VEINS

V5: Bad Decisions

V-5-Matthew

Okay.

That all happened rather fast. First, I failed a job interview. Next, I got threatened by an angry man...and now? I have a job offering and a wad of cash.

I need to sort this out.

.

.

.

Crap, I can't. No common sense or rationalization is coming to me. It's just shock. Shock that is chewing away at my whatever is left of my insanity. What the heck should I do? What the heck should I even feel for that matter? My eyes lock onto the pile of green papers in my hand and a one matted black card.

I don't think this is a good idea.

Yet, I don't want to just walk off with this much money in my hand. I'm also dying to know what's on the 99th floor. This is a multi-billion dollar company. What could possibly be on the 99th floor? What's the job he's asking me to do? Why pay me to do this? What's going on in this place?

I should just walk away.

Click! 

Before I even recognise it the elevator doors shut close. 

There goes me, just walking away. 

I swallow. 

If I think about, yeah, I can just press the open door button and leave the cash somewhere and walk away. But then what? Then go where? I might not have a place to go back to soon if I don't get a job, plus I could really use this money. I know they say money doesn’t buy happiness but it sure as hell gets close. 

But what am I thinking? There’s no way I could get away with this much money. 

But then again?

What if I actually could?

No. No. NO. Shut up, greed! I can’t take this money. It wouldn't be a good idea.

But...?

Nan did always say, life gives you lemons? You milk the hell out of it.

I grip the cash and stuff it into my pocket. Nan's words of wisdom are filling me with confidence. Maybe too much confidence. Notes to self....I will probably regret this. But what the hell? I already have bad luck, what more damage can I do to myself that hasn’t already been done? 

I’m not going to turn back. I mean, isn’t it kind of like fate if I managed to worm myself inside of Sollemnia Corporations building, anyway? No one stopped and now here I am; I am now standing inside of Sollemnia Corporation's elevator. That’s a feat to be amazed at. The mere fact alone that I, a complete nobody, is standing inside a Sollemnia Corporations elevator? That’s just....oh god, I'm already regretting this.

I glance around my confined metallic space. 

Surely I can’t really think I should do this? I bring my finger to hover over the elevator buttons. I’m tempted to press it, the 99th floor. I really am tempted to do it. I know it's a bad idea and yet; I feel compelled to do it. 

I bring my finger slowly closer to the button. “No.” I wince and pull my finger away. “I shouldn’t.” I slap my cheeks. “I shouldn’t, but?” My eyes draw to the button. “Just maybe…?” I squint and bring my finger closer again. “No!” I slap myself again. “Stop it, Matthew!” 

This is a bad idea.

But....?

A place like this would have been my dream job. I could only imagine what it's like to work at such an important place like this. It would make anyone feel important and feel like their job actually means something in the real world. Getting up every day in the morning to come work at a place where people know the name of and at the mention of it people will respect you? I could only imagine having something like that. Imagining is all I can do. But maybe? Maybe I can do more than imagine. Maybe I could see what happens if I went to that floor and impersonated my way inside of this place? 

What am I talking about? Am I seriously considering this? Nan's words of wisdom weren't words of wisdom, they're words of how to motivate yourself to do stupid things. Seriously, Matthew, this is the same old woman who would tell you 'if pigs aren't flying then you make the ground the sky, and fly yourself; then you'll realize you ain't gonna amount to much in the big city, your brother maybe, but not you.'

This is definitely a bad idea. I could be walking into some...some drug operation. I should just leave. I need to step out of the elevator and go. What the hell am I even doing? I can't do this.

“I just can’t.” I mumble, shaking my head. 

“You just can't do what?” A deep voice startles me. 

Immediately I whip my head up, and find the elevator doors closing as a hairy man in a suit with the bulkiest legs I’ve ever seen enters. He’s giving me an incredulous look as reaches for the elevator button. 

“H-huh?” I stammer as he stares at me. 

“Are you good? You were talking to yourself?” He presses the elevator button and stands in the further corner of the elevator. 

“Y-Yeah.” I quickly nod. “I’m good.” 

“You want me to press your button?” He offers, pointing to the buttons. 

I blink a few times, putting on a weak smile. “Sure.” 

“Okay.” He steps close, his hand hovers over the button list. He pauses to stare at me. “Floor?” 

I swallow. “What?” 

“Floor?” He raises his eyebrow. 

“F-Floor?” It takes my startled mind a few seconds to adjust under the glare of his stare. “Uh, oh yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah!” 

“Okay, so floor?” 

“Floor is uh…” My voice falters. “...99.” 

“99?” The man stares at me as I’ve got 4 eyeballs. “Wow!” He exclaims so loud my eardrums feel like they’re going to burst. “Heh. I guess that means you’re the new guy coming in for that open position?” He pulls out a black card similar to the one in my hand and swipes it against the elevator pad before pressing another elevator button. 

I stiffly nod, feeling the blood in my body drain. 

“Hey, it's nice to meet you!” He smiles at me. “I’m Ket. I’m a faun, as in goat man.” He laughs. “What are you?” 

I feel like every bone in my body locks as I try to cover my anxiety with a weary grin. I don’t want to look suspicious, but I have no idea what to say. “Huh?” Is all I can manage as I blink again. 

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to throw you off bat like that. I have a bad habit of introducing my name and my species. It’s a force of habit.” He laughs again.

Bing!

The elevator doors open. 

“Oh, well, looks like that’s my stop! Hey, good luck, new guy!” Ket smiles and waves as he exits the elevator. 

The moment he leaves, the elevator doors shuts close, and I remain standing like an anxious ball of nervousness in the elevator---a very moving elevator. 

I swallow hard, my eyes watching as the elevator crawls up in numbers from floor 80 towards floor 99.  

"Damn it." I place my head in my hands.

I can’t believe this is happening. How did things escalate so fast? First, I’m downstairs and now I’m here! I mean, who even was that Dion guy? No one just hands out money oh so conveniently. Just for me, especially. I mean, why would that guy think it's a good idea to give someone like me a wad of cash? Or more importantly, what am I even still doing here? 

I'm like an ant. A weak, puny ant that can be crushed by the weight of this building.

I step back, pressing my back against the wall.

Okay, okay, enough bad thoughts. I’m going to get nowhere with this tornado of thoughts. I need to just calm down. Right now, I have money from a random guy, and the least I can do is check this place out and leave. I can do that much. Or at least I want to try and do that much. 

I took a deep breath and shut my eyes.

That's all I should do. Check this place out and then leave immediately. There’s nothing wrong with doing that. 

"I can do this..." I whispered. I opened my eyes to the elevator doors opening in fashion. Hesitatingly I stepped one foot out before the other, while I nearly choked on the blast of hot air lunging at me.

Why is it so hot—-and holy moly.

This lobby was nothing like the front lobby. The walls were all painted a plain stiff gray. No bright open dome ceilings and chandeliers, just boxy and harsh lines forming the ceilings. No bolstering greens and rainbows of flowers strategically placed around like in the other lobby. Instead, there were pale and dull colors. These plants just appear to be placed around like props.

Black leather couches and drab furniture were neatly aligned around the lobby to exact precision.

Sterile is the word I'm looking for to describe all of this.

This just confirms my suspicions. I should not be here.

I try to step back into my escape route, but just as I move, the elevator doors close.

Oh, come on.

I press the elevator call button vigorously.

“Open back up!” I hiss at the elevator doors.

I need to leave. Now. 

 TO BE CONTINUED IN VEINS!