"Would you consider it?" the voice murmurs. Her brown eyes flicker from the ceiling to the paper before her.
"Consider it? Yes, I may. Actually do it is a different matter altogether," she shrugs silently. She can feel his lips curling.
"For now, that is enough," he replies. She senses him no longer. Gingerly pushing a wild strand from her face, she twists her own lips in wonder.
He appears from nowhere, unlike the others. Or at least, she thinks it nowhere. It is anything but, and she knows that. Everyone comes from somewhere.
"Except you, it seems," she states offhandedly. The gazes of coworkers land on her for a few seconds then return to their duty. Her fingers twirl the blue, felt tip pen. "You are from the Land of Nothing."
"You alright?" Alexis asks, appearing with an eyebrow raised. She smiles, nodding. "Lunch time."
"Meet you in the break room?" she asks, gaining a nod from her friend. She rises from her seat, stretches. "It'd be easier if I knew you," she mutters, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She counts, "One, two, three..." The colour 32 coloured tiles lead to her destination.
"What'd you bring?" Alexis asks as she runs her slender fingers through her dark hair. She pulls her bag off, drops it onto the table and stretches again, exposing the scar on her side along with the top of her tattoo.
"Mystery Leftovers," she groans, slumping into her chair. Her friend laughs, head shaking. "From my earlier observations, life form was still not located, making it edible."
"Let's hope that still holds true," Alexis adds, biting into her grilled cheese sandwich.
"The only thing you'll find," she continued, "is stiff spaghetti, organic tomato sauce, garlic toast bits, parmesan cheese and confusion." She places her fork next to her plate. "Radioactive waves will solve this." She picks her Tupperware and herself up, turning to the microwave behind Alexis. "It'll also massacre any beginnings of life on this."
"Hey, bacteria have feelings too," Alexis teases.
"I am those bacteria's Hitler," she replies, tossing the plastic bowl in the microwave. "A few may escape, but they won't be the same."
"Dark," Alexis cringes, then winks, tossing a straggling pea at her.
"And that's why I'm loved," she bows, grinning.
"Yes, you are," the voice says softly. She twirls a strand of hair.
"You again," she rolls her eyes.
"What?" Alexis turns, blinking.
"Nothing," she replies with a smile. Her friend gives her a look then returns to her lunch.
"Did you consider it?" he asks.
"I require more than fifteen minutes for that," she thinks.
"Time is essential here," he says.
"You should've come sooner."
"The circumstances were not as they are now."
"Not my problem." She felt a shift in tone.
"It will be when I decide to-"
"Eligia!" Alexis yells.
"What?" she cries, jumping away from the microwave.
"Your food," Alexis says, her calm tone back, "was ready five minutes ago."
"I'm in no hurry," she replies while opening the microwave.
"What's up with you, Eli? You've been spacing out all day," she states, brow creased with worry.
"I've been sleeping with my eyes open. You just don't realize it," Eligia winks, taking her food back to their table. She sits, quickly stuffing her mouth.
"You get weirder by the hour," Alexis sighs, rolling her eyes.
"That's what mum said last night," Eli laughs as she recalls her mother scolding her for using her hair rollers to curl ribbons.
"Tick tock," the voice surfaces.
"Do your countdown elsewhere," she thinks, earning the man's anger. She is alone. In her head, anyways.
"Are we still on for tonight?" Alexis questions, licking her finger clean.
"Definitely. My place," Eli replies, tossing the leftovers in the trash.
"You need to eat more."
"As do you," she replies, poking her friend's ribs as they walk back to their cubicles to finish their day's shift, her thoughts still lingering on the voice.