The faint buzzing of fluorescent lights could barely be heard in the brightly lit office room. The loud rumbling of the air conditioning unit placed just outside his office added to the monotonous white noise of his work area. Matthew sat at his desk, his eyes glued to the monitor. His hands danced across his keyboard with grace and surprising skill, the scene giving an image of a man fully indulged in his work.
Matthew finished his task and prepared to sign out for the day, but suddenly a loud roar of bangs bombarded his office door before it swung wide open. His manager had just stepped in; he walked forward before taking a seat in front of Matthew. He stared at Matthew with stern eyes and a composed expression before he began to speak.
"Matthew, you know… you have quite the habit of leaving on time. It's bothersome sometimes, you know, especially when I need to talk to you like this," he said casually, hinting at a more serious matter. "You really should try staying a bit longer after work, you know. Maybe even try talking to a few of your colleagues… who knows, you might just end up enjoying it," he jokingly said.
Matthew sat unmoved by his words, still carrying a calm and expressionless face. "I'll take it into consideration, Mr. Laurence."
Slightly frowning, Laurence chilled at his response.
Same Matthew as always, ever so cold.
He awkwardly cleared his throat before continuing.
"Uh… anyways, moving from that, let's talk about why I'm actually here," he said as his voice got a bit more serious. "I want to personally congratulate you on the work you've done for this company. In all honesty, HR was going to send you an email later today, but I wanted to get a bit of a head start and do it first."
Matthew continued looking at him with a blank stare, completely uninterested by whatever news was coming his way.
How bothersome, he thought.
"I'm happy to say that you're promoted," he said with a wide grin plastered on his face. "You know, Matthew, you've always been a good worker, always working till the very last minute, arriving on time, and honestly, the office wouldn't be the same without your effort. I'm gonna miss you, you know," Laurence said with his eyes relaxed and a faint smile on his face before being interrupted by Matthew.
"With all due respect, if that's all you have to say, I will take my leave for today. As you said, HR will inform me of the rest of the details," he said rather bluntly. "Please do have a good evening, Laurence," he added, completely ending the conversation that was being had.
Laurence cleared his throat, trying to hide his shocked expression painted on his face.
"It seems that we're done here. You have a good evening, Matthew, and I'll see you tomorrow as usual," he added before turning away to leave.
Matthew finished packing and left the office building, heading into the busy streets and walking towards the bus stop down the street. The streets were lively and bustling with life, whether it be the people rushing up and down in the streets dressed in all manners of clothes, from classy business attire to stylish street clothes. There was no lack of sound in the city street; the honking of horns, chatter of people, and humming of machinery created this chaotic harmony in the concrete jungle. Matthew got on the bus and sat down on a seat near the front of the bus by a window. A young lady came to Matthew; he paid no mind to her existence. To him, it was just another meaningless face.
She spoke, saying, "Hello, is there anyone sitting here?"
Matthew shook his head, not replying to her.
She gave a kind smile to Matthew and sat down next to him.
"Thank you," she said. "By the way, my name is Sarah. Actually, it's not my first time seeing you on the bus," she said while trying to look away from Matthew. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now, but never got around to it."
"I'm sorry, I got carried away. I've been the only one talking this whole time," she quickly realized while she looked down in embarrassment while playing with her hands in between her thighs.
Matthew hadn't said a word, nor did he want to; he sat looking dead ahead, ignoring her constant talking. Suddenly, he turned his head slightly and glanced at the young lady. She was short and with a round face, her cheeks a rosy pink. She had large innocent eyes and dark curly hair, and she wore a two-piece outfit that matched her cute and bubbly personality. Most men would envy Matthew, but for him, all that didn't matter; all he saw was just another person who meant nothing. He then returned to his docile state, waiting for the trip to end.
Sarah was not only shocked but hurt by what had just happened. Her eyes started to turn red and swell with tears, but she held back.
"Sorry for bothering you, Sir," she said before secluding herself once again.
The bus reached Matthew's stop and he got out, walking into an abandoned street, making his way to a nearby alleyway he would walk through to get home faster. He took out a cigarette and lit it as he walked.
Finally off that damn bus. Felt like I was stuck there for years.
He started to recall what happened at the office and continued to monologue in his head.
Why the hell am I still even working there, anyway? I could probably get a better job any time... Hmm, I mean, I guess it does pay pretty damn well.
Before he could continue his thought, on the other side of the alleyway, bright flashes of light popped up out of nowhere followed by the screeching of wheels. At that moment, Matthew knew he was about to be dragged into the middle of some trouble.
"What the he…" he was interrupted mid-sentence by the screeching of more wheels, but this time behind him, followed by the sound of loud bangs which continued to grow louder and louder as if coming closer to him.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
What the hell is even going on?
He put aside all the useless thoughts and only focused on getting to safety. He dashed forward as he knew there was another back alley close by on his left that he could use as an escape. He dashed, his heart pumping and his mind racing. Eventually, he reached safety before relaxing again. Before he let himself be at ease, he heard a loud cry coming back from where he just ran from. It was a child. Time seemed to freeze as he heard the child's voice. He instantly dashed forward towards the direction he came from, ran down the alley, and crossed the corner he went past just now.
There! he thought as he caught the image of the child in the corner of his eye. Ducking down so as not to get hurt or seen, he rushed towards the child and grabbed them. He quickly rushed for safety where he had just been.
"Damn kid, don't you know it's dangerous out here? You could've been killed."
"I'm sorry, sir," the kid said, flinching at Matthew's berating.
Matthew sighed. "Know what, kid? Just get outta here. And next time, don't go around any back alleys, you hear?"
Or you might actually die next time.
Matthew, who was still a bit tired and disoriented by the whole ordeal, fixed himself before going back on his way.
That could've ended badly if I didn't think fast... I really should move to somewhere nicer. Ahh, maybe when I'm not in so much debt, I guess.
Matthew continued on his way home, taking the long way back to avoid the danger. A bleak-looking, gray building with a single streetlight illuminated the entrance. The building looked almost abandoned, if it weren't for the few room lights shining through the windows. Just as abandoned as the building looked, so did the street—devoid of life. Only a few beggars roamed around, barely able to be called alive, whether it was because of their frail, skeletal bodies or disease-ridden faces. This was the scene Matthew was all too familiar with. It was his reality.
Matthew breathed in deeply, entering the apartment building and going straight for his apartment, ignoring all the people he encountered along the way. He had nothing but indifference for them and would rather not talk to them.
He finished going up the stairs and finally reached his floor. The corridor was cramped and dimly lit, with a stench of dampness filling the air. He continued forward toward his apartment. Along the way, he saw the only person he didn't completely disregard—in fact, the only person he would say was of interest to him. She stood out from the dull and bland environment, as if she radiated a warmth you couldn't find anywhere else. She reminded him of someone he had lost, someone he held special. He didn't know if it was the way she looked, dressed, or if it was just her whole demeanor.
She was tall, a slender woman with pale porcelain skin and jet-black hair that looked like it was made of silk. Her eyes, though dark as an abyss, still carried a warmth to them. Her thin lips were a pale rose, and she carried a smile that could melt away any negative emotions inside anybody. She dressed in modest, cute clothes that matched her passive aura.
She moved in not too long ago, didn't she? I wonder what someone like that is doing in a shithole like this. I guess everyone goes through some shit sometimes, he thought to himself.
I should really speak to her sometime. I mean, it's not like there's anyone else around to talk to anyway.
He then suddenly heard a sweet and soft voice. "Hello."
It was the strange woman he had just seen. She stood in front of him with a warm, welcoming smile. Matthew stood silent for a moment before frantically trying to gather himself internally after this surprising turn of events.
"Hey...?" he said, trying to salvage the moment.
Mary continued with the same soft voice, "My name is Mary Everton and I'm one of your neighbors from down the hall. It hasn't been too long since I moved in here. I'm really embarrassed for not introducing myself earlier. It was so rude of me. I really do hope you can forgive me."
Matthew thought to himself, What the hell...? What's she even talking about...?
"Uh... no... no, you're good," he said, raising one of his hands and rubbing the top of his head. "Actually, people around here aren't really known for doing things like that. In all honesty, I think it's safer to keep your mouth shut," he said, trying not to stumble on his words.
He snarked internally, Isn't that ironic, huh?
"Hehehe, my mother always used to tell me to greet your neighbors and give them a little gift to get along. Actually, I wanted to also ask if you want to come over and have dinner? Just take it as part of the apology," she said, tilting her head slightly to the side with a wide smile, her eyes fixed on Matthew.
"Guess I don't have much of a choice, huh," he said in defeat with a half smirk pasted on his face.
"Yay!" she said gleefully. "I stay at Room B467, just four rooms down. You can come around 7 PM, can't wait to see you then," Mary said while walking away and waving goodbye to Matthew, who stood there stunned by the whole interaction.
He fixed himself up and turned toward his door. A loud creaking noise bellowed through the corridor as he walked into a pitch-black room. He soon turned on the lights after leaving his shoes by the door. All the apartments in the building were the same, just a single bedroom and bathroom connected to a living room space with an open-style kitchen. In actuality, you couldn't call it much of a kitchen if it weren't for the dingy island slapped in the inconspicuous space between where the kitchen ended and the living room began.
Some people say that the home is a reflection of oneself and what resides in their souls. Matthew's apartment was devoid of life and sentimental value; everything he owned had a purpose and reason for being there. He cared very little about sentimental value; he had no reason for it anymore. He'd already lost everything he'd ever cared about. Matthew continued into his house and grabbed a glass of water before going to rest in his bedroom.
Hours passed and the time had finally come for him to go see Mary.
I wonder if I'm going to be the only person present. Eh, I doubt it. She probably invited the whole corridor as well, must be just how nice people are, I guess.
He arrived at her door and knocked. From inside, a welcoming voice could be heard saying, "Come in, it's open."
As Matthew walked in, he was welcomed by the aroma of different dishes filling the air, the blend of different spices and ingredients creating an alluring feeling. It simply smelled too amazing, but before he could be fully entranced, he noticed how empty and bland her home looked. It almost reminded him of his own place. Mary stood near a table that was set in the living room. She stood there with an inviting smile, still wearing her apron. It had a cute purple and baby blue striped pattern. She gestured for Matthew to get closer to the table. He walked closer—it wasn't like he had any other options now—grabbed a chair, and sat. The table was an old wooden dinner table for four seats that were placed pretty close to each other. Mary prepared to sit next to Matthew while they started to converse.
"Expecting any other guests?" Matthew playfully joked.
"No, today it will be just us," she replied. "In all honesty, this whole thing was also a bit last minute," she let out, giving a small chuckle. They continued chatting while Mary plated some food.
Time passed, and the two enjoyed their meal together, with some chatter in between in an attempt to get to know each other. Matthew couldn't remember the last time he had felt this well-fed off of home-cooked food. He looked toward Mary, about to give his thanks before leaving again to his own apartment. But before he could, Mary interrupted the steady silence.
"Thank you," she murmured softly. "In all honesty, I'm really grateful," she said, sounding as if there were tears in her eyes.
"No, Mary, you don't need to cry. In all honesty, I'm the one who should be moved. You're the one who made all this delicious food for us. Thank you, Mary, for this," Matthew said, with a blush on his cheeks, embarrassed with a little feeling of humiliation.
"No, Matthew, I think you have it all wrong. This simple feast I made was just a simple last meal before our grand departure," she said, her smile shifting from warm and welcoming to one of twisted, unnerving joy.
"What...? What do you mean by departure? What's going on here?" Matthew said as he looked at Mary in confusion.
"Oh, nothing much. You're just the final piece I've been looking for and who would've thought it was gonna be this easy. Finally, I can leave this cursed world and travel beyond the world's borders. We'll be taken to a world where we can truly become strong. Wouldn't that be amazing?"
Her smile had completely changed to a twisted display of sadistic joy. The woman he had imagined was gone in the blink of an eye.
"What the fuck, what are you even talking about? Let me out of he... r..." he said before getting cut off as his body fell to the ground, limp. "What did you do to me?" he said, his voice growing weaker by the second.
"I couldn't thank you enough, but quite frankly I'm also in need of some gratitude, you know," she snarkily said. "I'm giving you the opportunity to take the world and make it your own, and actually live life and not this hell we call living. Those eyes... you just aren't ready to understand yet, I guess. If you survive on the other side, maybe you'll see what I'm talking about," Mary said as she walked closer to Matthew's fallen body.
With his last bit of strength, Matthew looked up at her, or at least tried to.
"Other... si.d..."
The world went black, but before it did, a single thought appeared.
Am I really gonna die, I can't die like this… I made a promise.
He then drifted into unconsciousness, letting his remaining strength and energy slip out of his body going completely limp.
Before he slipped away one last thought appeared in his mind.
I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise; I tried to keep living m….
And just like that darkness completely took him.