Author's Note: Happy birthday to our little mafia princess, Awakusu Akane! Again, I wrote this one while I was on my vacation. I once again got the idea from another saved post on Reddit. It turned out rather short, but I made it work. We keep learning more about Iori-chan. I already dropped a bit of a hint that she's going to show up in the main story. I can't wait for the masses to meet her. I already have the story for Kadota's birthday written. I just need to get to work on the story for Ruri's birthday. I have the title and first couple of lines down. I just need to buckle down and get to work. For now, enjoy this new piece.
Office Hours
-Iori-
I think I'm in my Papa's old office. At least I think it is. I know that I have been here before. I'm not sitting down at least. No. I'm floating this time. I don't know why. I don't know why I am here either.
I looked around. It doesn't look like anyone's been in this office for years. It's just desks and cubicles. It's so strange. I don't think I have seen them in real life. On TV maybe. I think it was on TV. Damn it. Why can't I remember?
Once again, I do not move. It's not that I can't. I just haven't tried. I still haven't figured out why I haven't tried. I can see myself doing it. But my body won't listen. I'm starting to think that something is trying to keep where I keep disappearing to. I don't know who or why.
The silence doesn't make anything better. I paused and took a closer listen. That wasn't silence. I think… No, that is a low humming noise. Where is it coming from? I looked to my left and then my right. I couldn't see anything in sight. There was literately nothing in here. I don't know how long this place has been empty. I think Papa was fired from this office. Was he fired? Was it Papa? Or was that someone else? I don't remember the whole story.
I shouldn't be here either. I have to go back. But where did I come from? Whoever or whatever keeps putting me here always takes my memories away. But I don't know why. What don't they want me to remember?
"Please let me go home."
I want to say that. I want to scream that. But my lips are forced closed. I can't move and I can't speak. Please let me go home. Please let me go home!
Suddenly, the buzzing stopped.
Oh no. No. No. No.
I tried to make myself move. My body still wouldn't listen. Even though I couldn't turn my head, I could feel the lights slowly turning off. Not all at once. Just one by one. It was getting darker at my back. Oh crap. They are after me. I could only look forward. The bright of the cubicle walls should have been a comfort for me. Was this the end of me?
That's when something weird happened.
The scenery changed around me. I didn't move. Everything just changed. I was still in the same building, but in a different spot. The lights were dimmer around me. I'm in the lobby? There was a chair and a side table next to it. Across from that was a window into another room. I tried to look into said window, but I couldn't see a thing.
It wasn't going dark in here. (I wasn't holding my breath for that one.) There isn't that buzzing noise either. I didn't know what to do. How do I get out of here? I want to go home.
But where is home?
I tried to make myself run but my body wouldn't move. Why won't you let me go? Why do you keep me here? I don't want to be here anymore!
The scenery around me changed again. I was back in the office space. I saw desks on either side of me. Why did I get taken back here? I want to go home.
But where is home?
I… I don't know! I can see myself screaming in my head.
I flopped back onto my bed. I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's starting to happen more often. If I had a way to control it somehow…
Suddenly, my phone pinged. I reached over and looked at the screen. Huh? I got a new email. I tapped the screen and opened it.
What is this?