Day 21

"Welcome to MedTech, how can I help you?"

    “My wife works here, she forgot her lunch this morning, I’ve brought it in for her.”

    “And what’s your wife’s name?”

    “Bridget Connors.” She doesn't even tap her keyboard to check. Just gives me a funny look and shakes her head.

    “I’m afraid Mrs Connors isn’t in today, sir.” I can see her glancing over towards security. What the hell's going on? Bridget works for a massive corporation, there's no way the receptionist can just know that she isn't in.

    “Don’t be ridiculous, she called me from her office phone less than an hour ago. I grabbed her lunch from the kitchen counter and jumped on my bike."

    "I'm sorry, sir, but Mrs Connors hasn't been in for three weeks. Due to a...a...bereavement."

    "What? Does it say that on your screen? Why would it say that? Bridget doesn't know anyone who's died recently, she'd've told me, she always keeps me in the loop. What the hell is going on? Where's my wife?" I'm raging now. I'm not even sure why. Has my wife been lying to me? If so she's also been lying to her work. A bereavement? That's messed up, who uses that as excuse? You'd say you were ill or something, surely? Bridget would anyway, she hated the idea of tempting fate, hated the idea of death too. She wouldn't do it, which means the receptionist is lying to me. "Why won't you let me see my wife?"

    "Please calm down sir, I think we both know that only one of us here can possibly be a liar. And it's not me."

    What the actual fuck?

    "What the hell would I have to lie about, where the hell is my wife?" I scream as a security guard grabs my arm. I yank myself free and run towards the lift, leaping the security barriers as I go. The lift doors are closing, the gap looks too small for me to fit through but somehow I make it in just before they shut. I press the button for the 7th floor and pray it starts moving before security can open the door. It does. I look at myself in the mirrored wall, something seems wrong, something's missing. I've left Bridget's lunch at reception, but it's more than that - something's missing from me. I shake my head, I've not had much sleep recently. I don't really remember when I last slept. I don't really remember anything much at all for days. I need to see Bridget, that's all I know, she can stop this confusion, make everything right. 

    The lift doors open and to my relief the security guards aren't waiting on the other side to escort me back down stairs. I head down the corridor to Bridget's office. The door's shut so I push it open tentatively, suddenly apprehensive about what I'm doing. The room's empty, and not in a recently left, just popped out kind of way - more of a hasn't been used for days kind of way. The blinds are down and the chair is tucked neatly under the desk, a cleaner would've done that, Bridget is the least tidy person I know. I'm the OCD one, the one who fixates on stuff until it's just right. And this is not right. Behind me I hear the footsteps in the corridor, no point in running now. I wait dead still until the thick arm of a security guard clamps itself round my torso. My body doesn't have the will to resist.

    "Where's my wife?" I whimper. The guard says nothing, just drags me back to the lift and shoves me in.

    "Where's my wife?" I say again. Still no reply. The lift doors open and I'm marched across reception to the revolving front door.

    "WHERE'S MY WIFE?" I shout. Every eye is on me now.

    "Look pal, I don't know what you think you're playing at but it ain't funny. Now get out before I call the police." He squeezes us into one compartment of the door then forces me out onto the pavement. I turn to shout at him but he's gone. Like he was never there in the first place. Nothing makes sense and I stumble away form the building where my wife should be, but isn't.

    Dizzy, confused and so very tired, I step into the road and cross half way before realising I've left my wife's lunch inside. I turn back to get it. I hear the horn blare. I feel the crunch of the truck hitting me. I feel my last breath explode out of my body. It all goes black.

Day 22

    "Welcome to MedTech, how can I help you?"

    “My wife works here, she forgot her lunch this morning, I’ve brought it in for her.”

    “And what’s your wife’s name?”

    “Bridget Connors.” She doesn't even tap her keyboard to check. Just gives me a funny look and shakes her head...