Followed

Never had I been so late so lost in work that I lost track of time, maybe because it was a stressful day at work or maybe because I did not want to return to that house.

I did not even realise when all around me had left. As I sat in that tiny cubicle many life thoughts went through my head, I heard glass shatter somewhere outside, I really didn't want to get up but I did. When I went to the window, I could see no one, not even a dog on the street, the silence of the entire office was making me wonder how much chatter we create throughout the day. The desk were so nicely arranged, people have photos of loved one's on their desks.

One lady had a card made by her daughter on Mother's day and besides that desk was a picture of a man with his dogs, life was so different for all but they all looked happy. In the pitch dark cateen far away, I could see a light and a very handsome man working on his laptop, I wondered was he like me lost and didn't realise it was around 2AM.

Our office did not really have shift working so why was he so late,I wanted to go and ask. 

"Ma'am, are we leaving?".

I heard my driver call me, he must be so pissed afterall I had spoiled his night and made him wait, I would better give him a day off and extra salary from this month because this was going to be a daily thing now afterall I did not wish to go home.

I looked at my driver and said, "In a minute, let me ask if that guy over there wants a drop home"

I looked back to the cateen and the tiny light was there but that man was not, maybe he left or went back to his cubicle.I decided to leave, we meet the night security near the gate.

" Ma'am, you got too late today, the last one to leave office today."

He smiled and I wondered if I am last maybe that man left before me. I got in my car and looked outside the window, the same window where I stood a while ago watching where the glass noise had come from, a few windows away, I saw that tiny light and he was there, sitting with his laptop.

The driver drove away but I really wanted to tell the security that I was not the last one to leave, he made a mistake.

The weather was now bad, it started to rain heavily with thunder and lightning, the silent night made it sound worst, from behind my car, I could see another car come in full speed, it was so fast that it passed from besides, all I could see was that there was a man inside working on his laptop.

I thought either I was too sleepy or that car was so fast that I did not see anything obviously because the rains.

 

All of a sudden my car stopped, the driver got down and checked. "Ma'am,the tires.."

I got out, three tyres were flat, seems like destiny did not want me to go home either, all drenched in the rain, I decided to walk further afterall standing there was not going to solve anything. I told the driver to call up the garage and get everything fixed and go home.

On the empty streets, I walked .. "Excuse me.. can I join?"

I was shocked to see that man, the one in the canteen, the one I assumed was in the car and now that I saw his face clearly.. he was the one in the picture with the dogs.

"Sure, I think I saw you in the office today and I wanted to ask you to join me then but you went somewhere, I think washroom maybe and you know the security thought I was the last to leave office and I am crazy but I thought your car just went pass mine a few minutes ago, oh sorry I have been just talking, you tell me now"

He looked at me and gave a smile, " Why did you stay at office so late?"

I was not expecting that question but I answered, " I don't want to go home, I feel good to be lost in work, what about you, why are you so late?"

" Following you"

What?

" I mean I can't go home, I wanted to, you know everyone is waiting for me but I can't go, I really want to, anyways if you meet them ever, tell them I miss them and I love them however they are and hope I had not waited this long, anyways I have some work in this building , bye"

He just left in a hurry, far away I would see some lights, I walked fast, the closer I got the more clear the picture became, there were police, there was a smashed car, glass shattered all around, the police were asking the locals when did this happen, who all were inside?"

At 1:45, the car was in full speed, the driver and the man only two were inside.

Oh so this must be the car that went in full speed besides my car but wait this can't happen at 1:45 then, it was 2:15 when I was in the car, I need to explain this to the police, thinking so I walked to them, lying there in a pile of glass and smashed and broken car pieces was the body of a man.

That man who sat in the cateen, that man who was in the picture with the dogs, that man whose car drove besides mine, that man who met me 2 mins ago, that man who wanted to go home but could not.

The glass had shattered at 1:45 when I heard it and went towards the window, I looked at the building far away and I saw a tiny light and I said to myself, " Go home not because you want to but go because today you can".