Men are simple.
It's not a hateful statement—I actually preferred it. The way their faces light up when you smile at them with a painted face or the way they shower me with attention if I act like a dream.
The equation only worked once I had found the variable that reduced the complications—beauty.
Once I had stashed away enough money to fix my nose, teach myself makeup, and reshape my body through exercise, I had bitten into the fruits of my effort.
I wanted more from this life than what I was given—so I took it. The result was that I began living in a completely different world. I noticed the way the cashier smiled at me or how men held the door too long.
If power was wherever men decided it was, beauty has given it to me.
It wasn't a sin to want what the world has deemed enviable. I didn't want to be that girl the men laughed at walking down the hall—boasting how they rather kill themselves than date me.
I still remember how I shook like a drenched rat as they humiliated me. The faces blur together as their laughter rings in my nightmares. Being bullied was the catalyst to this shift. I'd seen and eventually understood why there were girls that floated above it all. I began to crave that feeling.
The tale of the anxious ugly duckling was pathetic. If I'm the author of this tale, I'm its one true god. I had simply restrung the lines of fate to my liking.
"I brought you coffee!" I said, lips forming a soft smile.
"You're heaven sent!" Dave exclaimed, wrapping his hands around the steaming cup.
I briefly touched his arm in response, meeting his gaze with my usual bright smile. The morning was filled with the monotonous clicking of keyboards and printing of paper. I breezed past the line of cubicles to find my own, tucked in the far back of the room—a few feet away from the boss's corner office.
As I found my way to my desk, I made sure to wave at Mr. Porter through the glass walls of his office. The middle-aged man offered a terse nod. My eyes lingered in his for a beat longer than normal before I settled into my cheap rolling chair.
I think I have what some might call an addiction. Like an addict, a small taste of bliss has me reeling for the feeling again and again. I could always trust the exchange between me and them. I create the man-made angel and they worship it. Single, taken, or married, I've experienced stealing their affections and attention.
I stared at the freshly done red acrylics resting on my grey keyboard. The money for the beautiful set was from a man in the office. I sighed at how shoddy my judgment was when picking taken men—especially when his girlfriend works here. After our night together last week, Sam's been clingy enough to raise the most naive girlfriend's suspicions.
I don't relish hurting the women, but I love having power over men. It was more meaningful to me this way—pulling them away from commitment meant my control over them was strong.
If they were truly good men, why would they choose me? I'd began texting the wives and girlfriends evidence of my affairs as a favor, but I tire of their hatred mostly towards me. It was high risk, high reward in my mind.
Sharon will be getting a text about dear Sam soon, but I might have to speed up the timeline when's he's drowning me with texts about his "love" for me.
I decide to put the issue on hold for now and refocus my mind on the work ahead. I began typing up the files that Mr. Porter had especially asked me to complete.
I could sense how his slowly growing favor towards me, and it made me smile. I don't usually mess around with colleagues—Sam is a temp. The exceptions are usually very discreet or to give myself a promotion. Like a carrot on a stick, I flirt with no intention of satisfying their hunger.
"Slut," Marie said under her breath, walking past me.
I froze for a brief second before immediately returning to my work. I am fitting of such a title so it would be hypocritical to refute it. The rumors and name-calling were started from my often casual flirting with my male coworkers. It was expected and ignored.
After a couple hours of work, I decided to stretch my legs and use the restroom. I kindly greeted every one as I made my way there, my lucky smile plastered on my face.
In the stall, I decide to check my messages. Twenty texts from Sam? The number was ridiculous. He was definitely the obsessive type. I couldn't help but feel that same feeling that tugged at the corner of my lips. Like me more, Sam because this is fun.
"...—absurd," Came a familiar voice.
The conversation of around three women filled the restroom. I hesitated to unlock the stall at Marie's voice.
"I saw that pick-me touch Dave again today, my boyfriend isn't on the market!" Marie fumed as the other two women jumped in to agree.
"She has no class," chimed in a voice I didn't recognize.
"Some women set feminism back fifty years," said a lower toned voice.
I wanted to laugh at the comments. It was wild I'd earned such ire from simply flirting. I wonder how much they'd hate me if they knew the extent of my treachery. I think I'd agree if they were talking about my life outside of work.
"I heard she's slept with every taken man in the office. I don't call people this often, but that girl's a whore," Marie said.
I smiled, not true but I wouldn't put it past me. I didn't think I was getting a show on my pee break.
Shall I scare them?
I dropped my phone unceremoniously on the floor.
"I-is someone there?" One woman called out.
The others shushed her and whispered that they should get out of there.
I picked up my phone and pushed the stall open, looking straight ahead at the mirror. I felt the eyes of the three women glued to me as I took a lipstick from my purse and took my sweet time applying it.
I turned my head as if startled by the presence of Marie and her lackeys. My best effort was put into looking as innocent as a fawn in field of flowers. My brown doe eyes widened slightly before they crinkled into my award-winning smile.
"Oh! I didn't see you there, are you three alright? You look a little pale?" I ask with the essence of a saint.
"...were you there the whole time?" Marie asked quietly.
"Oh if you're worried about the gossiping, I can keep a secret! I hope that girl gets what's coming to her," I said with mock concern, leaving behind the speechless group of women.
A couple hours passed and it was almost time to for the day to be over. I outstretched my arms over my head, groaning at my tensed muscles. The chair creaked as I settled back into my work mode, typing up the email for Mr. Porter's finished files. As I typed, I looked up at my screen to see no new letters being entered. That's odd, my keyboard is broken.
As I think about calling IT, the my whole screen goes white.
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 1 YEAR]
What? Is this some sort of prank? I've heard of hackers pulling something like this before, but usually to ask for money. This has to be some loser pulling one over on an innocent office building.
[ERROR +]*\€\='0:&))/)$]
[ERROR: DELAYED MESSAGE]
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 3 MINUTES]
I looked around at my coworkers who were equally bewildered by the strange messages. I peeked at Mr. Porter who'd emerged from his office to look all the computer screens. A few people were muttering about what was going on and others simply laughed it off as a silly prank.
I was slightly more on edge as I looked down at my phone to see the same blank screen with a new message.
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 57 SECONDS]
I wondered what the hacker expected to happen when the timer hit zero. Would I get a jump scare or something?
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 3 SECONDS]
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 2 SECONDS]
[WARNING: ATTACK ON EARTH COMMENCING IN 1 SECONDS]
The screen went black.
Suddenly I heard a huge boom. All the windows blew out as glass flew all over the floor as air rushed in with tremendous force. Screams erupting across the whole building.
My ears rung with the intensity of the sound. My mind went completely blank as I looked at the massive sky-scraper sized black egg outside.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
Before I could begin to think, the egg split itself in two—slowly descending through buildings onto the ground. The earth shook as the massive thing opened up.
In the inside was some sort of black hole-shaped mass lying at the bottom. I began shaking as all the strength in my knees gave out beneath me.
As my legs hit the floor, a hand reached out of the hole.