REM

Monday Madness

"Sir, I need you to remain calm and tell me anything that you remember from earlier." The Police officer's words registered, but I was still hesitant to recall the events that transpired before he and his counterparts arrived.

"I–" I inhaled, my breathing still a bit shaky as a medic continued to check my blood pressure.

"It's okay," assured the officer. "Just start from the beginning. Anything you remember. Anything at all. If you remember something at a later time we can always add it to the report then. You've had a rough night, no need to stress about getting all the facts straight right now." He nodded toward me.

"I was–" Rubbing my free hand over my face, I wished I could rewind the night to prevent it from ever happening. "I was in the back of the warehouse. We were getting ready to go home for the night when the power went out."

The medic removed her equipment from my arm. "He should be fine for now," she directed at the officer. "I'll come back when you're done."

"Thanks," he replied before turning back to face me.

Staring at the ground, I recalled how the lights went out instantly. "Usually the emergency light stays on in the back, but it didn't. That's when I knew there was something wrong. At first I thought it was a power outage, but then I saw the flashlight beams coming from the back of the warehouse by the bay door."

"What did you do next?"

I stared at the officer's shoes as I continued to sit on the rear of the ambulance. "I began to panic. I ran back into the lunchroom and ducked down behind the door. It swings inward, so I was hoping to hide behind it." There was a pause before I added, "At some point I grabbed my knife for cutting open boxes."

"You were scared for your life?"

Looking up at the officer I nodded. "Yeah."

"Did you know where the other employee was who closed with you?"

"No." I shook my head as I looked away from him. "I had no idea, so I was worried about her as well. But there wasn't much I could do if the intruders had weapons. They could have killed me."

"You're right, they could have. You did the right thing."

I wasn't so sure of that, but we did both make it out alive, despite her getting hit in the head by one of the intruders. I found that out once the Police arrived and found the two of us. She was unconscious near the washroom and I was curled up under the lunchroom table.

"What happened next?"

"Eventually one of them found me," I replied. "I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late. I was scared for my life." Lifting my head up, I made eye contact with the officer. "My life was in danger."

"It was. You did everything in self–defense. You're not going to be charged for what you did to that man."

Man... he was wearing a clown mask. I had no clue what he looked like, even after I plunged my work knife into his face so many times I lost count. The only reason I stopped was because the blade eventually snapped off becoming lodged somewhere in his face. Behind the mask was an unrecognizable face after how many times I stabbed — or cut — the bastard. He deserved it. But I didn't deserve having to live with what I did to him.

I'm glad he was wearing a mask. If I had seen his face after what I did I don't think I would be as calm as I am right now. And by calm, I mean shaking legs, but my head isn't on a swivel anymore. I was so close to going home after a long day at work, then this happened. And of course it had to happen on a Monday. What a great way to start the week...

"Are you okay?" asked the officer.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked to him. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"I'm going to send the medic back over here. After I get a statement from your coworker I'll allow you both a break until we get to the hospital. If I need to speak to you again I will do so after a doctor says I can."

I nodded to acknowledge his plan, then waited for the medic to return. As she began to walk toward me, I watched as the officer made his way over to my coworker. She seemed to be doing all right considering she got hit in the head. I guess we should both consider ourselves pretty lucky considering all that happened tonight. No one is going to believe what happened to us when we go into work again. And to think, they'll ask just as many questions as the officer. Maybe I should take a few days off and pretend I was sick.