When Night Falls (Complete)

100

BRADLEY

Work that day is the same as the day before. The view from the office is relaxing. Up high on the twentieth floor, overlooking the grand labyrinth of the city.

So much hassle below. So much hassle above. But Bradley only has to deal with the hassle above. He works away on his computer, chiseling at some codes that need his attention. Sometimes he wonders if this cycle will ever end. Work today, work tomorrow. Work the day after. Did life always used to be this grey?

His supervisor, Mike, comes to him all in smiles, like he always does. Bradley thinks he's there to chat away again, like he always does. Some issue about his family or the other. No, Bradley doesn't know what it feels like to have a wife who snores in her sleep. But he suspects Mike won't go away even if he told him so.

The smile Mike has today seems brighter, much less artificial. This is something new. He comes to a stop by Bradley's desk, and immediately his smile widens. And Bradley, ever the model coworker, returns the smile.

"Guess what?" Mike begins, but Bradley has no interest in guessing. Good thing Mike doesn't actually make him do so. "You're being promoted!"

The news swims around Bradley, but doesn't quite hit him just yet. It takes a couple seconds, and when it finally does, Bradley's smile actually grows authentic. This is it. This is good news. The only good news he's had in a while. He grabs Mike's hand and forces a handshake. "I'm very grateful, Mike."

"Don't thank me, thank your hard work," Mike tells him. Then he turns to the rest of the employees. "Did you all hear that? Hard work gets you promotions. Let's give a round of applause to our newest Senior engineer!"

They all clap for him, some with genuinity and the others out of obligation. Bradley shrinks back against his seat, not too keen on Mike's decision to make a big deal in front of everyone. But still, he feels grateful.

Once the applause dials down, Mike resumes his chatter - this one about his wife's something or other. Bradley tuned that part out. He sits there staring at his computer, while his supervisor continues on with his story. Though the promotion brought him happiness, that feeling didn't last too long. It has begun fading. Like everything else in his life. And now he waits for the next good news.

__

Work lets out on time for Bradley. He doesn't like sticking around any more than he has to, so he packs his belongings and begins his descent to the world below. Now as he bypasses a couple strangers, he hears their whispers. Whispers about the recent news.

Bradley has seen the news. Idris Night Verdonni, they call him. The man who stole his happiness away from him. He's been tried and sentenced accordingly. Needless to say, Bradley was happy. So happy that he watched the news over and over again; turned the volume up until it hit the highest bit. This is what he deserves. A life behind bars for eternity.

But then it hit him. With Idris gone, Josi should have been free. She had to be out there somewhere. But she hadn't come to see him. Bradley made the mistake of thinking she no longer loved him. After all, it's been two years. But he rejected the idea. Josi, the love of his life. She couldn't possibly have fallen out of love with him, because he was - and definitely still is - the love of her life.

She still hasn't come to visit, but Bradley has stopped giving it thought. He arrives at his home some time after 6:00 P.M, more exhausted from tomorrow's day of work than today's. It's as he makes it to his front door that he sees the little envelope. He picks it up and looks it over, and before he even reads who the sender is, he realizes instantly. It's Josi. This is her handwriting.

Bradley tears the envelope impatiently, but makes sure not to harm the actual letter. And now he reads it through.

Dear Bradley,