E Virus: The Diary of a Modern Day Girl (The Beginning of the End)

by Ward, Jessica

  That day, out of 30 office based employees, only 5 of us turned up. I had no choice but to go in that day. I was the only one who had keys to the office, and I needed to lock up.

  The roads were extremely quiet that morning, in the 8 miles it took me to get to work, I only saw 3 other cars on the road for my entire car journey. There wasn’t a single soul on the road or pavement. For a Monday this was very unusual.

  The atmosphere in the office was also a lot quieter than usual. Judging from the staff turnout, most people hadn’t even bothered to turn up. My fiancé Nick had decided to work from home that day. I secretly wished I had done the same.

  I sat myself down at my desk after swapping pleasantries with my colleagues. I switched my computer on and looked around me. Joyce had come in and was hanging her coat up on the other side of the office.

  Diane was sat at her desk, a few rows in front of me. She looked very pale, her eyes were reddening, and she was wiping them as if she had been crying. I would have gone over and comforted her, had she not been the heartless bitch we all knew. It sounds awful, but I didn’t feel a shred of compassion for her, like everyone else in here, I hated her.

  I had my reasons. She made everyone’s life miserable; she took great pleasure in it. She was a vicious, over opinionated, evil bitch.

  So why did I hate her? Well shortly after I started with the company, once I got settled in. I was approached by the directors to undertake a highly confidential task. They wanted me to audit the phone lines, to make sure the calls were being handled correctly. I had a background in customer service and they thought that I would give them the most honest feedback, and remain impartial. I agreed and as usual, got on with my work. Once the results were in, her calls weren’t looking so good. She was heard being rude and arrogant to customers, even putting the phone down on potential clients once or twice.

  Now, I didn’t know her very well at this point. We had spoken once or twice if that and I knew nothing about who she was, or what she did in the company.

  Anyway, her telephone manner didn’t go down very well with the directors at all. As far as I was concerned it wasn’t my problem. I had done what I had been asked to do, it wasn’t personal. I never pointed fingers or named names; I just wrote my report and included the recordings as evidence. At the end of the day, if we were losing business we needed to know about it.

  When she found out I had written the report, rather than come to me about it, she decided to take her revenge. She started spreading a rumour around that I was sleeping with one of the directors, she had the audacity to say that the only reason I was getting ahead was because of my so called affair.

  I was completely outraged. I had recently got engaged, and was perfectly happy in my own relationship. I couldn’t even look at anyone else, let alone sleep with them. It took weeks for me to put an end to the rumours, my stress levels were rocketing. Of course, I told my fiancé Nick as soon as the rumours came to light. He was as angry as I was, but he was extremely supportive of me, as always.

  Anyway, by this time Joyce had made her way over to me, and plonked herself on her desk, just next to mine.

  “How are you coping, chicken?” She whispered to me. I could tell she was worried, she looked like she hadn’t slept a wink.

  “Surviving, as usual” I smiled weakly. “Are you ok?” I asked now concerned.

  She looked at me and shook her head “A few days ago Bobby went to Wolverhampton, to see his girlfriend. While all this was all going on in London! I told him not to go. He said he would be fine, but it’s been 2 days and I haven’t heard from him.” She blurted out as she sobbed.

  Bobby is her son; he’s about the same age as me, quite tall but looked very young for his age. Joyce lived for her children; they were all she could talk about. She was so proud of them. She was a strong woman and kept her family close to her heart.

  “Oh Joyce, I’m sorry to hear that” I replied giving her a hug. “The phone lines have been a nightmare lately, you know this. I’m sure he’s perfectly safe, he can look after himself. I bet he’s more worried about you right now”

  I tried to comfort her, but I knew my efforts could do no good. Nothing could ease her stress until her son was home safe.

  Joyce looked up at me, “yes your right, I’m just being daft, I’ll be ok don’t you worry”. She looked over to Diane who now looked like she was burning up. “What’s wrong with her?” she asked me changing the subject. I could in tell in the way she said her with such disgust, that she shared the same opinion I did.

  I shrugged my shoulders “I have no idea; I haven’t even spoken to her today. She doesn’t look good though does she?”

  “I better go clean myself up and ask if she’s ok” Joyce said rolling her eyes. “Can I get you a brew love?” she asked as she stood up. I smiled and nodded as she picked my mug up and walked towards Diane.

  I logged into my computer to check my email. I had no new emails. Usually my inbox has about 50 new emails every morning, I couldn’t understand it, why didn’t I have any? I clicked my send and receive button, just to make sure, but still nothing.

  “Easy day for me then” I sighed.

  Joyce wandered back over to me. “She doesn’t look right at all, she’s burning up! She says she’s ok to work, but I don’t think she should be here” Joyce said.

  “Wish she wasn’t here, I thought she was crying earlier but then figured it can’t be, she doesn’t even have tear ducts!” I whispered bitchily, trying to cheer her up. Joyce smiled as she handed my mug back. “Have you been buying new shoes again?” she asked looking down, changing the subject completely.

  “erm… no?” I replied sheepishly. Out of the 60 odd pairs of shoes I have, I could have sworn she memorized each pair. She had eyes like a hawk.

  “You can’t fool me. I don’t know how that fiancé of yours keeps letting you buy them, you have more than enough.” She carried on “I keep telling you this, why won’t you listen. You should put your money to better use my love. They are lovely though I can’t deny that”

  Joyce never understood my love of shoes. She always said I had far too many, even when I complained I didn’t have enough. I couldn’t help myself. As Marilyn Monroe once said “Give a girl a pair of shoes and she can conquer the world”

  An hour or two passed. Neither of us said a word. Throughout the whole office all you could hear was the clicking and clacking of various keyboards. In the silent office, the sound was echoing. The phone didn’t ring once.

  All of a sudden we heard a gasp. Joyce and I looked up at the same time. Diane was sat, still at her desk with blood pouring out her nose. She was frantically trying to clear it up. She then she grabbed her bag and pulled a handful of tissue out, put it on her nose, grabbed her keys and ran out.

  “Told her she shouldn’t have been here” Joyce remarked “Now look at the mess she’s left, inconsiderate cow” she tutted.

  Now I don’t know a great deal about why Joyce has such strong feelings towards Diane. But from what I have seen of her I couldn’t blame her one bit.

  Joyce never mentioned what had happened between them. Joyce wouldn’t say boo to a goose, however get her in the same room as Diane and all hell breaks loose.

  Another hour or so later, and me and Joyce were the only ones left in the building.

  “Right I think it’s time we called it a day, don’t you?” I turned to Joyce.

  “Yes I think you’re right, not a lot we can do and to be honest love, I’d rather be at home. Just in case Bobby turns up” Joyce replied.

  “Ok, sounds good. Would you mind making sure everything is ok here, and I will do a quick walkthrough of the factory and make sure everything’s secure?” I asked. Joyce nodded.

  I made my way down the stairs and onto the corridor leading to the factory floor. As soon as I turned the corner I looked down and saw the wad of bloody tissues Diane had run away with. That’s disgusting, I thought to myself. Spots of blood trailed its way down the co
rridor and towards the factory.

  “That’s weird” I said to no one in particular. “Why would she head to towards the factory when the exit is the other way?”

  I quickly dismissed it as I remembered that there is an industrial paper dispenser in the entrance of the factory. “Obviously needed more” I thought to myself.

  I made my way onto the factory. Even on a normal day it had an eerie feeling. It spanned across 4 units and without any of the machinery working it was as quiet as a mouse.

  I made my way through the factory, glancing at each door as I walked past. This wasn’t my favourite job at the best of times; I always hated walking around such a large old building on my own. It reminded me of the countless horror films I’d seen where the typical damsel in distress walks in unaware, and is met with her gruesome and untimely death.

  I listened out for any sounds as I walked through. The sound of my stilettos against the concrete floor echoed all around me.

  I walked into the second unit. A few steps into this unit and I heard an ear-splitting clunk. I stopped dead in my tracks; I felt my heart drop to my stomach. The lights suddenly came on illuminating all the remaining units ahead of me.

  I looked around me. Everything was silent, and how it should be. I finally realised the sound I heard was the motion sensors in the building, switching on the lights. I let out a sigh of relief and carried on with my checks.

  I headed over to the shipping area, the gates were locked. The chain link fence that separates the shipping area from the factory was as it should be. It was still too quiet for my liking. I picked up my pace, eager to get out the office and on my way home.

  I only had one unit to go. Then I was home free. As I walked through the printing area and into the packaging store I started to get the feeling I wasn’t alone.

  I ignored it, keen to get back home and see the back end of this day, I carried on. I looked all around checking off each door as I passed.

  I started to hear a dripping noise coming from the far corner of the factory. It sounded as if water was coming through from above and hitting a steel rail on its way down. This was a completely normal sound, as our roof was full of holes. On rainy days it was common to see buckets scattered all around the factory floor catching various droplets that come through.

  What wasn’t normal was the fact I was hearing this sound, yet it hadn’t rained for months. I decided not to investigate. I wasn’t about to spend more time than I needed to chasing after phantom droplets.

  I carried on towards the entrance of the factory where I first came from. The dripping noises seemed to be getting louder, the closer I got to the entrance.

  I got halfway to the entrance when I looked up. There on the metal spiral staircase, leading up to the office was Diane hunched over a man lying half way up the stairs. On closer inspection I realised, it was John the caretaker.

  Something about the whole situation didn’t look right. I was about to run up to them to find out what had happened, when I realised the sound of dripping water was coming from them. More specifically, it was coming from John. I followed the drops down with my eyes and noticed a dark puddle forming just underneath them.

  It didn’t take me long to realise what this was and what was happening. He hadn’t moved at all since I saw them, the puddle was most definitely blood. My eyes shifted back to Diane. She hadn’t noticed me as she was far too engrossed chewing on Johns arm.

  I stood there, not daring to move. I could hear the sound of muscle being bitten into; it was as if she was biting into a fresh juicy peach. That thought alone put me off peach for life. More blood poured out her mouth and from his arm, the sound of bone grinding against her teeth was like nails on a chalk board, as she bit down even further I could hear the crunching and snapping of even more bones.

  I felt sick, not daring to move in case I made my presence known. She hadn’t even glanced in my direction so I knew I was ok for now, as long as she didn’t notice me.

  I needed to get out, however, every step I took could be heard. I looked down and decided the shoes needed to go.

  I slowly slid my black stilettos off, balancing on each foot whilst I slid the other foot out, trying my hardest not to make a sound.

  It was clear that the only way I would be able to get past her would be to sneak around the factory unnoticed and slip out the entrance.

  Luckily the staircase she was currently grazing on was an emergency exit only. No one ever used that as an entrance to the office, and I knew it could only be opened from inside the office. It meant Joyce was safe.

  All I needed to do was slip out the factory and into the office, grab my keys and go.

  I picked up my abandoned heels and started to walk slowly to the other side of the factory, never taking my eyes of Diane. She carried on eating paying me no attention at all.

  I paid close attention to the floor. I was completely bare foot and the last thing I needed was a loose nail jabbing me in the foot.

  I maneuvered around the machinery, crouching down so I couldn’t be seen. Every so often I’d stop, just to check she was still there.

  Before long I was near the factory entrance and on the home straight. I looked up again to make sure Diane was still preoccupied with the remains of our once lovable caretaker.

  She was still next to John however her focus was now on me. I froze. She tilted her head and looked at me curiously.

  I didn’t give her a chance to figure out what was going on. Jumping over the last pieces of machinery, I ran through the corridor and upstairs to Joyce.

  “We need to go NOW” I hissed.

  “What’s going on Love, you look a bit peachy?” she asked surprised.

  “I don’t have time to explain, and I don’t really know what’s happening, it’s not safe Joyce we need to go!” I was pretty much pulling her out of the door at this point.

  Before she had time to protest we heard a thud against the glass in the office. It was coming from the staircase where Diane was.

  Diane was stood at the window which overlooks the factory, smearing her blood soaked hands over the glass. She looked like she was trying to bite her way through the door. When she realised this wasn’t working, she started banging her head against the glass instead.

  We stood watching her for a few seconds, until cracks started to appear within the glass.

  “Let’s go!” I pulled at Joyce one last time and we both ran out the building and towards our cars as fast as we could.

  As soon as we got to the cars she looked at me. “I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is. It’s here. I want you to get in your car now and drive home. Don’t stop for anyone just get there. I’ll do the same.”

  I wasn’t going to argue with her, I’ve never seen her speak so forcefully.

  Her toned softened “I don’t want anything to happen to you chicken, just promise me you’ll stay safe and do as I say. Text me when you get home so I know your safe”

  I nodded, with that we both got into our cars and went our separate ways.

  As I drove home, the scene before me was unreal. As I was driving through villages, people were running into the road, breaking into shops and screaming and shouting.

  I did as Joyce said; I didn’t stop for anyone at all. I had to swerve countless times to avoid pedestrians running out in front of my car.

  Once or twice I had to stop the car completely as people banged on the bonnet of my car screaming to be let in.

  I threw my car into reverse and drove around them. It was complete madness outside; I knew I couldn’t trust anyone. I just needed to get home.

  Chapter 3 - Holding Up

  I finally pulled up in the car park to our apartment block. I decided to park in the space nearest to the apartments. I figured it would come in useful for a quick getaway if necessary. It wasn't my official allocated space, but I didn't care. I'm sure the couple whose space this was, were already long gone.

  I looked all around me; my heart was st
ill beating out my chest. The whole complex seemed quiet. Luckily most of the people who lived here, were all professionals of some sort. Most would still be at work, those who weren't must have already left to find family members, or anyone who was of importance to them.

  I didn't stay long enough to find out; I sat there a few seconds, too terrified to move. I took a deep breath and threw my door open. I tried to launch myself out the car and to the entrance door, which was literally a few yards away. I pushed off from my steering wheel, about to make a run for it, only to be violently pulled back into my seat.

  Perfect. I was trapped. My heart stopped. I thought that was the end for me. I couldn't even let out a scream, the fear was paralysing.

  I sat waiting to feel cold hands tearing at my clothes, gripping onto me before hungrily biting down on my shoulders and neck. Succumbing me to the virus that had already taken millions.

  I waited a couple of seconds, but nothing happened. “What the hell is going on?” I asked myself.

  I looked down, and I realised. I hadn't taken my seatbelt off. A gush of relief ran through me. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. I quickly undid the belt and grabbed my keys. My mind was starting to think rationally again. I found the door key and made my way swiftly, into the entrance.

  My apartment was the first door at the top of the staircase. I couldn't hear a thing from any of the other homes so I started to make my way up the stairs. All of a sudden, I started to hear rustling coming from the corridor below. On any other day I would have completely ignored it. It was normal; people come in and out all the time. But right now, nothing was normal. I picked up my pace and let myself in.

  As soon as I got through the door, I turned and slammed it shut, as fast as I could. For the first time since living there, I used the second deadlock on the door. I was safe for now.

  I looked around the flat. Everything was how I left it. I looked up, and there in the doorway was my fiancé Nick. He looked at me and smiled. That cheesy grin I first fell in love with. Of course he had seen from the window, my whole seatbelt fiasco. He had seen my struggle and my pathetic dash for safety.