The stillness was broken when everyone sprang into action, rushing toward Toby’s body, all speaking at once.
“Ohmygod, is he really dead?”
“Is this some kind of sick joke?”
“Is he still alive?”
“Somebody do something!”
Dwight yelled above all the talking, “Quiet! Toby really is dead. Nobody touches anything! And no one goes anywhere either…not until the police get here and talk to everyone!”
“Okay,” Jim spoke up, “we need to call the police.”
As he finished speaking, the lights went off again.
Dwight turned on his keychain flashlight and shone it on the phone on Phyllis’ desk. Since Erin was standing closest to it, he demanded, “Erin, call 911.”
Erin picked up the receiver and held it to her ear before slowly putting it down. “It’s…it’s not working…”
“What?” Phyllis went over to the phone and did the same. “You’re right, it’s not working.”
Andy also tried the phone on his desk, “Nope, you can’t dial from this one.”
Oscar walked back to his desk, bumping into a couple of hard surfaces on the way there. “My phone is not working either.”
“The storm must have affected the power and the phone lines.” Pam said.
Kevin chimed in, “My cell phone isn’t working.”
Creed and Ryan added, “Same here.”
Before their office mates could start panicking, Jim suggested, “Why don’t we light some candles and turn on the lanterns and flashlights and figure out what to do.”
“We also need to lock all the exit doors so no one can leave. And no one can drive to get the police either. We don’t know if you’re just going to drive off.” Dwight said.
Once Angela, Kelly, Meredith and Erin gathered the emergency supply kit, the office was well lit and the doors locked, everyone gathered near Phyllis’ and Stanley’s desks again.
Dwight started talking, “Since we can’t contact the police, and I was trained as a volunteer sheriff, it’s only right that I start interviewing…”
But he was interrupted by Stanley, “Wait a second, where is Michael?”
It was only then that everyone realized that Michael was, indeed, missing. A slow creak turned everyone’s attention toward the kitchen, and they saw the men’s restroom door slowly open.
