New Job

Lauren was working as a research scholar for Southern Oregon University. This was honestly not her long term plan but she was desperate to get out. So being a research scholar didn’t seem like such a bad idea, as long as she got her chance to leave. But once she started working, it honestly didn’t feel bad. She kind of enjoyed it. 

Building A Life

Lauren couldn’t believe it but the process of building her life again from scratch has brought an immense change of energy in her life. Moving to Chicago, where she was at her lowest, to now living in Oregon where she is at a new kind of high, she was happy. It’s strange how things fall into place automatically, especially when you least expect them to. 

End Of The Day

Lauren was just wrapping up at work. It was one of those days where she didn’t have a lot to do so she got to leave early for home. She quickly emptied her mug and put her things in her bag one by one. Since she gets to leave early, she decided to stop by the grocery store and restock the fridge for the week. 

Reaching Home

By the time Lauren was done with grocery shopping, the sun had reached the horizon leaving hues of gold and pink in the sky. Lauren was still not used to the beautiful surroundings she got to call home. She pulled up in her driveway and noticed the lights in the house were off. It seems like her roommate is still out. 

Unlocking The Front Door

Lauren carried the grocery bags to the house. Her hands fumbled with the keys as she tried to unlock the door in the first go. With no light turned on, the house was engulfed by darkness. Lauren reached the tall table next to the door and placed everything on top of it. Her hands searched for the switch in the darkness and turned it on. 

An Intruder?

A frown appeared on Lauren’s face. She could tell the house appeared different than usual yet she couldn’t point out what was different. She took a few steps towards the kitchen and heard some movement in the living room. Lauren froze in her spot. She knew for a fact her roommate was not home, there was no car in the driveway.