A Life Less Ordinary
Storm's Coming
It wasn’t until the thunder rumbled that Isla realized it had become increasingly dark in the lab.
“Storm’s coming.” Leah stated, looking out the window.
“Grrrreeeaaaattttt…” Isla Sloan muttered, pen between her teeth, eyes on the computer screen.
“I gotta get the kids before it pours. Are you good to close everything up?” Leah asked, closing her locker. Isla grunted and nodded at her, glancing at her over her glasses. “Don’t stay too late. I mean it. Shore is really busting people’s balls about overtime and staying alone. I shouldn’t leave you here by yourself-”
“Leigh go get your kids. I’m finishing up the last of these papers, then I’m going the hell home.” Isla replied, holding up a small stack of papers and waving them.
Leah sighed and headed towards the stairwell exit. “See you tomorrow.” She left.
Isla shook her head and chomped down on her pen as she began to transfer the lab data into the computer. Lightning flashed, thunder following seconds later causing her to jump slightly at the closeness of it. This was going to be a long night. She saved her data and unhooked the power cord from her laptop. ‘Just in case.’
Leaning back in her chair, she looked at the other stack of papers that she hid from Leah. She needed the overtime pay she would no doubt receive after finishing the data entry, it was making herself do it in a timely manner that was the challenge. The clock on the wall read 1823.
“It’s half after six….” She rubbed her face and let out a frustrated growl. If she was going to finish it, she required sustenance. She walked down the hallway to the break room vending machine. Grabbing the wire coat hanger hidden on top of the machine, she unfolded it and commenced to knocking a candy bar and bag of Cheetos off the shelf. A huge crash of thunder sent her scurrying back to her lit desk.
Looking out the window, Isla could see the leafless trees whipping about in the wind. Lightning flashed, momentarily lighting up the thick woods at the end of the parking lot. Sipping her soda, she began to turn but stopped short. She thought she had seen someone at the edge of the woods. Chills immediately went down her spine as she remembered suddenly every horror movie she had ever seen. Wind-blasted rain slammed into the window abruptly, causing her to choke on the soda she was drinking. Isla quickly turned back to her desk and turned on the office CD player. Classical music was better than imagining a masked serial killer breathing down her neck.
She began to diligently work on the remaining papers. Becoming absorbed in the repetitive motions. Review, Scan, Enter, Toss. Review, Scan, Enter, Toss. Pausing briefly to finish her soda. She crushed the can as best she could and tossed it across the room. Missing the recycling bin, the can bounced off the hollow locker, causing a very loud BANG. Looking at the can on the floor, she didn’t realize it would have made such a loud racket.
Outside the storm raged on. Rain pelting the windows and thunder crashing. Isla ran over to the can and placed it in the bin. As she stood, she heard a loud BANG, causing a small gasp to escape her lips. She turned around making her way back to the window all the while her eyes nervously searching for the source. She gave a small laugh at her paranoia just as a bolt of lightning struck outside the window. The power went out, sparks flying from the downed power line.
Isla screamed as the lightning hit, throwing her hands over her ears and herself on the ground in anticipation of the thunder. Thunder crashed and again she heard the loud BANG, and this time she was sure it wasn’t thunder.
BANG…and again BANG!
Isla stared, terrified, at the stairwell. The noise was coming from the exit to the parking lot. Some poor soul was trapped out in the storm.
“Oh my God…” she whispered. She hurried to the stairwell exit, flipping the lock. Before she could pull the door, thunder cracked and a gust of wind swung the door open. Cold rain soaked Isla as she cursed, trying to push the thick metal door shut. Just before the door could meet the frame, a large, partially gloved hand forced it open with ease.
Isla screamed, scampering away from the massive figure lingering in the doorway.
Lightning streaked the sky, briefly lightening the stairwell. Horror filled her, her scream stuck in her throat as she saw his mask.
“Storm’s coming.” Leah stated, looking out the window.
“Grrrreeeaaaattttt…” Isla Sloan muttered, pen between her teeth, eyes on the computer screen.
“I gotta get the kids before it pours. Are you good to close everything up?” Leah asked, closing her locker. Isla grunted and nodded at her, glancing at her over her glasses. “Don’t stay too late. I mean it. Shore is really busting people’s balls about overtime and staying alone. I shouldn’t leave you here by yourself-”
“Leigh go get your kids. I’m finishing up the last of these papers, then I’m going the hell home.” Isla replied, holding up a small stack of papers and waving them.
Leah sighed and headed towards the stairwell exit. “See you tomorrow.” She left.
Isla shook her head and chomped down on her pen as she began to transfer the lab data into the computer. Lightning flashed, thunder following seconds later causing her to jump slightly at the closeness of it. This was going to be a long night. She saved her data and unhooked the power cord from her laptop. ‘Just in case.’
Leaning back in her chair, she looked at the other stack of papers that she hid from Leah. She needed the overtime pay she would no doubt receive after finishing the data entry, it was making herself do it in a timely manner that was the challenge. The clock on the wall read 1823.
“It’s half after six….” She rubbed her face and let out a frustrated growl. If she was going to finish it, she required sustenance. She walked down the hallway to the break room vending machine. Grabbing the wire coat hanger hidden on top of the machine, she unfolded it and commenced to knocking a candy bar and bag of Cheetos off the shelf. A huge crash of thunder sent her scurrying back to her lit desk.
Looking out the window, Isla could see the leafless trees whipping about in the wind. Lightning flashed, momentarily lighting up the thick woods at the end of the parking lot. Sipping her soda, she began to turn but stopped short. She thought she had seen someone at the edge of the woods. Chills immediately went down her spine as she remembered suddenly every horror movie she had ever seen. Wind-blasted rain slammed into the window abruptly, causing her to choke on the soda she was drinking. Isla quickly turned back to her desk and turned on the office CD player. Classical music was better than imagining a masked serial killer breathing down her neck.
She began to diligently work on the remaining papers. Becoming absorbed in the repetitive motions. Review, Scan, Enter, Toss. Review, Scan, Enter, Toss. Pausing briefly to finish her soda. She crushed the can as best she could and tossed it across the room. Missing the recycling bin, the can bounced off the hollow locker, causing a very loud BANG. Looking at the can on the floor, she didn’t realize it would have made such a loud racket.
Outside the storm raged on. Rain pelting the windows and thunder crashing. Isla ran over to the can and placed it in the bin. As she stood, she heard a loud BANG, causing a small gasp to escape her lips. She turned around making her way back to the window all the while her eyes nervously searching for the source. She gave a small laugh at her paranoia just as a bolt of lightning struck outside the window. The power went out, sparks flying from the downed power line.
Isla screamed as the lightning hit, throwing her hands over her ears and herself on the ground in anticipation of the thunder. Thunder crashed and again she heard the loud BANG, and this time she was sure it wasn’t thunder.
BANG…and again BANG!
Isla stared, terrified, at the stairwell. The noise was coming from the exit to the parking lot. Some poor soul was trapped out in the storm.
“Oh my God…” she whispered. She hurried to the stairwell exit, flipping the lock. Before she could pull the door, thunder cracked and a gust of wind swung the door open. Cold rain soaked Isla as she cursed, trying to push the thick metal door shut. Just before the door could meet the frame, a large, partially gloved hand forced it open with ease.
Isla screamed, scampering away from the massive figure lingering in the doorway.
Lightning streaked the sky, briefly lightening the stairwell. Horror filled her, her scream stuck in her throat as she saw his mask.
♠ ♠ ♠
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