"Hey,,aren't you leaving?" an employee asks his boss.
"Not yet, Jonah. I'll do some over time," the boss responds.
"Boss. It is seven PM and you have been here since eight AM."
Ally waves him off. "I'm fine, Jonah. I just need to finish a few things."
Jonah shakes his head.
"All right, boss. You really need to give yourself a break." Jonah packs his stuff and leaves.
"Goodbye, Ally. Have a good weekend." Jonah waves goodbye.
"Bye, Jonah." Ally stares at her computer. She works away at her desk. On her desk, are papers and a coffee mug. Ally works away into the dead hours of the night. She only gets up from her chair to go to the printer and grab a report she had printed out. When she gets out of her chair, her legs wobble. They have grown numb from sitting for five hours.
Her groin and bowels ache. The last time she went to the bathroom was four PM. Ally decides it is time to relieve herself. She goes into the bathroom and does her business. When she exits the bathroom, she hears a faint and strange noise. A swishing noise followed by a thud. Everyone else, including the janitorial and security staff, had gone home.
"Hello!" Ally yells. "Anyone there?"
No one answers. Ally walks towards the sound, nervously. She walks down the hallway towards the sound. She hears more noise. The sound of voices and load rummaging.
"Who's there?" Could it be security? Ally wonders.
She walks up to one of the conference rooms, where she hears noises. She swipes her badge against the scanner, and opens the door. What she sees inside causes her mouth to drop.
In the room, are four large men. They are unlike anyone she has ever seen in real life. They are wearing bear and wolf furs. They have long hair and beards and are wearing iron helmets. In their hands, they hold two-handed axes and long swords. At their feet is treasure. Coins and jewelry made of the brightest silver and gold.
One of the men points at her. Ally screams and slams the door.
CLICK
The door locks itself with the four men trapped inside. Ally scrambles and looks around for anything to bar the door. She grabs a small chair from another conference room and jams it up against the doorknob. She runs away to her desk.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The burly men smash at the door. Ally scrambles around her desk, looking for her cell phone. She can't find it anywhere. Not having much time, Ally grabs her desk phone and tries to call security.
SMASH!
The door of the conference room is torn from its hinges and is split in threes. Ally ducks down and hides underneath her desk, while the phone rings.
SCRASH!
The chair blocking the door is thrown through a window of another conference room.
"Find her!" One of the men shouts. The men split up and scour the office. The heavy footsteps of one of the brutish barbarians gets louder.
"RAARRR!"
Before Ally can get someone on the line, her desk is hit by a massive force. Her desk gets lifted up off the floor. She sees the furry and metal boots of the barbarian raider. She throws the phone at his knees and flees.
"She's here!" the man shouts to his men.
Ally crouches and runs. Trying to stay low and hide out of the line of sight of the men. She weaves in between the desks and cubicles. The hulking raiders stomp after her like stamping rhinos, throwing desks and chairs out of their way. Ally makes towards one of the hallways. She races up the hallway and is able to get some distance. Ally reaches an intersection. She takes a sharp left turn. And sees a stairwell next to her.
"Rarrr!!!" Just as she opens the door, she looks behind her. In the distance, she can see one of the other berserkers racing down the hall. She also hears the yelling and footsteps of the other berserker, who was behind her. He is gaining. Ally opens the door and races down into the basement. She locks the door behind her. The brutes close in fast on the door. Ally runs halfway down the stairs.
BANG! BANG!
CRACK!
The door is breached and Ally vaults over the staircase and onto the floor below.
THUD
Ally lands with a thud on the concrete floor. Thankfully, no broken bones and the adrenaline racing through her, numbs the pain. She looks around and finds some of the company's computer servers. She runs and hides behind one, among the racks. The data servers are running and are loud. This covers Ally's footsteps and heavy panting, as she creeps around for a good hiding spot.
CRACK! The door busts open and the two men call for the remaining two. Their heavy footsteps race down the stairs. Ally halts and waits. She listens as the footsteps get closer. The heavy boots of the barbarian warriors can be heard over the sound of the loud, humming data servers. Ally peaks her head from behind the rack, and sees the brutes looking around; they are wide eyed and bewildered by the glowing and humming machines. They slowly walk towards the center of the room. As they are walking, Ally creeps past them. She sees them walking very slowly, their heavy boots landing quietly on the hard floor. Ally makes it to the end of the room. She is almost clear.
WHACK!
Ally is struck from behind. She is knocked out just before she reaches the stairs.
There is nothing but darkness.
"Wake up!" It is dark and Ally can hear a voice.
Ally doesn't respond.
"WAKE UP!" Ally is shaken violently. Her eyes slowly begin to open. Slowly, her vision returns to her and she can see.
Ally looks around. She is surrounded by the hulking brutes. They have her inside the director's office. She had never been in his office before. It is an ornate room, adorned with bookcases and a soft carpet. There is a hardwood desk, where the leader of these brutes is seated in the director's fancy chair.
Ally struggles, but she can't move. She is bound to the chair in front of the director's desk. Her legs are tied together around the knees and ankles. Her arms are bound behind her to the chair.
"Mmhhh," Ally tries to speak, but her mouth is gagged. Her tie has been torn from her neck and is being used to gag her.
The leader of the brutes leans over and stares her deep in the eyes. His piercing blue eyes are sharp and bright, like bolts of lightning in a summer night sky.
Ally is startled by his intense gaze.
"MMMPHH!" She screams into her tie gag. The leader raises his massive hand and hammers the desk with it.
THUMP! CRACK!
The room shakes. His hand sinks into the desk. Ally freezes and is silent. The barbarian takes his hand out of the desk and pulls the wood out from her hands. His rugged hands shed no blood. It is as if they were made of stone.