It was a cold brisk, autumn morning when I arrived at work. I took extra precaution when I left the house this morning and decided to wear a jacket and I made a cup of hot coffee, poured it in my thermos before the morning commute. After a few minutes of driving I arrive at work at about seven thirty in the morning, pulling in I give a sigh of relief as i approach the warehouse on the east side of town.
I grab my satchel, backpack and thermos and head up to the doors unlock them and go on in. I finally make it to my work station where I take my equipment off and place them on the table in front of me. I put my thermos on the cold plastic and turn the television on to try and relax before getting the day started. Normally, I’m not much of a current events guy but today I was unusually curious. I flip on the local news station where the anchor begins going over small stories such as someone new running for city council, a dog found in a back alley that’s now an available for adoption amongst other things.
That’s when my interest peaks, the anchor tells us we have breaking news. I turn my attention and see on the screen a picture a woman in her early to mid twenties, coal black hair, fair skinned. The anchor reports that this woman was last seen two days ago leaving her workplace at the local coffee shop and her family has reported she did not return home and are unable to contact her. The anchor asks anyone with information please contact the local police department.
I drop my head to check the time on my watch, I mumble to myself, “Well, I guess I should get the day started.” And turn off the television. I grab my satchel and head through the double doors into my work area which consists of a room with no windows, plastic wrap covering the floor and a wooden chair sitting in the middle of the room with my colleague for this project sitting in the chair.
I enter the room and approach my colleague who seems to be too exhausted to even notice me. I fumble through my satchel looking for my materials needed for the day. Once I find what I’m looking for I walk over to my colleague, Whitney and gently tap on her to wake her up. She looks at me with her pale blue eyes as I tell her, “Rise and shine, we have work to do.”
She stares at me and a single tear falls down her cheek before her shaky voice asks, “Are they looking for me?” I hesitate to answer as I take a pair of scissors out of my satchel and inspect the binds around her wrists, and run my hand through her hair as dark as the nights sky. I then finally reply, “Yes, but we’re continuing business as usual.” And close the double doors behind me.