I slowly opened my crusty eyes in a daze to see blinding fluorescent lights.
Wait a minute, I don't have fluorescent lights in my room. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and jolted up into a sitting position to find myself still wearing clothes from the night before. Looking around, I realized I was in the break room at my work and had fallen asleep on possibly the most uncomfortable couch in existence. My hand was throbbing in pain and I looked to see red welts on the tips of my first two fingers. I didn't remember how I got that so I ignored it and slowly stood up and stretched, cracking my back in at least four places.
The small window in the door was dark, meaning no one was here yet so I had time to compose myself. I dropped back on the couch and went through the events of the night before to jog my memory and see why I hadn't gone home.
Okay, I went to the bookstore straight from class. Remi left early because he wasn't feeling well so I had to close up shop and then I walke—wait...why am I not at home? Didn't I walk home because I distinctly remember the club I always pass, and the dark alleys... And there must be something I'm missing- RING RINGRING
My phone pulled me out of my thoughts and I rummaged through my bag until I found my very cracked screen lighting up. "Hello?" I said before checking the caller ID.
I was met with silence from the other end.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I was about to pull the phone away from my ear when a distorted voice spoke,
"HaPpY bIrThDaY lUcY"
My eyes widened and I looked at the screen to see 'Unknown' in red letters. I put it back to my ear, "Who is this? How do you know that name?"
The line was silent.
I moved the phone away and saw that the call had ended. I dropped my phone to my lap and sat and stared at the tan wall, covered to the ceiling with stacks of books, in a shocked silence.
How did they know to call me Lucy? I hadn't told anyone but my parents, and that was almost twenty years ago.
I was once again pulled away from my thoughts when my phone vibrated and lit up with eleven missed calls and 13 text messages from my roommate, Emma. The most recent one said: ARE YOU EVEN ALIVE?! Happy Birthday, I'm calling the police. She would too, so I frantically texted her back, not ready to call and face her wrath.
I'm alive, I fell asleep at work, I think... I'll tell you when I get home.
Immediately I got a reply, even though it was only 6am, FINALLY! At first I thought you went home with a guy, but then I was like, no its your birthday tomorrow and I know you would want to be up early and then I thought maybe you worked late so I was going to check the store, but then you weren't even answering my calls and I started worrying.... Just get home
I read through her long runon and wondered why she was so worried when I have stayed out all night before, and usually she wouldn't even notice until noon the next day. I also wondered why I didn't even wake up if the phone went off that many times. I replied: haha I'm fine and yea I'll be back soon and pocketed my phone.
I gathered my things around the couch while my mind wandered back to the strange call. How did they even know it was my birthday?
Once I had all my stuff I went to the bathroom to wash my face and attempt to wipe all the makeup off even though the bookstore still hadn't installed a mirror. I kept reminding Remi after the last one was cracked, but he kept putting it off saying it was, "An expense we didn't need," kind of like the need for a new sink that didn't either drip or spew all over your face (which the old one did, and was extremely dirty). I tried to clean up best I could, but mainly just held my injured fingers under the dripping cold water.
The lock clicked into place and I took one last look at the curly script, Belani's Books, above the door before stepping down the front stairs and onto the sidewalk. The street was still dark and there were hardly any cars on the road yet. The sweet smell of pastries and rush of warm air tempted me to stop at the bakery next door.
I stood by the open door for a moment and absorbed the warmth when out of nowhere the image of a man flashed through my mind. It was a strange feeling, like remembering someone I had never seen before. The man was holding two baguettes and leaving a bakery that looked strikingly similar to the one I was standing before. I shook the thought and moved past the bakery, feeling very confused and disoriented. I rushed toward home, questions jumbling around my head.
I shuffled along wondering why it wasn't snowing yet as we were far into October, yet it was still hot. I slowly entered the alley shortcut where that wretched club is. I was expecting to see the club's lights off and a locked door, but the view before me was much different. The door was boarded up, the lights were broken, and graffiti covered the walls. It looked like it had been abandoned and forgotten and was, honestly, extremely creepy. I slowly walked by distinctly remembering the loud music of the night before---- wait- I fell asleep at work how could I remember anything from last night? But what about the guard and all the people? Why does this place look so deserted? I walked along until I came to the alley intersection and saw the sun slowly rising above the buildings. I even remember being at this corner last night... But there's something I'm missing.... I looked along the garbage filled alleys and the reflection of the purple sunrise stopped me in my tracks. The puddle.
It all came back in a barrage of images. The Egyptian woman, the glittering forest, the bright flames, and of course, the strangely beautiful man flitted through my mind. I ran to where I saw the puddle and saw what I expected, nothing, not even water anymore, just a damp spot on the dirty ground behind some trash cans.
Was it all a dream? It felt so real, so real and why did I still feel the pain on the burnt edges of my fingers?
If it was a dream why is it I had no idea that the club had closed? I always walked this way home and yet I have no recollection of the boards and graffiti that seems to have been there for quite a long time.
I was extremely creeped out at that point. First this weirdly realistic dream, then the phone call, and now this club has been closed down for, it seemed like, months? I just wanted to get home and forget about this strange morning.
I quickened my pace and made it into the main drag near my apartment. The area was unnervingly quiet and all I heard was the dull thuds of my boots along the oily road and the wind rustling the slowly dying leaves on the trees above. It was actually quite pretty, and if I would have paid more attention, I would have noticed the bright red leaves contrasting the- now blue- sky, and maybe even the large cat intently staring at me from said tree.
After about a block I finally stopped in front of my apartment building and looked up, narrowly avoiding two men and a woman rushing into the building. I took in the beautiful building, the entire bottom floor was glass, floor to ceiling, with a strategically placed coffee shop on the corner. The second floor stucco smoothly transitioned into the brick that covered the rest of the building. I slowly scanned my eyes from the glass to the stucco, and finally to the brick that went straight up some seventeen stories. The area surrounding my building was bustling with people in contrast to the previous streets I had passed.
I glided through the dark glass door, thanking the doorman on the way, and admired the lobby interior. Every time I came home I was so thrilled that I could actually afford this place. Well, with a roommate, but still this place was amazing, and little old me lived here!
I passed by the groups of people on the main floor and went to wait by the elevator. I wondered what was going on today because there were a lot more models than usual.
The first three floors are a model and talent agency. Park Models and Talent, the agency that I occasionally wished I was a part of.
I squished into the elevator with four tall models who were definitely giving me a lot of side- eye. I probably looked extremely disheveled from spending the night at the book store so I ignored their looks and settled into the corner.
Once they got off at the next floor I turned to see what I looked like in the shiny metal of the elevator. I recoiled in disgust, of course they were staring at me! I had deep rings of mascara under my baggy, dark brown eyes even though I had washed my face. My hair looked like a rat's nest hanging down my back, and my Harvard t-shirt was wrinkled. I was itching to get out of my tight jeans and couldn't wait to take a shower and put ice on the dull burn at my fingertips.
At the 12th floor I heaved myself from the sitting position I had taken up in the middle of the elevator and darted out into the long hallway. I practically ran down the tile floors to my apartment door, happy I hadn't ran into any of my neighbors on the way up.
I shoved my key in the lock and swung open the door, expecting to see Emma sitting on the couch watching TV when instead I almost had a heart attack.
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Thanks for reading! Please like and comment and share with everyone you know, your neighbor, your teacher, your mom, even the cashier at your local walmart.
Oh btw sorry about the year wait for an update, won't happen again. It was a weird year.
Ps what do you think she saw when she opened the door?
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