The Secret of the Black Box

"Why the big smile today?" Silvia asked Iridessa, raising an eyebrow as she held a long red gown in her hand, preparing to place it on one of the racks. Iridessa turned to face her, her smile still beaming on her lips. She couldn't contain her happiness, and she knew exactly why - Idrus.

"Oh, it's nothing important," Iridessa lied, returning her attention to the clothes on the rack. She had been assisting a client in finding the perfect outfit for an event, and now she was organizing the remaining clothes.

"No, it definitely is important. Your smile is different today. I'm sure it has something to do with that attractive guy who dropped you off at work," Silvia said, moving closer to Iridessa with a curious sparkle in her eyes. Iridessa's cheeks flushed a bright pink.

"Please lower your voice. There are customers around," Iridessa whispered, glancing around to ensure no one had overheard Silvia's loud comment. Satisfied that they were in the clear, she turned back to the rack of clothes.

"Wait, so it's true? The person who dropped you off is your boyfriend?" Silvia exclaimed, but Iridessa's eyes widened in surprise. She quickly covered Silvia's mouth with her hand, only for Silvia to lick her palm, causing Iridessa to recoil in disgust. This prompted laughter from Silvia.

Iridessa raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She wasn't surprised to hear that the girls were gossiping about her again. It seemed like the other personnel shoppers in the shop couldn't resist poking their noses into someone else's business. Iridessa knew they meant no harm, but their curiosity was relentless.

Silvia couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "So spill the beans, Iridessa. If he's not your boyfriend yet, does that mean he asked you out? Are you still thinking about it?" she asked, hanging a red gown on a spare hanger and placing it between a blue and a white gown on the rack. Iridessa watched her friend, her mind racing with thoughts. Idrus hadn't asked her out yet, but she had a feeling that if he did, she would say yes. She really liked him, even though it wasn't love just yet. She wanted to give it a chance, but they needed to get to know each other better.

Silvia couldn't help but gush about Idrus. "Well, if he did ask you out, you better hold onto that gorgeous stud. Otherwise, someone else might snatch him away. I mean, damn, the man is really sexy. When I saw him, I got all hot. If he wasn't already yours, I would have been glued to him by now. You're a lucky girl," she said, fanning herself dramatically. Iridessa burst into laughter, causing heads to turn and stare at her. She quickly looked around, her face turning red with embarrassment.

Iridessa playfully scolded Silvia. "Look what you've caused, Silvia," she said, glancing down at her feet. Silvia couldn't help but smile, holding back her laughter. The way Iridessa blushed in embarrassment was too amusing for her.

"Sorry, dessa. I'll leave you now, but I do have a favor to ask," Silvia said, her expression turning serious. Iridessa turned to face her friend, placing the last piece of clothing on the rack. She was curious to know what Silvia needed.

"What's that?" Iridessa inquired, making her way towards the elevator. Silvia followed closely behind.

"If your boyfriend has a brother or friend who is as attractive as him, please introduce me. Let him know that you have a friend who is available," Silvia remarked, laughing as she quickly walked away before Iridessa could respond. Iridessa's eyes widened, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. She pressed the elevator button and waited for it to open.

The storage unit

"Where on earth is it?" Iridessa heard a voice exclaim as she entered the dimly lit storage area. She followed the sound, maneuvering through racks of clothing and neatly stacked boxes. The voice grew louder, bouncing off the concrete walls.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Iridessa called out as she ventured further into the area. She retraced her steps and switched on the storage light, which flickered momentarily before stabilizing. Although the voice remained audible, it seemed to fade as she approached. This was peculiar, but suddenly, a loud bang and a deep growl startled Iridessa. Her eyes widened, her heart raced, and her mind raced with possibilities. She imagined various scenarios, such as a squirrel or chipmunk sneaking in, but she dismissed them. She had heard a voice, and as far as she knew, animals couldn't talk.

"Come out! Where did he put it? I don't have much time," the voice repeated. Iridessa struggled to determine the gender of the voice, unsure if it belonged to a man or a woman. She cautiously continued walking, and then she heard a thud. She rounded the corner, only to be met with an unexpected sight.

Iridessa was taken aback by Melissa's disheveled appearance and strange behavior. "What are you doing here, Melissa?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. Melissa's eyes were wild, her hair unkempt, and her face smeared with a mysterious black liquid. She was crouching on the floor, rummaging through a black box that Iridessa had never seen before. Despite her curiosity, Iridessa hesitated to question Melissa about it just yet.

"Why are you here, Melissa? What happened to you?" Iridessa inquired, reaching out to touch the liquid on Melissa's face, only to have Melissa recoil as if her hand was a dangerous snake.

"It's nothing," Melissa muttered, her voice uncharacteristically hoarse. Iridessa couldn't shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

"I just lost a ring and a very important one," Melissa explained, her eyes fixated on the red ring on Iridessa's finger. Iridessa failed to notice the intensity in Melissa's gaze, too preoccupied with the bizarre situation unfolding before her.

"A ring? Have you checked everywhere?" Iridessa questioned, her unease growing as she observed Melissa's erratic behavior. Something was definitely amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"No need to worry, I'll find a replacement. It meant a lot to me, but I'll manage," Melissa assured Iridessa. However, Iridessa couldn't help but notice that she had never seen Melissa wearing a ring before, not even this morning when she arrived at work. She convinced herself that maybe Melissa had kept it hidden in her bag all this time.

"Alright then," Iridessa replied, nodding in understanding. As Melissa got up, Iridessa's eyes caught sight of a black handkerchief that she hadn't noticed before. Melissa wiped her face with it, and to Iridessa's surprise, the black liquid came off very quickly.

"Just so you know, answering your question doesn't make us friends. And if I hear anyone talking about what happened here, you'll regret it," Melissa warned, moving closer to Iridessa. Startled, Iridessa stood up and accidentally bumped into a large shelf, causing her heart to race. She nodded in agreement, while Melissa smirked, straightened her clothes, and left, leaving Iridessa in shock and annoyance.

"Great, now I have to tidy up after her?" Iridessa muttered to herself. She bent down and began organizing the makeup equipment that had fallen off the shelf and scattered on the floor. Iridessa was seething with anger, having been kind enough to ask Melissa what was wrong, only to be met with her usual unpleasant behavior and even a threat. Lost in her thoughts, she placed various items back on the shelf. As she reached for the large black box, about to put her hand inside, she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder.

Startled, she turned around to see Melissa standing there, her expression unreadable.

"Melissa?" Iridessa questioned, her voice filled with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. Melissa didn't say anything, but her intense gaze bore into Iridessa's, sending shivers down her spine.

"What do you want?" Iridessa asked, trying to maintain her composure despite the unsettling feeling in the air. Melissa's lips curled into a faint smirk, adding to Iridessa's unease.

"I'm here for the box," Melissa stated curtly, her tone devoid of any warmth. With a swift motion, she bent down and effortlessly lifted the black box, as if it weighed nothing at all.

Iridessa watched in silence as Melissa straightened up, holding the box securely in her grasp. There was something unnerving about Melissa's demeanor, something that sent a chill down Iridessa's spine.

"Be careful," Melissa whispered looking down at Iridessa's hand, her voice barely audible. And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Iridessa standing there, bewildered and unsettled by the encounter.

As Melissa left, Iridessa stood up, her mind racing with questions. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong with Melissa, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Who was she talking to?" Iridessa muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced around the dimly lit storage space but nothing was out of place and everything seemed ok.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Iridessa quickly gathered the remaining items she needed and hurried out of the storage area. As she walked back to the main floor of the shop, she couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of apprehension lingering in the back of her mind.

"I need to keep an eye on Melissa," Iridessa said quietly, her steps quickening with determination. She had a feeling that there was more to Melissa's strange behavior than met the eye.