At first, I didn't think I was that dependable of a person, but when I saw the manager's face lit up when he reviewed my finished software, I knew I had underestimated myself.

I was given my next task almost immediately. The manager asked me to sort out the file cabinet of my department alphabetically. It was quite a hassle, but I'm up for any tedious challenge.

"Excuse me, S-Sir Williams?" I heard a whisper.

I turned my head around but was met with nothing, just the view of the busy office. Thinking I was just overhearing things in the distance, I continued juggling the folders in the cabinet.

"Umm, excuse me, Sir Williams?" the voice said, louder this time.

The voice, accompanied by the tugging sensation on my shirt, startled me. I turned to see where it was coming from. Again, there was nothing behind me, until I moved my gaze downwards. There was a woman, carrying a stack of paper. Her timid eyes met mine, and I was struck by how easily I had missed her presence, given her stature.

"Whoa, where did you come from?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

She blushed, steering her gaze away from mine. "I-I've been here all along."

"I'm sorry, I must have been too focused on my work. How can I assist you... Nila?"

"Huh?" she hid her mouth with the papers she carried, looking everywhere except at me. "H-How do you know my name?"

I casually pointed at the ID hanging on her neck.

"Oh, right," she lowered the papers, revealing a nervous smile.

"So, do you need help with anything?" I closed the file cabinet, prioritizing my colleague. I don't know why, but her mannerisms remind me of a lost child. I couldn't help but focus my gaze entirely on her, even though she found it difficult to do the same.

She handed me the stack of papers she carried, the discrepancy in size between her and the papers was quite comical. The burning of her cheeks seemed to grow with every passing moment.

"C-Could you please proofread this?" she said softly. "I-I'm not too sure about it. I-It's a bit over my head... If you're fine with it, of course."

"Over your head? Literally," I couldn't resist making the joke, raising the papers in the air at a point where she couldn't reach, but I immediately regretted it as her cheeks exploded even more.

She managed a nervous giggle. "Y-Yes, I suppose so."

We huddled over the papers, the scene felt like a workout rather than work. I had to bend down to her level, literally, crouching closer to the ground with my knees bent as if in a squat.

"I never thought I'd be helping someone while doing a limbo dance," I murmured to myself.

"W-Well, you might need to limbo a little lower," she said while tiptoeing, her heels making her sway unstably.

I sat down on the floor so she could see what I was noting down. "Sorry if I'm being too rude, Nila. Just tell me if you're uncomfortable with it."

She sat down next to me. "You're just trying to brighten things up, right? I know that I'm really s-shy, so I appreciate what you're doing," she said, giving off a smile.

"How brave of you for coming all this way," I unconsciously thought of patting her on the head because my image of her morphed into a puppy for some reason, but I held back, giving a thumbs up instead. "Also, why exactly did you come to me? You know it's just my first day here, right?"

She fiddled with her thumbs. "I-I'm pretty new here, as well. I-I first asked the person next to me for help, but he says that you passed the G-Gabrielle initiation without even breaking a sweat. I don't really know what he meant by this."

I laughed nervously. "You're better off not knowing."

"W-Why? Was it something scary? It's not one of those hazing situations, right?" she finally looked me in the face, with a worried look etched on her face.

I chuckled. "Don't worry, it's only intellectually horrifying."

She gulped. "Sounds rough."

After a minute or so, I finished proofing her work, writing down my suggestions on the side of the text blocks. I don't think I'm qualified to be the one to do this, but the feeling of someone relying on me is quite fulfilling.

"Thank you so much for helping me, Nathan. I'll treat you to lunch tomorrow as thanks," she said, grabbing the papers from my hand and bowing down. This might be the first time we made eye contact, but only for a second. She blushed afterward.

"Could I bring some friends along? They're nice people so I'm sure you'll get along well with them. They'll pay for their own lunch, of course."

"That sounds good. Actually, I-I think I'll introduce myself to them now, since I don't have much else to do thanks to you," she said, looking down with a nervous glint in her eyes.

I nodded, realizing something. Despite her shy appearance, she's actually quite outgoing. My image of her changed. From a little puppy, she's now still just a little puppy, but wearing a suit of armor and holding out a sword, ready for the social battlefield. "How admirable, and cute," I thought in my mind.

"Well, some of them are in a different department, and I don't really know their station number." I then took one step to the side and leaned over in the same direction, spotting the inside of my station in the distance. "And one of them is a bit... busy," I said, eyeing Raf whose face was planted on his keyboard. Sometimes I wonder if it was really Raf that helped me earlier or was it just a doppelganger? True, his help didn’t equate to much, but he still helped nonetheless. Maybe the stars aligned at that time.

"Looks like you have some really dependable friends," Nila said, her eyes gleaming with admiration. "I hope I can get on their level someday."

"Y-Yes... I sure hope you do," I forced a smile. In reality, I actually hoped she stayed the same. For once, she's pretty much the tamest out of the bunch. Raf is stupid and lazy, Laura is unconsciously a succubus, and Alex dreams of being a third wheel. I haven't talked much with Gabrielle, since he's the one doing all the talking, so I don't know much about his personality, other than he's the nerdy type. Now I wonder how I fit into this circus of a friend group?

As I walked home after a successful first day of work, the synthesis of the events replayed in my mind, from the smile of the receptionist to waving goodbye to Raf who was punished with overtime. I skipped along the pavement. The promise of lunch tomorrow, sponsored by Nila, added a touch of anticipation to my evening. I feel bad for taking her offer, since back in college, I'm usually the one who treats everyone during snack breaks. But not accepting her whim might make things a bit awkward so this is for the best. I'm also looking forward to seeing Laura again, in a non-romantic way, of course. My feelings for her unraveled to be just of a high school crush, much like Alex but less weird. I'd be much happier cheering for Alex to get together with her, that is if he'd stop with his stalker approach and just be bold with it.

With just a few turns around the block, the construction site went into view. I didn't think much of it, but after passing by an open gap in the barricade, curiosity got the better of me, and I stole a glance inside. The dimming daylight revealed an eerie scene—no workers, no machinery. Just an empty site, the perfect representation of Raf's mind. It's as if they're still setting things up and haven't started on anything yet.

My eyes fixated on the cement bags piled on the corner, and the absence of one labeled as sand struck me. No mounds, no piles, not even a grain in sight. It was as if the construction site itself had swallowed every trace of it, if it did have some in the first place.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

A chill ran down my spine. I found the juxtaposition of the site being void of any sand and its inexplicable presence in our office unsettling. "Could it really be just a prank?" I pondered, questioning the source of the sand that filled our workspace. The reality of it being some sort of sabotage orchestrated by the alleged troublemakers did seem plausible at first, but wouldn't just smashing everyone's computers be the easiest way to do so?

I sighed, shrugging off this uneasy feeling. I convinced myself that the sand in our office must be coming from a different source, perhaps unrelated to any of the aforementioned. But something kept bugging me. I'm pretty sure the manager knows more than he's telling us since he has the authority to view the CCTV footage. Maybe it's something he can't tell us yet.

"Good morning everyone!" I exclaimed, walking through the aisle. I wasn't anticipating someone to greet me back, it's more of a sign of formality. However, I did form a smile when I saw a few people's minimal waves. It's just my second day here but I already feel like I fit in, as if I now have my own cog in the machine.

I was about to greet Raf, who was playing Solitaire on his computer in the first hour of the workday, but something caught my attention.

Turning my gaze to the station next to ours, I noticed an empty chair, the most concerning part being the sand piled on it. I walked closer to inspect it further and my eyes widened when I saw the complete mess there was. Sand was literally everywhere—on the desk, on the stationery, and even piled on the keyboard. Not to mention the monitor was still turned on, left on a tab containing a project proposal of some sort.

"Raf, what happened here? And where's Mr. Afton?" Concern etched on my face as I inquired about my rowmate's whereabouts.

Raf, seemingly lost in his own world, shrugged off my question. "No idea, man. It was already like that when I clocked in. Also, his name is Afton? The guy next to us? Pretty cool name."

I sat down and got to work despite the questions plaguing my mind. I suppose the sand really is a prank or some sort of sabotage since it caused damage this time around. I'm sure things will resolve themselves once the manager comes. Mister Afton might be looking for him now.

The morning pressed on, and the prospect of a group lunch brought a mix of anticipation and unease since I hadn't seen any trace of Mr. Afton yet. The manager's secretary called in saying the manager was at the parent branch of the company discussing details about a project. The company still flowed smoothly, even without the presence of Mr. Afton, really showing how the people here are at the top of their class. Everyone was hard at work, well... except for one.

"Be honest everyone, does pineapple belong on pizza?" Raf asked, shoving a handful of chips in his mouth afterward.

Gabrielle took a deep breath in. "Well, for starters, the double acidity of the pineapple and tomato sauce increases its acidity levels by-"

"To summarize?" said Raf while his mouth was full.

Gabrielle sighed. "If the pineapple is sour, no. But if it's pretty sweet, it's passable."

"Umm, I think p-pineapple tastes great with it, especially when it's j-juicy," said Nila.

Raf nodded. "I appreciate your input, but I kindly disagree."

"It's not that bad," said Alex. "I know someone who really likes pineapples. She made me appreciate having them on my pizza."

"The brainwashing is getting to you," said Raf. "Also, who's she?"

Alex bit into his hotdog sandwich, pretending not to hear a word.

"Raf, it's not appropriate to judge others' preferences when you're the one who has it the worst," said Gabrielle. "A massive influx of salt from your chips and that sugary cola bombards your brain with too much glucose, affecting your motivation. That's why the manager always calls you out for being so unproductive."

Raf chuckled. "I'm just saving my energy for more important things."

"And what's more important than work?"

Raf eyed Gabrielle, his eyes narrowing with confusion. "Sleep, of course. You should try some next time."

We all sighed in our heads.

Lunch had finally come after hours of listening to tapping sounds on the keyboard. I've done a lot, quite possibly ten times more than the people next to me, with Raf doing nothing out of choice, and Mr. Afton still nowhere to be found.

For once, I witnessed Raf motivated to do something. When the alarm on his phone rang, he jumped from his chair and dashed outside the room, screaming "Lunch time!" He even forgot to bring his phone, nor stop the alarm.

We now sat in the company cafeteria. The first meeting of a newly formed friend group, save for Laura. I did see her walking through the hallway towards us, but once she caught sight of the person next to me, she quickly turned back and disappeared.

For the most part, things were great. Everyone was getting along with only a few moments of silence in between. Nila was able to fit in, even commenting on some of Raf's jokes while also telling some of her own. Alex, with his charismatic nature, helped in setting the mood and easing everyone into a friendly banter. But he did seem preoccupied, looking back and forth, trying to find a particular someone. I first thought Gabrielle would be a bit distant, especially when he's known for being the company Einstein and for being extremely busy, but he's actually pretty normal. Gabrielle easily joined in the middle of conversations and even let out jokes of his own, though some were a bit too intellectual to be understood. He actually has a good dynamic with Raf, being the straight man in the comedy duo.

Conversations flowed and laughter came with it, but it didn't take long for that topic to be brought up.

Alex, after sipping through the last of his tea, dropped a bombshell. "Someone tasted it, you know. They said it's a bit metallic."

The table fell into a hush as everyone looked at Alex with a glint of curiosity.

"What are you referring to?" I asked.

"You know, the sand. The one that's been appearing recently."

"I don't think it's recent," Gabrielle said. "Out of everyone in this table, I'm the one who's worked here the longest, and I've heard rumors about that even before the company was mainstream. Also, there's a rumor that it started when the previous manager got fired."

"Why did he get fired?" I asked.

"Well... That's the thing, it's a bit mysterious. They say he just disappeared suddenly and never set foot in the company again. Management tried to reach him, but it was as if he just fell off the earth one day. Not even his family has an idea of where he is. He's still missing even today."

In the corner of my eye, I saw Nila's hands tremble for a second. A sweat slid down her neck as she looked down.

"Maybe he just wanted to live a new life, defect into another country or something," I said, trying to end the topic.

Gabrielle nodded, taking into account my made-up hypothesis.

I formed a thought in my mind. "A previous manager that got fired and disappeared without a trace, sand mysteriously appearing in the company despite the tight security, and the current manager not disclosing what he knows. Wait... What if the previous manager is-"

"Who cares about that stuff," Raf said, breaking my thought process. "More importantly, why would someone eat sand? And doesn't sand normally taste metallic?"

Gabrielle, the resident intellect, attempted to enlighten us. "No, it's more like salt, but it doesn't taste like anything when it's clean. It's more of a texture thing. And as to why they'd taste it, ask them yourself."

"Wait, why do you know the taste of sand?" Raf pressed, his eyes fixed on Gabrielle.

A deep sigh escaped from Gabrielle's lips. "For starters, sand is just a heterogeneous mixture of various materials from eroded rocks and—"

"To summarize?" Raf interjected.

Gabrielle sighed even deeper. "Common sense, obviously."

Raf leaned forward, eyeing Gabrielle while letting out a long hum, dissatisfied with his answer.

"...And that I've had a mouthful of it when I slipped on the beach," Gabrielle said with his face flushed, pushing Raf's amused grin away.

We all exchanged a quick chuckle. Then afterward, Nila chimed in. "I-I heard others saying that when you p-pour water on it, it becomes a red liquid."

"That's something new," Alex said. "That sand stuff appears in my department the most. I'm in the prototyping department by the way. But I haven't heard of anyone actually messing around with that stuff. We just mostly sweep them up and don't care."

"Why does it turn red?" Raf asked. Suddenly, his face lit up and he stood up, smashing his hands on the table. "Is it like magical sand or something? Will it make me a millionaire if I just quit working and sell it off as magic?"

Everyone ignored him.

"M-Maybe there's something in it?" speculated Nila. "It could have an e-element that dyes water red or s-something..." She glanced over at Gabrielle, hoping for him to continue her idea.

"You might be onto something," said Gabrielle. "The most common element that can dye water into a brown or a red hue is iron. That could explain the observation for it tasting a bit metallic."

Nila smiled, happy to have helped in solving the case.

"But there is still a possibility that it might be something else," said Alex. "Why would iron look like sand? If it's just mixed in there, then we should be able to see a few dots of gray, but no, it's completely brown."

For some reason, I felt a chill go up my spine from what Alex said. If it's not what Nila and Gabrielle said, then what exactly is it?

A few more speculations danced around the table, but nothing conclusive emerged. The mystery of the sand remained unsolved.

"Whatever it is, for a mainstream company, they should really investigate this more thoroughly," Alex said. "It's already destroying appliances and other things. It'll only be a matter of time until an accident happens because of it. I don't want Lau- lots of my friends to be involved with these things."

Raf tried to poke fun. "Are you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared! I don't know what I'll do if something happens to her- ehem, hertha—my lovely computer. A keyboard did get ruined, right?" he laughed nervously.

Raf had a disgusted impression on his face. "You named your computer? Remind me to get away from you sometimes."

We all laughed it off and finished our lunch. But even as I went up the stairs and went back to work mode, what Alex said still stuck to me. Maybe... just maybe, what if these pranks start to harm more than just our electronics.