Toto and the Boys I: Jackie

Chapter 3

Since she promised she would pass a fantastic report that would blow Dean Gamboa's mind--literally, she hoped--she stayed in late. Karen had already left and so did Joseph, after he had a long meeting with Dean Gamboa.

The good thing about Joseph was that he never held grudges. He knew she was already aware of the severity of her situation so he didn't add to her frustrations by giving her a speech that started with, 'I told you so...". One by one, everyone started to say goodbye.

When she first read the report she did last night, she had to agree with her boss. It was crap. She was not bad in grammar, but her English teachers would definitely start a revolution if they read the report. All possible errors were present in it.

"And I'm going to fix you," she muttered to herself as she started a new document. There was no time for her to do the report earlier because Joseph had a lot of things for her to do now that a new project had just landed on their team. She had searched for great restaurants around the city that could accommodate a hundred or so people. And it was no easy task. Most of the restaurants weren't capable of such a large number, while those who could want a definite assurance that they would not cancel the reservation before the date of the event.

Jackie was busily attacking her keyboard when she heard sounds from the Devil's Room. She frowned.

He's still here?

Of course, he was still there. Apparently, he was done for the day and he was going home. Jackie checked her orange table clock. It was almost seven!

"You're not going home yet?" asked the devil himself.

Though his shadow was almost palpable, she did not bother to turn her head and look at him. "No, because I apparently need to finish my work behind my desk," she answered and she hoped her voice was laced with sarcasm, enough so as he would get the message but not fire her at the same time.

"You can continue that tomorrow, Miss Ramos," he said in his usual dead-pan voice.

"That's okay, I am not in a hurry to go home just yet," she answered and continued with her work.

There was a long silence before he said, "Turn off the lights before you leave." Without another word, she heard his footsteps walking away.

He was just entering the elevator when she decided to turn her head. "God! I hope it gets stuck. He deserves a nice evening inside a cold elevator!" she uttered allowed as the doors closed.

Now that she was completely alone, Jackie felt a little afraid. Sure, she heard ghost stories concerning their floor, but it never occurred to her in the past that she could experience one because

She shook the creepy feeling away and focused on her work. She had to go home by eight.

After almost five calls from Dannie and three from George, she finally decided her work was done. She checked the time again.

"Shit!" It was almost nine. She hurriedly saved her file, printed the report, threw it inside a new orange folder, and turned off the computer. While she was waiting for the windows to shut down, she heard a sound near the elevator. She turned her head to check it out. There was no one there.

The creepy feeling returned so she took her phone and dialed George's number.

"Where are you?" her friend demanded.

"You should be home by now, right? You should have picked us up earlier as well."

"I know. But I had to finish some work."

"You always bring your work home."

"This time, I can't."

"How come?"