A New Emotion

John was done writing the report. The office was almost empty, just a few lights in a few of the innumerable cubes. He switched off the computer, the monitor went black and that was when John got the feeling.

It shocked him, and then made him laugh. He got up and walked, barefoot, to Hank’s cube. Hank was still working.

”Hey,” John said with a smile, “I just got the weirdest feeling."

"Oh yeah?” Hank did not look up from the screen.

”I feel the need to completely annihilate myself."

"Uh-huh,” Hank probably decided to ignore his silly friend.

”…And the though has given me complete freedom."

"Yeah, you need to rest, John. You’ve been working too hard.”

John floated in a cloud of happiness. He picked up his bag, boarded the elevator, and rode down to the underground parking garage. It was dark, so he did not see the man until the man was right at him.

”Gimme your fucking money,” a sharp knife flashed in the man’s hand.

”Here, take it,” John handed over the wallet. The man did not want the car, or life. Alone now, John sat down on the concrete floor and cried. Tears of happiness. John gets to live one more day, and, hopefully, an endlessness of days.

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk