Short Story: Part 1

I watched the light recede from the stacks of letters on my desk, out the paint chipped window and down the grey-gritty brick wall of my office building. I’d nothing else to do, so I stayed until the night was in full black, while I folded the leaflets, stuffed and sealed the envelopes, and rolled the stamps across the tiny water wheel. I’d filled several boxes by the time the plain clock on the wall stuck 9:14. I knew the exact time, for as the minute hand lurched forward I heard a loud click, for some reason louder than the others—it was the clock, but I didn’t think so at first; so, a bit startled, I suddenly looked up just in time to see the hand move and stop in a manner according to the shape of the sound I’d heard. Hmm. I didn’t think it was odd then, but, now, if I remember it right, the click sounded, then the hand moved. I’d filled several boxes by then, and, though not tired, I felt a heaviness in my head, and the emptiness of the building started to get to me. Mostly it made me feel empty inside, sterilized, but I thought of the empty apartment I had to go home to and found the will to stay for another hour or so, until the feeling turned to sadness and began to eat away at me.

I took the stairs down to the lobby, feeling at every moment that I might start running, leaping down the steps, terrified of I don’t know what. The lobby was empty and poorly lit with a yellow glow that somehow looked cheap.

The doors locked behind me—it was cold outside and misting—already I felt better, calmer, if not peaceful. I’d walk home, I thought and drew in a deep breath of the misty air. I made it only to the corner with this attitude, whereupon I spotted a small brown coat. It was tattered, lacerated along the sleeve, with some of the stuffing protruding out. No. It wasn’t a coat, but a dog. My mouth went dry and my eyes grew hot. I was crying; it was the breaking point for my swelling sadness, which just moments before I’d thought I’d managed to swallow. I threw up. A real mess, I thought, wiped my mouth on my sleeve and hailed a cab.