I got into the car, tossing my briefcase into the passenger seat and rummaging through my pockets for the keys. I finally found them and shoved them into the ignition. What I didn't expect was the strange clicking noise that occurred when I turned the key. Rubbing my forehead, I pulled the key out. I put the key back in and tried again. This time I didn't even get a click. I looked across the parking lot to see if I recognized any of the other cars. My friend Alex was still in the building, so I got out of the car, locked it up and headed back inside. Hopefully he had a set of jumper cables and a decent battery in his old beater.

I swung my book bag over my shoulder after I shuffled through it to find my access card. I swiped my card at the door and heard it unlock. I pulled it open and walked through the lobby. I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator to the administration offices to physically exhaust the frustration I was feeling.

When I got to the fifth floor, I pushed open the door and walked down the hallway to Alex's cubicle. I stopped short when I heard the loud angry voices coming from the back offices. Being short sometimes has its advantages, and I slowly and quietly made my way through the maze of cubicles making sure I kept my head below the cube panels. I was almost to my cube when I heard my name. Thinking I had been seen, I froze. Then I realized that one of the loud voices was asking about me. I heard the panic in Alex's voice as he told them I had already left for the day.

"Her car is still here, asshole," one of the men said, and I heard a thump. I cringed, thinking that it sounded just like a fist in the gut. I started backing up, and made a very loud crash as I knocked over a plant that had been sitting on the desk in the cube I was hiding in.

What else could I do? I bolted toward the hallway. I felt rather than saw the shapes behind me and sprinted for the elevator. Then I had a thought. I pushed the stairwell door open as far as it would go, and held it until the elevator doors opened. I ducked inside and frantically pounded on the buttons. Just as the doors closed, I saw two men come around the corner. I only hoped the ruse with the stairs worked.

On the way down, I racked my brain trying to think of any reason someone would beat up one of my co-workers to find me. I worked in a relatively obscure part of the historical records department for a very wealthy philanthropist, a glorified librarian as it were. Why would anyone be after me like that? My heart was pounding and I was almost hyperventilating. I took a deep breath and looked up at the numbers above the door. As soon as I heard the ding I was going to fly out that door.

Instead I peeked out first. Then I ran. The door slammed against the wall as I thrust it open, I almost thought that glass was going to shatter. Now, I'm not an Olympic sprinter, but I thought I made pretty good time as I hauled ass down the length of the building to the closest main street. I was lucky it was a busy street as I crossed against the light and had several cars blast at me with their horns. I dared a glance back and saw two rather large forms at the front doors of my building. I turned away quickly and tried to blend in with the crowd. About two more doors down there was a coffee shop and I followed a group of four people in, trying to make it look like I was with them.

Inside the shop was a lot larger than I originally thought. There was a small library of sorts in the back, about six tall shelves of books, and a staircase behind them. I tried the nonchalant thing as I ordered a mocha with my head down. I casually walked to the back of the store and went up the stairs. They led up to a loft area with couches and looked like a hippie living room. Old posters covered the walls and the place smelled of patchouli and nag champa incense. I chose a chair by the railing so that I could watch the door without being too visible myself. I picked up a book that had been left by the last person that had chosen this spot and began reading randomly, glancing over at the windows and door.

After about an hour, I glanced at my watch and realized that I had missed beer thirty. The dregs of my mocha were cold and I figured by now I should be safe. I set the book back down on the chair, picked up the mostly empty cup and went down the stairs. Tossing the cup in the trash barrel by the door, I took a deep breath and pushed my way outside. It was dark now, and the rain was coming down in buckets. I slid back into the doorway, not wanting to get soaked when a car driving down the opposite side of the street slammed on the brakes right across from me. The two men inside glared at me and started to pull to the side of the road. I pulled the door to the coffee shop back open and went back inside. On the inside was a silver dead bolt and I twisted it quickly to the locked position. There was a door way behind the counter so I hurried around the people waiting and went through it. The girl behind the counter had her back to me, so nobody gave me much notice. They would assume I worked there anyway, since the door I went to apparently a large closet. My heart started pounding and my stomach gave a flip as I dropped into a crouch.

Then I saw it. Back by the staircase was another door, with a sign stating "Emergency Exit Only". I scurried to it, keeping low. I whipped my head around as I heard the banging on the door. Luckily, the people standing in line at the counter hid me from their view. I don't know what I expected, but the horrible clanging that occurred as I pushed on the door nearly put me into cardiac arrest. I didn't pause for long, and rushed outside.

The alley I found myself in was relatively clean for an alley, just a few dumpsters on either side. The thought went through my head that it was barely wide enough to drive a garbage truck down. Then I wondered if my survival instinct had shut down, since I was having such stupid things floating around inside my head. There were a lot more lights at the end of the alley on my left, so I raced that way. When I got to the end of the alley, on my right was a city bus waiting at the stop. I hurried over to it and climbed aboard. The doors closed and the bus began pulling away as I dug in my book bag for some change for the fare. I dropped several coins into the box and staggering like a drunken sailor went to the back of the bus for a seat. There was no sign of anyone following me now, as I looked cautiously through the window of the bus.

I tried to relax as I sunk lower in the seat. I took a few deep breaths and waited for my heart to slow down. My head was throbbing and my stomach was turning. What on earth did those two want with me? I racked my brain trying to think of anything I might have done to warrant this pursuit. Nothing. I didn't have a new boyfriend with a psycho ex-girlfiend (yes, I actually thought girlFIEND). There were no enemies that I could think of, except maybe the 5 foot tall jerk-off that had moved into the apartment across from mine who insisted on wearing 5 inch lifts and plaid boxer shorts to pick up his mail. I made a comment about that "European" look and he's hated me ever since. Not enough to move out though. There was nobody else that I could think of that had any kind of problem with me. I tend to get along with most people, ignoring those that I don't care for. And how had they known what kind of car I drove?

I looked back out the window and realized I was close to my apartment complex so I rang the buzzer for the next stop. Digging my keys out of my bag, I got up and stood at the rear door of the bus. The bus slowed, then came to a complete stop and I hopped off, waiting for it to drive off before crossing the road. The rain had almost stopped, just a slight drizzle as I walked to the mailboxes. I put my mail key in and opened it up. Pulling out the bills and magazine subscriptions, I found a handwritten note mixed in with all the envelopes. Juggling the mail around, I turned the note around so I could read it. "Package for you at the office" was all it said. I stuffed my mail into my bag and walked to the office. Luckily there was usually someone there until late at night. I opened the door and walked in with the note in hand.

An older woman sat behind the desk, watching a small color television. She looked up as I came in and then smiled as the recognition crossed her face. "Dira!" she said, "You have a package that came in today for you". "Hi, Lily," I replied, "Yeah, I found the note in my mail."

She turned around and picked up a battered cardboard box from behind the desk. It was tied with twine, which I found extremely unusual, especially since the advent of duct tape. It also looked like there were several staples holding it shut. I raised an eyebrow and then looked at Lily again. Her eyes widened and she shrugged. "It was dropped off before I started my shift. I don't even know how it got here."

Swinging my bag onto my back, I tucked the box under my arm and said, "Well, thanks. Guess I should get inside and figure out what it is. And it's not even my birthday!" I let out a short chuckle as I left the manager's office.