ALICE | ONGOING

Chapter 3 - Missing Manager

Alice's shift ended seemingly shortly after. She had lost track of time again. Flashes of the mysterious man kept popping up in her head and had her striving to rid his face from memory.

She wanted to forget about today's event altogether.

It was around 6pm. She quickly got out of uniform, changing back into her clothes, then decided to head towards the manager's office.

As she aproached the door, a wave of nervousness danced up her spine and goosebumps formed on her skin, but she didn't give it thought.

Alice lifted her hand slowly. She decided she would knock, ignoring the 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign that the manager always had on his door when Marco wasn't around.

Once her knuckles connected with the wood, cold sweat tingled her forehead. Uneasiness settled in her stomach as she was standing before the door, worried at the reaction she might get after the scene she caused. She could only imagine what the customer had said to her supervisor.

She pondered over her situation. Even if the manager was annoyed and angry, at least it wasn't reason enough for her to get fired. Right? Marco wouldn't do that to her.

She knocked on the door once again, after getting no response the first time, and waited.

Again, nothing.

She repeated the action harder one more time, and was met with absolute silence. She placed her hand on the knob hesitantly and slowly turned it. Once it clicked open, she waveringly pushed the door, causing it to creak as it opened to reveal a dark and empty room.

She was confused to find that he had already left his office without being noticed. He also didn't inform anyone before he left.

Did he use the emergency exit in the back?

Why would he sneak out?

Questions kept pestering her head, but she couldn't seem to answer any of them.

She flicked the light on and walked further into the small room and started looking around.

She slowly rounded the old desk and returned to its front again. She knew she wasn't supposed to be there, but her curiosity got the best of her.

There was a feeling in her chest that something was off, but she paid no heed to it. Paranoia had become an almost everyday occurrence after losing her father.

Alice gave up her search of Mr. Jones and decided to leave the office to not get herself into any more trouble.

He would be there the next day anyway.

She turned around and started walking to the door, her eyes on the floor.

She caught glimpse of something shining on the floor next to one of the chairs that sat in front of the desk. She bent down to lift it and once she stood up straight she assessed the tiny object.

In her right hand was a cufflink with an intricate pattern and someone's initials engraved on its small surface. A.R. the gold twinkled under the lights. Alice doubted that this belonged to her Me Jones.

She weighed her options and eventually decided to take it home with her, and bring it back to show Mr. Jones the next day, saying she found if next to a table, despite her subconscious screaming at her to put it back on the floor immediately as if it had never caught her eye. She wasn't supposed to be in this room in the first place.

Alice exited the small office and closed the door on her way out, then made a dart to grab her things before walking out the building.

She silently strode along the short walk to the parking lot where she usually left her car.

But today's events wouldn't stop replaying in her head as she drove patiently until she reached her destination.

After a 30-minute drive, she arrived and exited the car to gaze up at the huge white building before her. The building she had grown accustomed to seeing over the last two years.

She walked to the entrance and stopped to take a deep breath as she came face to face with the red, angry hospital cross once again.

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Another chapter.
Love
xx
E.