BORING

It’s distressing that I’ve spent enough time with this man to have a “usual.”

My mind flashes to all the stories my parents told me about New York murderers to try to keep me from moving all the way out here after college.

They pick a random woman off the street, then follow her, and by the time she realizes there’s something wrong, it’s too late.Granted, most of mom’s horror stories were from the 80s.

Except there was that one true-crime podcast last year about the elevator murderer.

They never caught him.

“You forgot to hit the button for your floor,” I say, my voice coming out squeakily.

“Unfortunately for one of us,” he says, “I didn’t.”

Jesus fucking Christ. I angered a serial killer by stealing his coffee and now I’m going to die in an office elevator on my first day of work.

Is that danger in his eyes? It looks like danger. He definitely looks like he wants to do violence to someone.

And I’m the only someone here.

Heart pounding, I discreetly slip my hand into my purse