I woke up without any remembrance of a dream for the next two days, and Thursday morning I got out of bed figuring the strung together dreams were just a coincidence and perhaps it happened to other people but just not me, (until now.) I walked into the office holding a mug that said, “Off-Limits” filled to the brim with coffee, (well, it was filled to the brim when I left my house.) This was a signal to my co-workers not to bug me. Marie walked up to me quickly with her mouth open, glanced at my mug, closed her mouth, and handed me a stack of papers. I looked at them and asked, “When are these due?”
“Um...Tuesday, I guess.”
“Okay then. I’m doing them right now.” I handed the papers back to Marie and walked into my office. Marie set the papers down on her desk and looked into my office through the glass with a worried expression, like she really needed to tell me something but knew it would bug me and didn’t want to get yelled at. I sighed, rolled over to the door, and said, “WHAT, Marie?” She hurried over and told me what it was I needed to do this morning.
At 3:00, Marie came into the meeting office and knocked on the already open door. I looked up from my spot at the head of the table and said, “What is it, Marie? We’re a little busy here.” I was not in a good mood. I had been hoping a frapuccino at lunch would have given me a lift, but I didn’t have time to get one because even my lunch break was packed today, so I remained grumpy and touchy. “Mik-” she paused, looking at the men in suits sitting at the table with me and said, “You client is here. Should I tell him to wait?” I rolled my eyes, “He’s early. He can wait.” She nodded and closed the door, running elegantly down the hall to the entrance room. I sighed and turned back to the man closest to me, “Sorry, sir, you were saying?”
I walked out of the office and shook the hands of each of the five men, smiling tiredly. As they all left the office, a man with black hair and green eyes smiled at each of them, nodding as they walked past him. Suddenly, I lightened. I walked over to him and actually smiled for the first time that day. “Hello,” I said, “I’m Daniella.” I put out my hand and he shook it firmly, staring at me. I blushed slightly and put on a work face. “Alright, what did you want to meet with me about?” Marie walked behind him towards her desk, (which she had just conveniently left just to wink at me). “Aw, yes.” Mika followed me as I headed toward my office. I sat down in my chair and he sat down in front of my desk. “I have not actually written it yet, but I decided I wanted to write a novel and thought that maybe you could help me.” My eyebrows rose. “I’m a publisher, Mr....”
“Just Mika.”
“Alright then, Mika. I don’t help people write books, I just publish them.”
“Oh, yes, I understand that. I just thought maybe you could tell me as I’m writing it whether I should change things to make it more like something you would publish. I could write and entry and then bring it to you, and you could tell me whether its fabulous or needs some serious changes.” I shook my head, “I don’t know, you would have to be really...really talented in order for me to give up that much of my time to help you with this.” He nodded, “Alright. You can turn me down right now, if you’d like, but could I just ask you to look at what I’ve written so far? Its not much, but...”
“Do you have it with you?”
“Oh, yes.” He reached into the fat folder he was carrying, (much like Marie’s Me folder),
and pulled out a single typed page. I took it, surprised by how little he had written. I read quickly through the first paragraph and then looked up Mika, shock crossed over my face. His eyebrows rose, “What’s wrong?” I swallowed, “Oh, um...its just...uh, very good.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Tell you what, I’m going to help you. Why don’t you come to me the next time you’ve written something and I’ll tell you what to...change.” He smiled, “Thank you! I know this isn’t very professional and kind of a nuisance, and I’m sorry about that, but I really aprreciate-”
“Its no problem at all. I’ll see you soon, Mika, but I’m afraid I have to get back to work now.” He nodded, “Oh that’s right, you have a very busy day. Alright. Thanks so much, Danny!” He smiled widely and stared at me for a moment before leaving. As he was walking out, I put my head in my hands and breathed in deeply. My head shot up, “Wait! Mika!” I called out, jumping up and stepping out of my office. He turned and the whole office looked up. I blushed, “Could I have that copy?” He blinked. “Oh. Yes, of course.” He smiled and handed me the sheet, then turned and walked away. I walked into my office, closing the door quietly behind me, and then pulled out the paper and stared at it.
It read:
Lights flashing...music blasting...where am I?
Three AM. The place is loud, filled with music; hollering people, and a few losers attempting karaoke even though the microphones clearly don’t work. I get up and look around. I’m surrounded by people, shoulder to shoulder. ‘Right Round’ by Flo Rida is playing over the loud speakers, drowning out any possibility of eavesdropping without being a centimeter from the mouth of the person you’re trying to hear. What the heck is going on?
“Where are you?” a man in jeans and a baggy shirt yells in my face. I check his ears for a bluetooth, but he doesn’t have one. I shrug, “I don’t know. Where are you?” He shrugs also, “I’m not sure, that’s why I was asking you.”
Right Round plays over and over. Nothing else but it. Thankfully, I don’t believe the song to be half-bad, so I can deal with it repeating. What I can’t deal with is this absurd party, these absurd people, and how absurd it is that I don’t know what’s going on...and neither does anyone else.
The walls are purple with blue polka-a-dots. Every time I walk by a door, someone jumps out and says, “I FOUND YOU!” Finally, I walk to the end of a hallway and find a door. I try the handle. Its unlocked, but there’s no one inside. I find a letter and reach for it...I pick up the letter and unfold it. “Peek” it says in big red letters. It is addressed to me and signed from ‘ISY’. It has a key and a map. I take out the key and turn it around, observing every curl on the top and every indent on the bottom. I stick it in my pocket and fold the letter up into eighths, sticking it in my shoe. I look around the strange room and see a big blue bed that is at least four feet off the floor. It looks soft and I am suddenly filled with an overwhelming exhaustion. I sigh and walk over to the bed. There is a large ladder leaning against the wall, much larger than the bed. I take it and lean it against the bed. I climb up until I can get onto the bed and then I tuck myself into the soft, down covers and push the ladder onto the ground with a clatter. I start melting into the bed, literally. The covers pile onto me and I sink deeper and deeper until I am certain I am down lower than the floor. I smile, content. The music from the rest of the house is silenced and it is dark underneath all the covers. “What was that loud noise?” I hear someone scream, and the door to the room is opened, letting in the song ‘Smile’ by Uncle Kracker. I smile and fall into a deep sleep.
© 2010
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