Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: SKULDUGGERY (09/01/16)
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TITLE: Who's Watching Caroline? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sherry Brock
09/06/16 -
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No answer.
Caroline removes the card. “Who sent...?”
Anticipation gives way to confusion, as a chilling tingle runs up her spine. She backs away calling out again, “Angela...Angela.”
“Gees, Caroline...what's going...” Their bodies collide as Angela, breathless, rushes into the room.
The impact causes Caroline to drop the card, but Angela, recovering quickly, stoops to grab it. Caroline, however, snatches it from Angela at the last minute. “Where did these roses come from?”
“I don't know. They were on your desk when I got here this morning. Is their a problem? Are you OK?”
Caroline stiffens, straightens her skirt, and faces Angela. “No there's no problem. The card's not signed, and I was hoping you...”
“Maybe it's a secret admirer? Oh...my it's not your birthday is it?”
“No...it's not my birthday. I'm not exactly sure what it is. Will you ask the security guard if he remembers who delivered them?”
“Right away.” Angela retreats determined to solve the mystery.
Caroline reads the card again. “Lavender roses for my enchanting love. I enjoyed watching you last night more than you could ever imagine. I'll be back again soon secretly watching, as always.”
Bile rises up in Caroline's throat as she pinches her brows together. I was home... all night last night.
Suspicious eyes jerk upward to scan her office. Is someone watching me?
Instinctively she takes in the street view from her window. There are so many people moving about, but then she spots a man standing alone on the corner. She moves closer, touching the window, just as his face turns upward, and, for a second, their eyes meet.
The connection causes her to step back; a gut reaction to the fear creeping through her body.
A knock at the door startles, causing her to clutch her chest, with the note still in her right hand.
“Everything OK in here?” Josh, the security guard, pushes open the door.
“Yes...it is I mean, no it's not.”
Caroline holds out the note, as if that would explain everything. “Can you tell me about this? Who brought those flowers?”
Josh reads the note, and then follows her hand gesture to the vase of roses.
“I'm sorry, but there haven't been any flower deliveries today. Maybe they came before eight am.”
Her head lowered as she put her hand over her mouth.
Seeing his response only deepened her anxiety, he placed his hands on her shoulders. Standing square to her body he waited for her to lift her chin. “I'm sure they're from someone very special. Maybe someone just wants to let you know how they feel.”
Caroline let the words pass over her, suddenly feeling as if they were cold water. “Are you comforting me Josh, or are you giving me a coded message?”
Josh moves his hands to his hips with an offended snap. “Excuse me?”
His expression leads her to believe he is either a heck of an actor, or she just made a fool of herself.
“Josh I apologize, but someone sent those roses. Someone who says they're watching me.”
Tears flow as the stress of the whole situation crashes down around her. She's still gauging Josh's response when she hears a low whistle from out in the hallway.
Angela stands there wide eyed while holding a potted plant. The low whistle morphs into “oh my word...you think Josh wrote...” She rushes in, places the plant on Caroline's desk, covers her mouth, and lets out a, not so well concealed, laugh.
“You have it all wrong,” Angela spits out, puckering her lips to hold in the giggles.
Steeling her emotions, she wraps her arms around the large vase of roses and picks them up.
“The florist just brought this plant for you. He said his teenage son thought it would be funny to mix up all the delivery addresses.”
She shifts the flowers to one side, still fighting to suppress her amusement.
Caroline looks at Angela, then to Josh, and then out the window. Her face reddens, but her cheeks fill to bursting. “Guess he was right, huh?” she blurts, as the built up air releases not only her words, but her relief.
Josh makes a hasty retreat, but can hear Caroline and Angela's laughter all the way to the elevator.
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Nice writing.