Copyright © 2006 Damien Roth
All rights reserved, Freya's Bower.
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Stephanie Richardson looked at her computer screen one more time to make sure she’d activated her screensaver, then turned off her monitor, stood, and gathered her things. She stretched, wincing at the twinge that went shooting through her lower back. Have to get that checked out sometime, she thought—all the while knowing she wouldn’t bother. Her back always hurt after a long day at work. Seeing as how she’d been at the office since 8:00 that morning, and the clock on her phone now read 7:45 pm, it was no wonder she was stiff and sore.
She took one last look at her desk to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind. Satisfied that she had herself together, she flipped off the lights on her side of the office and trudged to the door leading to the back hallway.
Last one leaving again!
When she arrived at the door, Stephanie found that it was locked. She remembered that it automatically locked at 7:00 pm now ever since one of the cleaning crew had spotted someone wandering around in that same back hallway last week. The intruder escaped without being identified, but as a result, the managing partners decided to set all the doors to lock automatically at 7:00—except for the front door. That door led into the main lobby of the Arkmund Building, and there was always a security guard stationed at the main desk.
Sighing again, Stephanie headed for the elevator leading to the main lobby. The security station was right next to the parking garage, and because she was usually the first one in the office—actually, she was usually one of the first ones in the building, except for the cleaning crew—Stephanie almost always had a great parking spot. Plus, she felt much safer knowing that someone was there to protect her when she decided to work late.
Then again, it might be kind of exciting to hook up with a stranger...someone who would caress me and whisper in my ear as I struggle to figure out who he is...
“...honey?”