Stressed

Tina left work around midnight, she had been there since 9am. The deadline to have this project completed was approaching quickly. She had to get it done if it killed her and thought it might if it wasn't finished soon. Unable to think clearly anymore, she had to get some sleep. Tina got to her condo around one in the morning. She made her way inside, stripped off her clothes and went to bed. Thank god I'm off tomorrow, she thought to herself. I just want to get some sleep.

The afternoon sun peeking through the bedroom curtains woke her in the afternoon. She threw on a shirt and sweatpants and went out for a little while. She had lunch then went to the park to relax and sit in the sun for a bit. When she returned home, the mail carrier was leaving a package wrapped in brown paper at her door. “ What is it?” she asked. The mail carrier just looked at her and smiled. “I don't know but it's yours now”. She kept smiling as she walked away. What did she mean by that?

Looking at the package, she wondered what was in it. Tina thought for a moment she saw it moving, not a lot, just shaking a bit. “What, no way” she said aloud. The package began making sounds as if it was groaning. She shook her head in disbelief. This is too much, she was convinced she needed a vacation. If Jake sent this here I’m going to kill him, she thought. Jake, her supervisor, had a habit of sending work to his employees on weekends. Tina huffed. Isn't it enough that I practically live there during the week? She wasn't going to open it today that was certain, it could wait.

Tina brought the package inside and set it on the kitchen table. I am not working at home today, it’s my day off. She loved her work but she felt that she should not have to work so many hours. The package started to make noise again, at first a low groan, then it became louder. Teeena,it called to her. Oh my god, I'm going insane, she thought. “Stop talking, I’m not going to open you up.” she told the brown box. Tina stood in her kitchen wondering what was happening to her. After this project is done I've really got to slow down. She left the package on the table; she would deal with it tomorrow. She didn’t care if it was calling her name, there was no way she was taking demands from an object.

Tina sat down on the couch, trying to put work out of her head for awhile. People are out visiting and having fun like normal people do on their day off. She was in her condo with a package of work documents that's begging her to look at it. Tina turned on the tv to find something to watch. The package, still sitting on the kitchen table, would not be ignored. It began to groan again, then it sounded as if it was calling her name. “Teeeeena, open me!” the package groaned. “Shut up!” she yelled. “ Dam you, dam work and dam Jake!” she yelled as loud as she could. Tina went into the kitchen where the package kept calling to her. “ I said shut up,” she yelled again. She went to a drawer where she kept the hammer. She took the hammer and began beating the package in a fit of rage.

Tina awoke suddenly, her heart was pounding. She looked around her bedroom for a long minute. Turning to her bedside table she grabbed her phone to check the date and time. It was Saturday afternoon at 1:15pm.