I don't have a ton of time today, but I wanted to post something, so here is the start of a second story, possibly just a short story, I started a few years ago.
She flinched back as she felt the sun touch her face, the light penetrated her skin and she felt the invisible damage work its way through the layers of dermis. Her hood had slipped back a little as she hurried through the streets. She pulled it forward so her face was covered again and organized her thick coat, and then hurried on towards the hospital where she worked. Everyone around her was enjoying the brief break in the chilly, unusually overcast winter and were absorbing as much sunlight into their winter pale skin as they could. They had removed their hats and gloves and unbuttoned their coats, braving the still bitter cold of the wind, all to get their fill of vitamin D like some huge mobile plants.
“Idiots!” she snarled to no one, overheard by no one. Fifty years from now all those people will be rushing to their dermatologists, begging them to remove the age spots they are causing themselves right now. She pulled her head back further into her hood like some kind of turtle and moved on faster.
The last few feet and the hallway to her office were always the most dangerous for her of her two block trip to the hospital. Face to the floor, she hurried through the stone white door of her office and slammed the door behind her. One quick glance around her office told her that it was safe to remove her coat, hat, gloves, and scarf and place them on the individual hangers near the door. Only after she was sure they were all in the proper place did she relax.
Her office was plain and extraordinarily neat. There was no artwork on the walls and no photos on the desk, in fact, besides a computer, clock, and small container of pens her desk was completely clear. There were no folders laying around the office, those were all stored safely in the long line of file cabinets along the right wall, all the same color, and all locked, letting her know that inside not one paper was bent or out of place. She fingered the keys to all that information as she ran her eyes along them, making a silent inspection of her space.
Her eyes continued along the back wall of her office where her bookshelves were stacked high with books, all organized not only by color, so they were pleasing to the eye, but also by alphabet, so they would easy to use. She let her eyes travel over them and over to the last wall of the office that held nothing other than a sink which was bare of everything, save a large bottle of antibacterial soap. Satisfied that her office was untouched since she had locked the door behind her two days before, she began to move towards her desk. Her second step caused a thin envelope that had been shoved under the door to rustle as her foot pressed down on it. The sudden noise in the silent office startled her and she jumped back into a crouch.
The envelope appeared to be a regular business class letter, though it was not sealed, as though the sender wanted to leave no trace of themselves behind. Her heart began to race and seat formed on the back of her neck, drops running down her back. For several tense moments she didn’t move, only her eyes darted back and forth from the letter to the rest of the office, rechecking to make sure nothing else had been moved.
Finally she reached out and picked up the letter. She stood up as she opened it and walked over to the mirror over the sink, bending down slightly so she could look at herself in it. I really need to get the custodians in her to raise this up. Damn my height. And damn this letter. She glanced down at it and felt the little blood that remained in her face rush out. Slamming open a bottom drawer on her desk she ran the letter through the paper shredder the drawer held. Her anger died a little as the small metal teeth devoured the paper and she walked back to the mirror, intending to compose herself.
“Dr. Sto?” her intern called through the door and knocked timidly. The doorknob turned slightly as he began to enter her office without waiting for her response. “Dr. Sto, are you in yet? Dr. Sto?”
Before the knob finished turning in its place, she was in her chair, leaning forward towards the now opening door. “Yes Howard. I just got in, as you should know seeing as how you are able to open my door. Or do you perhaps make a habit of coming in here when I am out?” She could see him flinch, though she was unsure whether it was because of her words of at the sound of her chalky, smooth voice that curled through the air to him through the dark of the office. It didn’t matter which he was reacting to, she was used to people flinching when she spoke.
“Um, I was, ah, just checking, because, um, no I don’t make a habit, um…” Howard stammered on, boring her.
“Is there a particular reason that you felt the need to come bursting,” Well I guess not bursting per say,”into my office?” Hm, that letter incident really freaked me out. I can’t believe… it wasn’t his fault, calm down.
“Yes, I was wondering if you got the invitation I slipped under your door. I know that Michelle would love you to come to her graduation party tonight, I mean, you’re her mentor and all, and yeah…” He quieted and waited for her response.
It was lucky that the darkness shielded her face from him because her anger had returned and she was struggling to control it. “Yes,” she replied, carful to take even breathes and not sound as if she were speaking through clenched teeth. “I got the invitation, and I would love to attend.” She wanted nothing more than to not attend the party but pretenses must be kept up. These silly humans, thinking something as insignificant as a graduation was worthy of celebration.
Enjoy!
