that.

That might be why I remember it so vividly because it was odd. Odd things have always seemed to catch my eye maybe that's why I talked to the peculiar crowd on that fateful day. I talked to the girl first, I later learned her name was Paisley Martin. She had long curly blonde hair and a bubbly personality. When I first said Hello to her she answered back with an enthusiastic "Hi," and confident handshake before jumping into a conversation with me.

That is until the elevator doors opened again, and a man I will never forget entered the elevator. He greeted us all with a nod of his head, and then asked us a very strange question " I bet you're wondering why I've gathered you all here?" Then just like a camera flash no one expected, he turned on his heal and did the unimaginable he slammed his down upon the emergency stop button. The girl I had been talking to early immediately fell into a panic. while the other two in the elevator, two men got defensive and began to yell at the man in the corner.

But the man only laughed at the reaction of the others. He then turned  to me with a tears in his eyes he wiped his eyes of the tears letting his laughter die down before setting his gaze on me. "You don't seem do be phased by this," he commented? I answered his question bluntly " I don't see a reason to react just yet." "Ahhh very wise," he replied with a nod of his head making his unruly white hair flop around his head. I had now realized that the other occupants of the elevator had fallen silent intrigued with the show going on before their eyes. " Can someone please explain what's going on here," questioned one of the men in the back his mind ablaze with anger. "in due time Bryan in due time," The unruly haired man told Bryan with mirth filled eyes. "H h how d dd do you kn kn know my name," stuttered the once confident Bryan as he shrunk back to his spot at the back of the elevator.

"Well I invited you all here today Bryan, That's how I know you name," he responded. He then picked up one of his long skinny fingers and pointed it at a boy who was wearing brown spectacles "And you," he began "you are mike," Mike stared at the man gobsmacked. He then wagged a finger between me and paisley before letting it land on Paisley and continuing with his frightening version of roll call " You are the lovely Paisley Martin," he smiled at her and I could tell that made Paisley very uncomfortable. He then let his finger trail over to me and with out skipping a beat added on to his last sentence by saying " and you miss, must be Maxine Scott?"

We all nodded to afraid to utter a single word. " Well now that we have taken care taken care of the roll call we can discuss why I really invited you here," he began before being cut off by Bryan. "Wait, Wait what's your name," he asked. "Shut it Bryan," retorted Mike "that isn't important right now, the rest of us want to know why we're here so shut you big mouth for once." he exclaimed glaring daggers at Bryan. "Okay harsh," Bryan whispered back under his breath, causing Mike to huff out a puff of air and roll his eyes before returning his focus back to the chilling man. "well Bryan since you asked you can call me," the man stopped and paused for a minute before snapping his fingers and replying " well you can call me whatever want I have no particular name."

 That confused me how does a person not have a name, But before I could even had to to ask the question Bryan asked the man the question we were all wondering ,how does this man not have a name? " well I do have a name," the man without a name chuckled  "It's whatever that little heart of your desires." "Well that's no help," Bryan muttered crossing his arms and shooting a death glare at the man. "Nonsense," the man told us as if Bryans question was outrageous "Now you won't have to remember 1 particular name!" "Enough about names," Mike shouted startling everyone except the man who laughed at how we all jumped. "I want to know why in the world we are all here," Mike continued ignoring the mans cackles which had now started to die down.  " ahhhh yes well I have gathered you all here today because I need a new head detective," the man Had finally lost his gleeful looked and adopted a serious look. "okay well great who got the job," questioned Mike? "Patience Micheal Patience," the man told him in a reprimanding tone. "Don't call me Micheal," Mike spat at the man with anger. "Stop fighting all of you," Paisley demanded. Mike and Bryan turned their heads toward Paisley and the man took this time to try and recapture everyones attention by snapping his fingers.

"No one has got the job....at least not yet," he yelled mysteriously! "Okay so how do we get this job." questioned Bryan? "A series of tests," the man replied gleefully. "What kind of test," I asked skeptically. "Well your first test is to escape," he exclaimed like it was common knowledge. "If you want to catch a criminal you have to act like one," he added with a flick of his hand " that is why I have framed you all for the kidnapping of the mayor," he continued calmly as if he were asking us if we knew the day of the week. " WHAT," we all shrieked. " Don't worry," the man told us keeping his nonchalant aura. "Once you complete the challenges one of you will be able to save the mayor." he continued on with his speech. 

" THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD," I screamed at the man before composing myself I rarely ever act that impulsively I usually try not  to let people know what I'm thinking I always strive to be calm and collected. "why might that be Maxine," he asked me genuinely confused. This man was really getting on my nerves.  "Well I don't know maybe because we are are framed for kidnapping him." exclaimed throwing up my hands exasperatedly. 

"Well once you find the mayor that will be the least of your worries," laughed while looking around at our terrified faces. "what's that supposed to mean," barked Mike as he came to stand by my side. "You'll find out in due time Micheal be patient," the man told mike glaring at him. That's when mike lost it "ONE I'VE RUN OUT OF PATIENCE," he roared becoming more enraged by the minute "TWO DO NOT Call me Micheal!" "Anyway," the man sighed pithing the bridge of his nose "this has been fun, but I think it's time you start the first challenge." As soon as he said that a rope dropped down from the ceiling the unnamed man gave the rope a quick tug before  he was yanked through the hole in the ceiling disappearing  from our view and being replaced by the hole sealing itself up blocking off our only escape route.