Sola

ed. Linda, his assistant, was beside him. She had a fil

need this job... fo

strides when he ca

Gonza. Miss Lance."

y today." He

. She wondered if there was a righ

ly." Lame repl

ds must've worked

know because she lacked the courag

seconds but it started to ge

now. Enjoy." He walked off into the s

sir." She

l. He's gone." Kofi said from th

of her lie. Every staff member who noticed her absen

tter. Miss me

hat's why. And I'm a great

clocking machine and proceeded

ocked out of work, she felt relaxed an

n she got home that evening, another fear qui

**

nto her stomach as she stared at her

're mov

oked guilty and it made Sol feel wor

't refuse." She lowered her eyes in guilt aga

h her fiance. She was not coming back anytime soon mean

ace, but she wasn't ready to stop living with her b

work?" She

everyone is shifting to remote jobs nowadays. Isn't th

sume and chances of finding work. Not to move out of town with a man and g

de money when she brought in clients. And sometimes, she made much more than Solana. Toge

s happened. And moving out of town with one's fiance was a good

weeks. She won't be able to meet up. Her half was nearly complete and it was not enough to kee

I know it's short no

come, instead." She knew she soun

the wedding too. I can't leave all the responsibility to David, it's not fair. When he asked me to join him

ly and avoided eye contact, Solana realized the decision

t believe in living together until marriage, Sol always knew it was partly because of her. If she was agreei

She nodded and the relief in h

Julie came

to miss you." She r

We'll still see each other often." Her

istance was a barrier to close friendships. Life would definitely get in

e asked, "So what are

igure i

rt? Solana took a deep breath to keep herself f

***

Mark

eam. It had to be a dream, he told himself over and over again as he took another drag from his wee

when he lowered his eyes, away from the sun. In its

ext scene."

ng entirely different. Except there was no next scene. His vision had cleared quickly. The gravestone was still in front of him

k the time, then look at something else. Check the time again, and if it has changed to

d alright. But it had only moved forward

other hated this habit so much, he thought that perhaps she would appear and haunt him if he kep

y to sit here on his arse had been his routine. It wa

t words to him. He hadn't even asked. She had deliberately deceived him. Even though her breathing had been lab

n hour after her unforgivable lie, she had gone into cardiac arrest and never

His worst nightmare came into reality that evening.

he already smoke them all? He couldn't recall at what point he lit one wrap a

haunting. Why was it taking so long? Why wasn't it working? He was stupid.

ve her precious motel was her final joke.

meless and penniless in six months' time

s mother hated him as a son. She considered him a disa

e close enough to enjoy was Numbers. And whenever he got involved, the madam always sta

her 'impregnator' and his enti

s mother's problems were the old man's fault and the fact that he died too ea

He cursed as his heart started to h

brought Mark out of his thoughts. He chec

l and pretend life has any meaning. Y

for so long. He sat back down, adjusted himself, and waited for his legs to regain their senses. Mo