I woke with a start, my body stiff and heavy. The bed beside me was cold—empty. My heart hammered as I scrambled upright, scanning the room.
Everything was different. The walls were bare, the floor cluttered with papers, and a faint smell of dust and old coffee hung in the air. The warmth of the house, the comfort I'd felt, it was gone.
"No…" I whispered, my voice trembling. "No! No! I want to go back. Stop!"
I stumbled out of bed, looking around frantically. My chest tightened, and tears pricked my eyes as panic surged. I had no idea where I was. The bed, the couch, even him—none of it was here. Nothing made sense.
The room was silent except for the scuff of my shoes on the floor and the muffled hum of a distant fan. My fingers trembled as I brushed at the mess on the desk, trying to anchor myself—but it was useless. This wasn't my life. This wasn't the house I'd grown comfortable in.
Then, suddenly, a blur of movement caught my eye.
A dog—a big, golden-furred blur—came bounding toward me, tail wagging like a banner in the wind. I froze as it skidded to a halt at my feet, sniffing my shoes and nudging me with a wet nose.
I bent down, unsure, and my eyes caught the tag on its collar: Leo.
I swallowed hard, recognition dawning slowly. The name felt… familiar, like a memory I couldn't place. My chest tightened again.
"This… this is The Office," I whispered to myself, voice shaking. I remembered snippets, glimpses I had read when flipping through the book ages ago—characters, relationships, drama… and now I was inside it.
The dog barked softly, as if trying to reassure me, and I hugged it instinctively. "Okay… okay," I murmured, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I… I can do this. I'll figure it out."
But even as I said it, my mind raced. Where was everyone? Who could I trust here? And most importantly… what was coming next?
The dog nudged me again, and I looked down at its warm, trusting eyes. "Leo, huh? I guess… we're going to be partners," I whispered, taking a shaky breath. Somehow, despite the fear and confusion, I felt a tiny spark of resolve.
This was a new story. A new world. And I was… the main character.