Burning Red

FOR THE past two weeks, I’m working, like usual, but there is something odd about what I feel, like, I’m missing something. I tried to trace where I was brought when I got into an accident, but no one, I mean nobody knows where I was admitted.

However, I can’t believe I was just really admitted to a hospital, I mean, I woke up from my bed, yes, I felt sore, and my body ache so much like I went from a marathon.

Did my memory is messing with me?

I can remember everything, except that day, I allegedly got into an accident, another thing, when I’m seeing our President—Zachary, my head is aching so bad, I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence, or what, I avoided him after three days of seeing him every day.

“Vera, are you coming to the team building?” Yana approached me, like usual, she was carrying a pile of documents.

“Isn’t it mandatory?” she chuckled and nodded, I rolled my eyes, “I don’t have a choice then,”

“Don’t worry, you’ll love it there, I mean, every year, we were conducting team building at different venue, but this time, I heard, it will be a more isolated one,”

“Where?” I curiously asked.

“Hmm, if I’m not mistaken, it will be on Pacifio north, isolated woods, in the middle of the border line of south and north pacifio and Callio,”

“When do you plan to finish that up? Do you have time for gossiping, without even finishing your task? What an absurd employee,” we don’t have to look behind to know who was, we chuckled and rolled our eyes.

“I’ll talk to you later, Vera, I can’t let the employee of the moment get mad at me, it will be the death of me, oh my god,”

“Are you insulting me, because you didn’t get the award? Oh come on, you really thought, you’ll get it this year? It is always me, Yana,”

“Well, Allian, I don’t need any award, I don’t use my legs to get those, at least,”

Allian’s face instantly went red, “How dare you, fucking bitch!” some of our colleagues were looking in our direction.

Yana shrugged, “Just stating a fact, I’ll go ahead,” Allian angrily stomped her feet, and look in Yana’s direction, if looks could kill, we will be all dead.

I didn’t bother to look at Allian again, I just tried to focus on my job, which I succeed, I finish off my day, and cleaned up my table before I exited the floor. I was about to push the close button when I saw Julian coming towards the elevator.

“Ms. Everleigh, for a while,” I nodded, and hold still with the button, I thought he was alone, I was taken aback when Zachary swiftly enter, without a sound, “Ground floor please,” I obeyed without a word.

I made sure that there is enough space between me and Zachary. My head is starting to spin again, I bite my lip and held tight on the edge of the elevator.

“You seemed pale, Ms. Everleigh, are you fine?” I almost screamed when I heard Julian speak, without looking at me, “Your breathing was uneven, I can hear it from here,” he’s right, I realized I’m breathing too loud, like some kind of a high school loser.

“I’m fine, thanks for the concern,” I tried to speak casually, setting aside whatever I feel.

“Something’s wrong?” I bite my lip and closed my eyes to stop myself from looking up to the man who just spoke right now.

“Nothing, sir,” I answered briefly.

“Hmm, there is something wrong, you want to get check?” I gritted my teeth, and for some unknown reason, this man is getting on my nerves, I can hear his gnashing teeth, yet mocking laugh, behind that façade question.

“Thank you, but I’d rather stay home and rest, after all, it’s Saturday, and I have two days to rest,” I heard the sound of the elevator, indicating that I reached my designated floor, “If you will excuse me, I have to go first, have a great night,” I said, and gave him a final glance, before exiting. I saw him, smirking.

What an asshole.

Instead of going home, I went straight to my favorite café, where I’m meeting Sy, I saw her beside the tall tree, my lips curled up, forming a smile, and excitedly went inside. She was busy browsing her phone, and the thought of startling her made it more exciting, I was four steps away behind her when she suddenly turned her head and look behind.

“Vera, you came!” she stood up, and hug me tightly, “It’s been a while, we both became busy, how are you holding up?’

I smiled and sat in front of her, “I’m fine,”

“I got you your favorite, I hope you don’t mind?” she jokingly smirk at me.

My brow furrowed, and chuckled, “When did I mind being treated? I always love eating without any expenses, you’re an angel in disguise,” I mumbled, but enough for her to hear.

“Shut up,” we both laugh.

We catch up for a while before we decided to call it a day, when I got home, I took a bath and decided to wear a black camisole, and red dolphin shorts, I saw my curtain, getting wind up, since my glass door was open. I shrugged and lock it.

Summer is almost ending, and fall is approaching, I hated winter and every time, fall comes on, I’m starting to feel groggy, like everything around me, is bullshit, it’s like having PMS for months, and whoever wants to feel mad for no reason? Not me dude, not me.

I grabbed a book on my shelf before jumping to my bed. I want to take this weekend as my rest. I don’t know, after the said accident, I didn’t even remember happening, I always feel tired, well given that I have a job, to begin with, but it’s a strange feeling, like my energy was being drained, even if I’m just sitting, or even eating when I wake up in the morning.

In the middle of reading my book, I suddenly feel thirsty, I’m about to stand when the wind pushes the curtain, my brow furrowed, how the fuck does a wind escape from a sealed door? The heck, my mind is messing with me again, I closed it, right?

I sighed and stood up, I was about to close the door when the moon caught my attention, it was shining like a diamond, in the middle of darkness, it wasn’t entirely a full moon, most likely, a waxing gibbous, it was both fascinating and interesting.

I shrugged that feeling and close the door, I was about to take a step when I felt my legs weaken, which cause me to fall. I wined at the sudden fall.

“What the actual fuck?!” I angrily looked at the mirror, and when I felt something, there I saw something terrifying, a familiar feeling of fear embracing my chest, that leads to a chest pain, and made my breath uneven.

That red burning pair of eyes, in the darkness—staring straightly at me.