His computer blinked out of screen saver mode to flash an email. It was from his boss. He recognized the generic writing as probably the secretary’s words and not from his bosses own finger tips.
It read, ‘It has come to my attention that some of our employees have been exhibiting less than ideal work behavior. We all come to work with enthusiasm to do our best for the furtherment of the company. Any employees not living up to that ideal will be warned only once. Further inability to comply with that goal with be met with harsh punishment. We are a family and a team, let’s work together to create the best possible environment for us all’.
Seth ran it over more than once and rolled his eyes. “Fuck off Tom,”
Apparently, Jeff wasn’t the only one to notice the past month of rough weekends. Forcing himself to focus he leaned forward and started typing at his computer, checking his email again, he got to work on the reports. There was lots of cooperate babel going on. Articles that he’d written with the voice of the cooperation that sucked the life out of him but they ate it up every day.
The boss was organizing some sort of banquet event that the company needed to be notified about. An ongoing project with another company that Seth had to jump on board soon or else he’d fall behind and that would bite him in the ass too. He wondered if he could pass some of it off to Jeff.
Working on autopilot he kept working, typing away at his computer and crafting cooperate emails, newsletters and notifications over and over. Meanwhile he kept trying to pierce the blank spot in his memory but only succeeding in making himself feel sick. In fact, he pushed it too hard and ended up going to the bathroom in a rush as if he were actually going to be sick.
Gripping the toilet bowl like it was his last lifeline, he stared at his own reflection in the clear waters. After ten minutes of smelling sanitizing cleaner and listening to his own muted retching he hobbled to the sink. Washing his hand’s he stared at his own reflection and even he was taken aback. “Jeff was right. I do look paler than normal. Shit.”
Walking back to his cubicle he stared at the calendar pinned to one wall, his bag kicked underneath the desk and the notebooks inside it. The place was sparse. Not like Jeff’s who he knew had pictures of his kids, his wife and motivational stuff everywhere. He looked mid-twenties like himself but the guy was in his mid-thirties. Black really doesn’t crack.
Walking over to his computer he signed in and sent an email out to the secretary telling her he was going home sick. It was lame and quick but he didn’t care. Feeling this way there was no way he was going to get any solid work done. Pulling on his suit jacket and throwing the bag over his shoulder he walked out of the office and grabbed the elevator.
“Sorry Jeff. No lunch for us today,” he said and leaned against the back of the elevator. He kept his eyes at the roof as it took him down from the 30th floor. Finally hitting the ground level and with a mild case of motion sickness he waved to the security desk before going onto the street.
The day was overcast, light grey with heavy clouds. It wasn’t going to rain but the sun was totally hidden away from view. The fresh air did him better than the stuffiness nonsense inside of the office but his stomach and his head still weren’t cooperating well together. “Come on. If I’m going to party that hard I at least want to remember the party that gave me a hang over.”
He almost went to the train to get back to his place but stopped and went over to a Walgreens. Grabbing a bottle of pain killer and small water bottle, he looped back to the check out. He fully expected the woman behind the checkout counter to stare at him because that’s what most people did when they saw him. He was weird to look at, like your eyes playing tricks on you.
“Is that going to be all for you?”
He turned to face her and then froze. She was Asian with black pig tails, fair skin, a small nose, glasses and wore light pink lipstick. She was wearing a visor and polo shirt that was the uniform of the general store. He read her name tag and it read ‘Kathryn Tokko’. She stared back at him wondering why he was looking so intently.
Seth shook his head quickly and looked away, “Yeah. That’s all.”
“Okay. Here’s your total.”
Getting his wallet out of his jacket pocket he handed her a five and she gave him his change. Grabbing the small package, he popped out a couple and took them with a few sips of the water before shaking his head. He walked toward the door but she called out to him, “Hey,” when he turned back she shook her head. “Sorry. You just looked familiar.”
“Huh. First time I’ve gotten that one,” he shook his head and continued out of the store.
He got onto the train and sat in the far corner at the back of the train. Leaning his head back he waited for the pills to kick in but they were taking their sweet time. Sitting as still as he could he tried to just think of his bed which got closer every second. But the train took a turn and his nausea came back in spades.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he groaned and leaned his head against the window. Looking out the window he hoped to just watch the city past by without too much worry but instead he felt the train suddenly lurch to a halt. The lights blinked off and the emergency ones kicked on.
The few people on the train startled, shocked at everything that had turned on. Lots of them started talking, almost panicking about what was going on. Meanwhile Seth just wanted things to be over. Groaning to himself he just waited for the intercom to turn on.
“What’s fresh hell is happening now?”
The Harlequin Library 