by Y. K. Greene
Still, she sipped her smoothie and tapped the edge of the card on the table, maybe I should go to this place. It was the middle of the week and she had classes but there was something about a summons from Death itself that kinda took priority. The idea of walking away from that kind of call wasn’t really a serious question; she’d have to go just to figure out what funky and convoluted flavor of practical joke this had all been. There was that nagging part of her mind that insisted that it really wasn’t a joke though, and that part of her mind didn’t want to wait around at school for Death to show up again. The last thing she needed was to try and explain to her quad-mates that – no, she hadn’t actually died when she took a header off the roof or something.
Jules dumped her smoothie in the trash on her way out, her appetite for the sugary thing completely gone, and headed toward the parking lot and her car. Classes won’t wait, but it’s early in the semester and I will just have to make up the work. She giggled to herself as she pulled out of the lot, maybe if I tell them it was a matter of life and death I’ll even get some extended time.
***
It was rush hour when she got to Philly; traffic into the city was at a near crawl. To make matters worse she’d left without directions and didn’t really know where the fuck she was going. She’d only been to Philadelphia once or twice with a few people, going shopping or site seeing. As the city slowly engulfed the road she was on she began to worry about getting lost in it, with the traffic so slow she had more than enough time to look around and nothing she could see from the highway looked at all familiar.
All she knew was that the office was probably located in the section of town called Center City, from her last visit here she’d been told that almost all the corporate offices where in that section of town. Of course that helped her not at all when she didn’t know what the damned streets in it where actually called. She picked an exit that was particularly crowded and hoped that the other drivers knew something she didn’t. An hour later as she was stuck between lights and in the middle of the intersection with people honking everywhere and traffic standing literally still, she thought she’d made the right choice but was seriously regretting coming out here at all.
Where’s all that brotherly love shit now, she thought as she took the first available turn out of that standstill traffic hell and started looking for a parking spot or lot. Even out of traffic the city was an unmanageable hell of one way streets. Worse still the further she went looking for a spot to park in the more sure she became that she was going further and further away from the section of the city that she needed to be in. The one way streets seemed all to be conspiring to keep her from turning around.
Like a miracle a small parking spot appeared and she began the laborious process of fitting her car into the cramped space, then sat a moment gathering herself. Her hands and legs were shaky as she crawled out of the car. Checked her keys, her wallet and finally, pulled the card back out of her pocket. Still just an office address and the hours on one side, Jules checked her watch. It’s definitely getting late, but this particular office seems to have really long hours so I should still be able to get in and get some answers tonight. Still, she looked around confused, might miss it entirely if I can’t figure out where the hells it is in this mess.
At least it would be easier going on foot than it had been in the car.
***
This is it? Jules thought an hour or so later as she stood in front of an impressive steel and glass structure. It hadn’t been hard to find at all, once she was on her feet the people had indeed proved both friendly and helpful, pointing her easily towards this huge new building in the center of town. The building sparkled with lights and bustled with activity, as conservatively dressed men and women swept in and out of it in a seemingly steady stream.
She didn’t see any robes like the one Mitei had worn to see her, though some did have what could have been robes, or long coats slung over their arms. There was a group clustered by the front doors, smoking, they chatted together and as Jules approached they broke into good natured laughter.
“Uhm, excuse me…” She said, smiling and feeling every inch the country bumpkin as she regarded this well dressed and polished looking group. “I’m looking for the building on this card, is this it?”
A petite woman took the card from her with a puzzled look, her eyes widened as she saw the address and she turned to a colleague with a whispered comment. Soon her little white card was passing from hand to hand in the group and Jules didn’t feel like such a bumpkin anymore as she watched the city folk transform into gossiping school girls.
Finally a tall man that had been standing a little to the back of the group stepped forward. His face was impassive as he snatched the card back and handed it to her, “you’ll probably need that to be admitted. Yes this is the building you’re looking for.”
He stepped away from the group, casually dropping his cig to the ground and crushing it as he gestured she should walk with him and led her into the building. It was every bit as impressive inside at she’d thought it would be. The lobby was paved with some expensive stone that had been polished to a high shine. There were a few casual seating areas arranged about the floor though they seemed deserted for the most part. And she could see that this level seemed to boast at least one eating area with a full bar. There was the sound of more merry laughter and chatter coming from that direction. It was a reassuring sound, especially with tall, dark and somber leading her straight towards a security desk.
He stepped a little ahead of her to speak with the security officer on detail and Jules took the time to glance at her watch, whatever this place was it was open really late for all these people to be dressed so formally. She’d made it before the closing hours posted on the card but even so, she glanced around at the still steady stream of people coming and going; the rest of the city is dark, winding down, why are they still busy here?
The tall man motioned for her card and she handed it over cautiously, watching as the security guard scanned it carefully and then handed it back with a smile. Somehow, despite the laughter and the general friendly behavior of everyone the whole place gave her more than a few of the creeps.
“I’ll take you up if you’d like,” the tall man said and Jules nearly jumped. She’d forgotten him for a moment.
She smiled at him cautiously and nodded. He led her through the security station to the elevators beyond. “Uhm thanks, Mr. – “
“You can go ahead and call me Jon.” For the first time he smiled at her, it was a nice smile and she felt herself relaxing just a bit. “We don’t usually stand much on last names around here. The work is uncomfortable enough.”
“The work?” The elevator doors opened and she stepped in with Jon, he pushed the button for the top floor and the doors closed smoothly in front of them.
He leaned against the back wall before replying, “since you have that card I don’t imagine you really need me to spell it out for you.”
Jules frowned, “I’m actually here to get that all clarified. I was just given a card and a name that’s all.”
“Ah,” he said straightening up. “Then I’d better leave that up to the guys upstairs then.”
She opened her mouth to retort as the elevator dinged and the doors swept open. Jon didn’t give her time to reply, stepping briskly off of the elevator and making a right into the hall. What seemed like a thousand twists and turns later and they found themselves in front of a very big wooden door in a section of the floor that seemed to have impossibly high ceilings. There was another seating area here as well as several desks though only one seemed to be occupied at the moment. He walked up to the woman behind the desk and leaned over it while Jules stood in front of that big door staring.
Jon made an exasperated gesture at the woman behind the desk and walked back over to her, “you’d best go talk to her yourself. I’ve an appointment to meet.” Was all he said and then he was hurrying back the way he’d come no
t even bothering to say goodbye.
“Ms.?” The woman behind the desk said and Jules hurried over to her.
“Harper, Ms. Harper. I was given this card by Mitei and told I should come meet her at the office but I think something weird is going on because the office on the card seemed to change and now I’m not sure if she even knows that I’m coming or if I’m in the right place.” She said in a rush.
The woman behind the desk reached for the card silently and Jules handed it over. She barely glanced at it before placing it on her desk and reaching inside it, drawing out a laminated card on a fabric clip which she handed to Jules instead. “This should get you free access to the building, Ms. Jules Harper.” She said, “My name is Megan, I’m Mitei’s secretary. I’m sure you have a lot of questions but I pray you can hold onto those until such time as we’re cleared to answer them for you.”
The woman, Megan, smiled. Like all the laughter and smiles that had come before it since she’d reached this place it was warm and genuine. But the words that came next definitely put Jules right back on edge.
“Mitei isn’t in this office right now, but you are welcome to stay until she returns at some time in the morning.”
***
For a moment Jules just stared. Megan was a little on the plump side, her hair was cut mid length and there was a very sincere warmth to her over all, even so, Jules couldn’t believe what she’d just said.
“Sometime in the morning?”
Megan nodded and started to rise from her seat, “yes dear, I know you’ve probably come far and have things to do.” She said as she motioned Jules over towards the leather seating area on the other side of the room. “But Mitei does have offices all over the world dear. She can’t be absolutely everywhere at once.”
“But,” Jules said and sat down with a huff, “I’m already probably late for our meeting. How will she know I’m here at this office now?” She considered for a moment, “forget that, where am I supposed to stay until morning?” Already she could see could imagine the last of the light fading from the sky and the prospect of trying to navigate this twisty city in the dark didn’t thrill her.
“You can stay here,” Megan said and smiled as she went over to a different large leather chair shoving it aside with a grunt. Behind it there was a low cabinet and Megan produced a set of keys from her pocket to unlock it. “These offices are actually operational all day and all night, Jules, may I call you Jules?”
Jules blushed, she’s been so nice to me from the moment I stepped in front of her desk and all I’ve done is splutter and bluster. She took a calming breath and smiled back, “sure.”
“Good then, Jules,” Megan withdrew something from the cabinet and turned around with it in hand, it looked like some kind of chess or checker set, hard to tell without the pieces. “Let’s play a game while we wait and I’ll tell you what little I think Mitei would want me to.”
For a few minutes the office was quiet except for the sounds of them rearranging heavy furniture so that they’d have a proper playing field and then the soft click of the pieces as they set them up. “The offices are open all day and all night,” Megan said while Jules contemplated the board. “The hours you saw on the card are more like, visiting hours than business hours.”
“You have a lot of visitors here?” Jules said.
“Well, yes and no. We have a goodish few now and again though and there are always the new recruits that HR brings in.”
“Ok, but don’t you guys get tired and stuff?”
Megan chuckled over the board. “None of us actually works for days straight. We go in shifts of course; actually they’re usually quite short.”
“Oh,” Jules said and blushed again, if Mitei was the only none human then she supposed it made sense that everyone else got time off. She could see now why the office would never actually close. But, “what about the people that end up here over night? Or am I the only one this has ever happened to.”
“It’s admittedly rare that anyone comes looking for Mitei herself, at least at this office. But it’s not unusual at all that people kinda get stuck here overnight.” Megan made a particularly devastating move and sat back with a smug smile on her face. “As a matter of fact, some of the executives have apartments in the building.”
Jules looked up from the board, well that was over quick, “why do they have apartments here? I mean, it’s a big building and all but wouldn’t they rather have a nice place somewhere else?”
“I honestly don’t know why they prefer to be here all the time,” Megan sighed, “that you’ll have to ask them, you’ll probably get the chance sooner or later.”
***
It was still dark when Mitei opened her eyes again, finding herself in the bedroom, sprawled over the entirety of Leo’s bed. She ran a hand over her face, noticing as she did that she appeared to be missing her suit. She patted herself down, no jacket or skirt, but she still seemed to be wearing her slip. The stockings and shoes were probably long gone, lost somewhere on that hill in Asia. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the light in the room and she scanned it looking for her clothes or Leo, preferably both.
When she did not spot either she sighed and tossed the covers back. He must have given me his bed and slept on the couch. I did not get a chance to explain about the path though and he will probably be upset if I just disappear in the night again. It did not look like she was going to be able to help it though, she would have to at least get up and look for her clothes and she definitely did not want to wake him just so she could ask where they were, or even to say goodbye.
Creeping around the room on her tip toes she still could not find her clothes or anything that looked like a laundry room. She sighed and began to descend the stairs, as quietly as she could, the Path could whisk her off whenever it chose but at the moment it seemed content to let her wander around here in her underwear. At least she did not feel that other unpleasant feeling anymore, the one Leo had called “tired.” Though, she was sure she would probably be feeling it again and often. At least until she could figure out how to get rid of this body.
The living room was just as dark as the bedroom if not more so, since it lacked windows. Leo was indeed sleeping soundly on the couch, though he did not look at all comfortable there, Mitei was reminded of seeing him in the hospital. He really was lovely when he slept and was not cursing, or bustling about. Peaceful.
There was the sudden urge to forget about her clothes and touch Leo’s sleeping form. Maybe this time, she was not entirely sure if she actually wanted him to die; was not even sure if she was going to touch him at all, until she found herself bent over his sleeping form one hand touching his face. He was warm against her skin and by association she knew she must be cold.
Leo opened his eyes and smiled at her. Mitei straightened up and started to speak, taking a step back to give him some breathing room – and found herself back in the Philadelphia office.
***
Mitei blinked, startled with the sudden wash of morning light streaming in through her windows, the familiar sounds of the office in full morning swing sweeping over her. Even with the large doors closed as she preferred for just this reason, she could hear the office at work all around her. She frowned and turned towards her small private bathroom, getting her robe from behind the door there and pulling its concealing folds around herself.
Who was on duty now? Mitei pressed the intercom button on her desk once, alerting the secretary on duty that she was in the office and needed her. Then she pulled the hood up to cover her face and spent a moment enjoying the comfort of its familiar darkness.
“Yes, D. what would you like?”
Mitei groaned to herself, that would be Anne, a sweet girl but a bit slow. The only secretary in this office that had not yet grown accustomed to the change in name. “Come in here a moment would you Anne.” It was not a question and even Anne was quick enough to grasp that.
A moment later and those absurd doors were swinging open o
n hidden pneumatic hinges and a slight blond woman came into the office. She was dressed in pink, as always, a little rumpled around the edges like she had not quite gotten used to dressing in professional attire on a daily bases yet. Quite possible since Anne was the newest of her secretaries, she had been highly recommended for the position but Mitei always found herself questioning the final decision she had made to bring Anne into her inner sanctum.
“Morning D.” Anne said brightly, a large pad and a pencil grasped in one hand she approached the desk under the windows. Mitei had to give the girl grudging credit, she hardly flinched to find her fully robed and hooded.
“It is Mitei now, remember Anne?” She said and pulled the hood off of her face, Anne did flinch then though Mitei was past caring. “I think I am in need of someone else’s skills today. Can you please call Megan in for me?”
“Well, Megan’s actually still in the building.” Anne said and made a face, “she said there was something she needed to tell you when you got back.”
“Fetch her please, Anne.” This was interesting, Megan had a home and family of her own to get back to, for her to elect to stay around waiting for her – “oh and Anne, could you please get me some coffee.” Mitei pinched the bridge of her nose. “Better yet, have Megan bring it and take the rest of the day off.”
Anne pouted, but Mitei was sure she would do as she had been asked. She hated to be in the office without a secretary present, but even more than that, today she did not feel in the mood to deal with Anne’s foibles. The woman had been working as her secretary for a few years now and Mitei still could not decide if she could be trusted. Her presence here today was not restful and she just did not want to deal with it.
Waiting until the door was completely closed before she put her head down on the dark wood of her desk. The constant ticking of both clocks and the ambient sounds of the office in full swing were soothing compared to Anne’s presence, why can that woman not even get my name right. She sighed, leaving a warm burst of condensation on the desks vast, polished, surface, watched as it disappeared slowly.