(3. Oct.31st Friday Mid-day)
I couldn't help it, sitting at work. None of it was taking my mind off things. I pulled the book from my briefcase and scanned over it again. The words I had seen this morning, gone. No page had the crimson scrawls upon them, 'Was I seeing things?' Each turn of the page brought a new question. 'Why? What?' I needed to know, it was nagging at me, since I fist touch the thing. I felt myself sinking now, loosing myself in the blankness. Not only in the book, but in my own mind. 'What if I was to write in it?'
I pulled open a drawer, procuring a blue pen. My hand shook, like I was forcing myself with chains to write in it. As the pen touched the page, I expected something to happen. It felt as if the book was going to shut on my hand and start eating it. Nothing, not even ink. I shook the pen hoping it would produce it's writing essence. Again, no words. I scribbled on some scrap paper that was lodged under my monitor. Flawlessly a blue line drew in circles of my motion. 'Why wouldn't it write in the book?'
I couldn't fathom it, each time I tried to write, it just didn't work. I went for another pen without looking, my hand brushed against hair. Curious little eyes peering up at me from the side of my desk, It made me jump. I fell out of my chair, ringing the silence with a smack. People stood up, co-workers trying to see what happened, a few laughing to their selves. I motioned that I was fine, stating no one needed to worry.
The noise was loud enough to stir my boss, already I could see her making a beeline through the cubicles to mine. She was standing in the entryway before I could pick my chair up. "Xander!" She said my name as if she was chewing on sandpaper. "You better not be falling asleep again."
All I could do was nod in answer. I wasn't paying to much attention to her, instead I was staring at who was behind her. A little girl with long straight black hair followed at her heals. The same eyes that looked up at me moments ago, curious, innocent. I would assume it was just my boss' daughter, who she brought to work, but she's never mentioned having a kid. Maybe since it was Halloween, and she was going to take her trick-or-treating. I came to this thought by the girls outfit. A long white dress, tears here and there in the frill. Smudges on the fabric, like she was in a fire.
"Sorry miss, I just got frightened by our little ghost friend." I smiled down at the girl, showing her that she got me, It was a cute prank.
The look on my supervisor's face showed she wasn't amused. "Quit playing around and get back to work." She turned to leave, again the girl followed suit, leaving with a Cheshire grin across her face.
Her smile lingered in my mind. It didn't seem like that of a kid playing, she was up to something. I sat back into my chair, rubbing my face with my hands. An action caused from nervousness, like I was trying to wipe my thoughts away. I leaned down, resting my head on a hand, the free one flipping another page. A cold chill spiked through me as the paper fell from my hand. The next page had two words written on it, 'Follow her.'
I reacted quickly, standing up and scanning the room. The girl, skipped into my vision and down into another hall. I moved grabbing the book, feet working on their own. I went down the hall she had skipped to, straining my thoughts to find her. 'Where did she go?'
After a few more steps, the elevator stopped with a ding. Opening the sliding doors, welcoming anyone to enter. A giggle let out from behind a water canteen as the girl came out from behind it. She skipped her way into the elevator, pressing a button, smile painted on her face. I jumped in before the doors closed, my body almost hitting the girl as I bolted in. She wasn't there, I looked back to see her eyes disappear behind the closing doors. She trapped me.
The elevator's pulley system whirred in motion as it began to move. I hadn't ever needed to use the elevator before, being on a lower floor, I was used to the stairs. I looked at the buttons to see which floor she tricked me to go to. A few of them were lit up, showing that she had pressed multiple ones. One of the glowing buttons had it's number rubbed off from to much use. I sighed, now I have to wait as the elevator made it's stops to floors I don't even need. "I'm going to get it from the boss now."
I held the book close to my chest, arms crossed and waiting. A few minutes go by, and not a single stop happened. My breathing deepened as it started to get colder. I didn't freak out until the lights started to flicker. The elevator seemed like it was going down faster. "I was only on the second floor, how many floors are there?"
I couldn't fight back my fear, funny stories of people taking the elevator and ending up on an unknown floor. "I thought it was just rumors." My heart raced faster, as the motor slowed to a stop. I almost didn't look, shutting my eyes tight to not see what the opening doors would reveal. I moved forward, my feet still acting on their own. Opening my eyes, I instantly wished I hadn't.
Blocking my path, the path I had no choice, but to go. Children stood, a dozen small children staring at me. Their wide eyes were completely blacked out, jaws swinging open in disconnected laughter. I screamed, falling back into the elevator. They surrounded me, all filling the small space. Poking at me, pulling on my clothes."He's got the book." I could hear slight chatter under the cackling. "Grab it."
I was not going to let that happen. I was holding on to the book as if it was my very soul. Kicking at the children, from my spot on the floor. I went berserk. Screaming and tossing, doing all I could to keep these demon children away from me. I took no consideration to their age, I was protecting the book. Every fiber of my being was screaming. "Don't let them have it."
"Xander! Xander!"
I opened my eyes still thrashing about in the elevator. A few supervisors loomed over me, some trying to calm me down. I was confused, twisted in thought and movement. I tried to settle down, but I was still worked up on adrenaline.