Narrative: Surprise

 30MIN

office workers surprising the boss, they accidentally surprise the wrong person perhaps an annoying character

I flitted around the room, rummaging through the papers and shoving miscellaneous items aside. 

"Sorry, Mary," Alexandra said, shuffling past me awkwardly with her face obscured by several binders. I grunted at the awkward positioning. 

"No problem," I called back. "Make sure to get boss's cake here while Peter distracts him."

The exhaustion was starting to set into my eyes. Imagine directing a dysfunctional office for the whole day without your morning coffee-not to mention this nasally, vacuous fool totting around doing the chores that require least attention.

Just for today, the gaggle of nine-to-five office drones had turned into party planners. Paperwork and coffee duties had turned into decoration and party-planning. Even the most morose of workers had a ghost of a smile on their face as biscuits were iced and streamers were hung. It didn't matter that the Big Boss wasn't the most favourable-the fact that for once he had allowed the office to do something for his birthday sent waves of relief and jubliance over us all.

Even as Boss was due to arrive in five minutes and counting, stressing over party decor and catering was far better than computer programming.

Evan burst into the room, his ruddy face pink with exasperation. 

"Peter stuffed up," he wheezed. "Boss thinks something bad's up and he's coming over to check." 

At that moment, every breathing organism in the room seemed to stiffen with fear. The stifling silence sent a chill over me. Alexandra once again dropped all the folders, mumbling apologies as she awkwardly scrambled after them.

I clapped sharply, disturbing the spell that had come over us all. 

"No time to stop, then!" I yelled. "Let's go get this done!" At this everyone seemed to wake up and rushed back to their previous duties, the previous hubbub recuperating. Ties flew as the boys delivered paper work and stuffed party hats on each person. 

"The cake!" Someone shrieked. Dread filled me. Alexandra darted out of the room, and all I could do was hope that she wasn't going to water the plants again for the fifth time today. 

Boss's muffled voice emanated from behind the walls. We froze once again, glancing at each others with owl-like eyes. The lights flickered. 

"Whatever, cake comes later!" I hissed, straightening the frilly cone-shaped abomination on my head. "Everybody hide now!"

We dove under the desks, several women squealing as their skirts stretched. Every person crouched in their cubicle, anticipating the emergence of the Big Boss. Party blowers poised, streamers in hand, everything we had prepared for came down to this moment.

The door swung open.

"Surprise!" We hollered, streamers, confetti and the like shooting into the air. A few relieved workers cheered and clapped as the person behind the door shuffled in.

Alexandra, armed with a mug of fresh coffee in her hand beamed over us all as she squeezed her portly figure through.

"Aw, you guys didn't have to," She chirped. "It's not even my birthday!"