BEHIND OFFICE DOORS

An alarm rings continuously.....

It's 6 am in Inwood, New York City. Laura reluctantly sat up as the alarm blared. She stretched and yawned, fighting the lingering drowsiness that tempted her to stay in bed.

She felt exhausted from the previous day at her demanding and frustrating cleaning job, a challenge she had to face with determination every day.

Alongside the stress, Laura endured constant hostility from her coworkers and boss, yet with no choices, this cleaning job was her sole means of survival.

Laura reluctantly pulled off her cozy duvet, gathering her remaining strength to face yet another exhausting day in her routine.

As her feet met the cold wooden floor, she was reminded of the challenges awaiting her at work once again today.

"Does life ever get any better?" She murmured in frustration as she struggled to rise from the bed.

Laura rushed to the bathroom for a bath in the shower. She was refreshed as the cold water trickled down her body. The scent of her soap filled the air and ensured that all that was in her felt good to go ahead of the day.

She moved out of the shower, wiped her body dry in seconds, and anticipated what else she was prepared to do next.

"Laura! ... Laura!" a young boy called from outside her room, knocking frantically. It was her little brother.

"What do you want?" Laura replied, her voice firm and tired.

"Can I come in, sis?" He asked again as he continued to knock.

This annoyed Laura, and she asked once more, "I said, what do you want?" Her face pressed against the door. "I'm trying to rush for work, so we can talk when I get back."

Laura gazed at her wardrobe, deciding what to wear for the day while awaiting any response from her little brother. The sudden silence is a relief, he doesn't answer. She quickly selected a freshly ironed blouse and skirt and slipped them on.

She grabbed her wide-toothed comb from the table, and hurriedly combed through her long, shiny black hair, tucked it behind her ears as her eyes were fixed on the mirror to ensure she was doing it right.

She applied her favorite chocolatey, musky cologne, finding a sense of calm in its familiar scent. Now ready for the challenges of the day, she grabbed her handbag, put her phone inside, and headed for the door.

"Good morning, mom! I'll see you when I'm back!" she called out as she grabbed her wedge shoes and rushed out the door. She quickly slipped into her shoes and stepped outside.

As she looked up to search for a taxi, she spotted a yellow cab parked nearby.

"Wait, please! Wait!" Laura shouted as she waved her hands to signal the driver. "24 Cooper Street," she indicated as she opened the back door and hurriedly climbed in.

"That'll be 50 bucks, ma'am," the driver replied, his eyes fixed on the road, ready to go.

"Alright, just go," Laura responded nervously as she hurriedly sat in the vehicle, pointed down the road, and signaled him to start moving.

As the cab moved, Laura gazed out the window at the sky and road, her mind raced with thoughts, while the fresh air of the morning filled the car, preparing her for whatever the day may bring.

"I just want a peaceful day at work for once," she muttered to herself.

"Need anything, ma'am?" The driver asked, thinking she was speaking to him.

"Oh, no, I was just thinking out loud," she replied with a forced smile as they continued on their way.

***

Tires screech and the vehicle stops....

"Oh, we're here already?" Laura asked in surprise as the vehicle pulled up in front of the company gate.

The noise of the vehicle's brake suddenly reminded her of her surroundings which she had been daydreaming about the entire ride.

"Thank you, here's your money," Laura said in a composed voice and reached out for her purse. She pulled out a few bills, and gave them to the driver.

Without wasting a moment, she swung the door open and climbed down fixing her eyes on the gate of the company that was ahead.

As she opened the gate and walked through it, the security guard gave her an unpleasant look while she approached. Confused, Laura wondered why he was staring at her that way.

"Good morning, miss," he said as she neared. "I just wanted to warn you to be careful," he continued, his tone serious. "Walls have ears, and I've heard enough about you. You're not wanted here, and they're planning to make your life even harder." He then stepped back to his post.

In shock, Laura closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to process the words. What could have sparked such hatred from them?.

She opened her eyes, forced a smile, and walked straight toward the entrance.

From the reception, voices whispered, "There she goes again, little miss Perfect. I wonder who she thinks she's trying to impress. I wish she'd just leave."

Anger made Laura's pulse quicken, but she did her best to suppress the feeling even though it was impossible to ignore.

She walked into the storage room containing her cleaning equipment, closed the door and rested against it with her eyes shut.

She summoned all her strength to look for the appropriate words, but the voices of the warning first by the guard, followed by her colleagues, went round in circles inside her head.

As she tried to relax, knocks began to sound from the door. And not just from one person, it sounded like a lot of people.

Laura quickly grabbed her cleaning tools, removed her handbag from her shoulder, hung it on a nail as she did every day, and opened the door.

"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear us knock?" Came the sharp voice from the trio of women who always seemed to want trouble with her.

"I was getting my cleaning tools for today," Laura answered nervously, her voice tinged with frustration. The women stared at her, exchanging looks as if planning their next move.

"Can you just leave me alone?" Laura pleaded, her tone more desperate. "I just want to focus on my work.

"I don't want any problems," Laura said as she attempted to leave the scene.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" The lady in the middle asked as she held Laura's hand and pulled her backward.

Fear flickered in Laura's eyes as she realized they were looking for a confrontation.

"Please, just let me go". "Stop! I'm begging you. Don't come near me. I don't want any trouble," she said as her voice shook with fear and she tried to walk away once again.

Whoosh! A slap came from nowhere and struck her across the face.

Laura was shocked, fear washed over her as tears forced to come down her cheeks. She trembled in surprise as she rubbed her cheek.

"What are you looking at? Want to fight me?" The woman sneered as she moved closer to Laura with a menacing look.