‘You ever seen that film before? The one where the single guy is trapped inside a cabin after all his friends on an outing got bitten by a rabid wolf and turned insane? I’m pretty sure the main character was called Johan as well. He took apart some of his old friends with a steak knife and tears running down his face, yeah, bloody stuff. All the violence and gore you could ask for. Especially the plot twist at the end where he finds ou-. Wait, have you actually seen the film?’

For all his career in his adult life, Johan had never expected this type of closing interview when he had been terminated for trying his best to show initiative and increase his workload capacity. To be fair, the woman sitting in front of him had both shoes resting upon the table and she was heavily leaning back in her chair with arms resting behind her neck.

The expression on her face showed how little she cared for the formality of his situation, he was fired, he messed up, no they wouldn’t be charging him or suing him as long as he signed a detailed indemnity form free of his own volition.

‘I love them. Horror films I mean, not men stuck alone in cabins trying to kill their previous friends. That would be craaaazzeeee. Anyway, I’m guessing you didn’t watch the film from the look on your face. Do you work out? I think you do. I wasn’t allowed to say this before but your body is pretty fit. Your face not so much but I can see the lines underneath your shirt. Say….’

The Director of Human Resources at Mediqo was beginning to worry Johan. He’d been publicly called out personally during a public announcement during his lunch break in the company cafeteria before two large men wearing security outfits had escorted him with more than a little force to the elevator and he’d been shown into one of the top floor offices.

‘I’m not quite clear on what’s going on here. Could you clarify a little? Also, I didn’t watch that film. I’ve watched a few in my time…but rabid people trying to kill someone in the woods? No, I’m pretty sure that I’d remember that. Yes, I like to work out. A strong, healthy body is good for the mind. Could you tell me what the problem is..please?’ said Johan.

He’d been trying to work out her expression with some difficulty, emotions on faces came harder to Johan than other people. Mainly, due to the fact that most of his childhood was spent with parents in absentia. Combined with the fact that he had certain emotional issues with his temper made it harder for him to develop friendships. Isolation was a terrible thing for a child, he was trying to do his best though.

I’d like to say thank you for your years of service and a full mandatory dismissal package is available providing you sign this disclaimer that you agree to your contract with us ending immediately and no side will claim damages or press charges. Are you clear on that or would you like me to run through it in greater details?’

The sudden switch in her tone from personal to professional threw Johan a little. He needed time to think, to adapt to match the right information that she wanted to hear.

‘I’m good at acting aren’t I? Top of my high school drama performances. I thought you might give me a little bit more information if I tried a different approach with you. No such luck it seems, I see in your eyes you look confused. We caught you. Simple as that.’

‘I accept that. I made a mistake in trying to do better in my job. I needed more from it, when you have limited resources you need more.’

The expression on the Director of Human Resources, Johan didn’t know her name but he’d seen her in the cafeteria on the rare birthday celebration for employees on his floor, hardened. Pulling her feet off the table she let them hit the floor in front of the desk with swiftness as her arms came down and slammed down, the sudden motion making Johan jerk backwards in his chair.

‘I tried to be friendly with you about this. All my training and years of experience and I’ve never come across someone like you. The experience of a lifetime. All those people affected by the mistakes of a single person. A selfish person I think Mr Wolff. You like me to be tough, you like making people angry don’t you?’

Next he knew, she was raising a finger in his face. Angry, severely angry and directed all at him. He’d made a mistake again. A pain inside his chest began to build up as Johan clenched his hands tighter, he needed to be careful he wouldn’t lose his temper. Not in public, not like this.

‘Mr Wolff. You’re like a rabid creature from that film that directly attacked this company and caused a sufficient amount of damage and chaos, costing enough money that we need to make a declaration to the stockholders. You might be under the impression that you can do what you want, where you want and even just because we’re not obligated to charge you for your mistakes it doesn’t mean that we. will. Stand. For. It.’

The smack of her hand on the desktop surface only increased the pain building inside Johan’s chest. He’d tried so hard not to lose his temper, to listen and work with others but he’d failed. Again.

‘Give me a pen.’ said Johan. ‘I need a pen to sign it and we’re done. I don’t like you shouting me and frankly you’re acting entirely unprofessional. Give me a pen and we can be done with all this, I’ve had a seriously bad day and…’

His hands trembling now at the side, the pain continued to build inside his chest. He took several deep breaths inside and out in a last-ditch attempt to calm himself down. All he needed to do was to sign the document and leave. Sign and leave. He could even leave all his personal belongings by his workspace, walking by his ex-colleagues and hearing their whispers or attempts at consolatory words would have made it worse. Much worse.

The Director of Human resources was a little surprised from her expression. She’d expected him to apologise and break down he realised. Weakness, he’d shown too much weakness inside his workplace to try and fit in. Hid himself and his rage deep, deep beneath his face and taken all the junk that had been thrown at him.

‘I said, that I want you to give me a pen. Doesn’t that sound easy enough?’

Johan brought both trembling hands to his face and smiled. His teeth showing. The corners of his mouth were raised to the point of pain for him as he looked the Director of Human Resources in her face and smiled.

He’d had enough. This was another option than violence. The emotion had to come out in one form and he wanted to react. He had to stop it spilling over. Another deep breath this time but it didn’t come from him, the woman sitting opposite him had sat down hard on her chair and pressed a button on an intercom placed on her desk.

The voice of her personal assistant, who Johan had already passed coming in, came on.

‘Miss Martizen, have you finished with your appointment already? The board of directors have asked for a physical copy with the signature of Mr Wolff clearly printed.’

‘Andy, call security to my office. Immediately. We have a concern here.’

‘Ma’am? Do you need me to step into your office?’ came the voice from the office speaker.

Johan decided to pitch in his own voice. His body shaking he softened the muscles on his face and let his smile drop and his hands folded in front of him. A defensive style posture.

Crossing his legs he reached down and pulled one of his trouser legs to better cover a black sock. He turned his view towards the office window, the sky was still clear and bright this early and he even thought he could see the harbour from here. The top offices did have the best views.

‘Hi Andy, I asked the Director of Human Resources for a pen so I can sign the indemnity form. I’m not so sure if she has one. Do you have any spare?’ said Johan.

‘...Ma’am. I’m coming into your office. With a pen. And security are on their way, they’ll be here in approximately three minutes. Please remain seated ma’am.’ said Andy.

Johan gave a toothless smile and let himself relax a little bit. There. He’d found the right approach to deal with it after all. He laced his fingers together on his crossed legs and nodded his head a few times.

‘A pen. I need to sign the document and we’re done here right?’ said Johan,

Failing to get a response from the woman, who had put her hands on the desk and pushed her chair back towards her office window behind her Johan tried again.

‘Are we waiting for your secretary to deliver a pen? I don’t mind. I just need to sign it.’ enquired Johan.

Internally sighing to himself, he picked up the copy of the indemnity form and smiled a toothless smile once more and walked to the office door before he heard the woman speak behind him.

‘You. You’re not normal. Do you like to scare people with that smile of yours is that it? You think that’s its funny what you’ve done? The repercussions alone are…I don’t understand you. A sociopath. You’re a sociopath.’ said Miss Martizen.

Johan shook his head.

‘I’m just a little bit broken. I’m sorry for the shock, I spent a very, very long time by myself.’ replied Johan.

He recalled the way the Director of Human pronounced the word, making it stretch before he copied her tone and form of expression.

‘Maybe it made me a little craaazeee. No. It didn’t. I’m sorry, I’m just not that good around other people. I’m sorry.’ said Johan.

The door to office was flung open and a man in his mid-thirties with glasses and cropped hair stood there holding a pen firmly in one closed fist.

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‘A pen. You requested a pen ma’am?’ Security are right outside if you need them.’ said the youngish man.

The Director of Human Resources still pressed back against the office window pointed at Johan.

‘Mr Darr. Andy. Give him the pen, then get security to escort him out of the building. He no longer works here. And then call the police, I want to press charges. Make sure he gives you the signed indemnity first before he leaves. I don’t know why I passed him to work here but he doesn’t belong here, not with that behaviour.’

Opening his fist the man held out the pen to Johan, gazing at his hands before tilting his head towards the Director of Human Resources to check her personal safety. He saw no signs of damage in the room, nothing was upturned or broken and there was no visible signs of wear on the hands of the man.

‘Mr Wolff. Please sign this and we can have you to your car within ten minutes. I will personally remove all of your belongings and possessions and have them shipped to your currently held address within the day if you’re willing to leave with me peacefully and in an orderly manner.’ said the man.

When Johan failed to respond the personal assistant carried on talking. His tone of voice bland and uninterested as though he had been discussing the weather.

‘A member of the security team has already collected all of your personal possessions, scanned each item and secured them for delivery to your home address. All company owned equipment will be removed and cleaned for re-purpose.’

Not trusting himself to talk further Johan took the pen, walked over a side wall and flipped through each page quickly, signing his name and dating it in the relevant places. He turned around and threw it, letting it land on the desk with a soft noise.

‘Thank you for the opportunity you handed me. I’m sorry I caused an issue. I’ll be leaving now. Goodbye.’ said Johan.

Fewer words meant a smaller chance of conflict, the pain in his chest had lessened slightly but he felt it rising again. He needed exercise or an opportunity to channel his energy. He didn’t think that they would accept him punching the walls with his fists to relieve his tension lightly. The last company certainly hadn’t.

‘Get out of my office. Get out of my company. Andy, I asked for security to escort him off the premises. Why are they not doing so? We have the document.’ said Miss Martizen.

Johan felt a hand on his tugging at the pen in his hand, he’d forgotten that he was carrying it in the first place. He’d hand it back. With a point. He held onto it, his thumb clicking it open and the thought passed his mind to slam it into the desk. The pain was still in his chest, aching each time he breathed.

His thumb clicked again on the pen and he put in into the shirt pocket of the personal assistant, Andy, observing the familiar looking large men behind. An even larger woman in another security outfit had joined them this time. They thought he was a threat or a risk at least.

‘I’d like to leave now. Please.’ said Johan.

He flashed a toothless smile. Showing his teeth when he was aching inside his chest wasn’t a good idea. For all his aggression and temper, he was a poor fighter. At least compared to those when he’d taken martial training and had his arm nearly broken or dislocated enough times. When the Director had been talking about films earlier he remembered.

‘The crazies are waiting. The film. When a single man went mad in the office and he imagined that they were waiting outside to catch him. Turned out he was delusional at the ending. What?’ he said aloud.

The faces of the personal assistant and the three security guards shifted in slight confusion. One of them was wary and touched a hand at their belt where a radio and self-protection device was held.

‘Forget it. A mistake. A good film to watch though. Bye!’ said Johan.

Johan waved a hand at the Director of Human Resources as she had moved her chair back to her desk and was busy writing a note while purposely ignoring him. Her face showed…fear? Anger? Too hard for him to clearly work it out.

‘Mr Wolff, if you’ll accompany us please. Given the current circumstances of your departure from the company we’d prefer that you leave quietly, a vehicle has been booked to take you back to your place of residence.’ said Andy.

Keeping his own opinions to himself Johan found himself following one security guard while two others flanked him as they all walked to the main office elevator. He was sure that he heard several whispers from various company employees as they passed by but he was unable to make much out rather than his name.

He didn’t even know anyone on this level, none of them were in his department but rumour or messages spread quickly through companies. Everyone liked to gossip.

He preferred not to try and make out snatches of conversation. It would only serve to annoy him. Even small conversation would be a mistake at this time. Once he was home he’d need to run through an exercise routine to calm himself a little, or even a little bit of chocolate.

Johan felt a little surprised when the employees on one of the higher floors, they could have recognised him from the cafeteria but he wasn’t able to place a name to their face, stopped him and grabbed his arm lightly. The physical interaction wasn’t the issue but he didn’t feel comfortable talking. The women was in her late forties, attractive for her age but her face showed she was clearly uncomfortable talking to him.

She gazed directly into his eyes, pushing her own glasses higher back on her nose before talking.

‘Look, I’m going to be reported to Human Resources for doing this but can you do all of us a favour and just leave the company? You already made a mess and honestly you’ve been creeping everyone out the day that you arrived here. Sorry, but I need to be honest with you about this. I made myself clear. Bye.’ said the woman.

Johan turned back to notice that the secretary and security guards, while close to him, were standing apart, clearly keeping a degree of distance from him. They hadn’t stopped the woman from walking up to him and touching him. Given that he had just been fired he was no longer their immediate concern.

‘Yeah, point taken. I’m leaving now. Done, I’m done here. Are you trying to prove a point? What kind of name is Darr? Unusual. I’m a Wolff and you’re a Darr.’ Johan asked the secretary and security guards as he lightly pulled back him mouth to show his teeth in imitation of a predator.

When he received no response he decided to take the initiative and press the elevator button.

‘This isn’t funny. You four can’t even relax. I can be fired but I don’t like being humiliated like this. All I did was remove excess files to try and increase my own personal workload and this snowballs into a massive deal. I haven’t seen any police turn up so the crime can’t be that serious. Hello?’

With still no response he pushed the button several times before mashing both up and down buttons at once. He’d heard a rumour that it made the elevator move faster. The numbers on the floor display were moving up but there was still a delay.

Muttered whispers came from behind him and looking back he saw a fair number of people standing beyond his small personal escort of beginning to crowd with points at him and conversation with each other.

‘Move it. Out my way, thanks.’ said a deep male voice within the crowd.

A balding older man in his mid-fifties, a management type was an indicator. Likely someone working within Human Resources as most of their floor was.

The man marched up to Johan but restrained himself from physically touching him. Johan tensed up. He needed to stay calm, losing his job was one thing but getting arrested for physical violence in the workplace was another. These things snowballed he knew from experience.

‘Can I help yo-’ started Johan before the man was right in his face with a face flushed with anger.

‘You’ve got something wrong with you. The company is going under and everyone has a good chance to lose their jobs and all you can do stand there and wait? We all know what you did. Those files aren’t going to be recovered. Freak. Sick freak. My family is going to suffer for this. I hope you go to jail for what you did. Everybody knows it was you so get out, just get out. We don’t want you here. Human Resources found out first. You wait until everybody finds out…you just wait.’ said the man. His face remained flushed red.

Johan was reluctant to respond as the man then turned back and lunged forward, his face close enough so that hot breath came out of his mouth on the cheek of Johan. Grabbing tightly in closer before one hand forcefully pushed an unknown object into his pocket.

Instinctively Johan moved his had to touch the item, it wasn’t a sharp edge, not a phone but flattened. Before he was able to question the man about his actions and make it clear to the surrounding crowd the man whispered into Johan’s ear with a fervent rush.

‘Call it. When you arrive there you need to call it. Use the amulet! The name is Hez-’.

The voice of the man was near frantic in Johan’s ear before he was pulled off by one of the large company security guards who gave him a warning glance and gently pushed backwards his chest.

‘He’s gone! Worst employee ever, am I right!’ said the man, as he raised his voice and pointed a hand at Johan. His previous frantic tone was gone, replaced with a mocking one.

With a few claps and cheers from the growing surrounding crowd the man backed off and kept both hands up in the air as though he had just won a sports winning goal.

Johan kept his mouth shut and mashed the buttons on the elevator call button. He was rewarded and entered as soon as the doors began to open, followed swiftly by the three members of security who squashed him into the back and the secretary who stayed in front.

He heard the closing sound but thankfully the sights and sounds of the rest of the company employees who were now pointing even more in his direction with further frantic discussion had been cut off.

Johan was free from the burdens of work, unemployed and completely confused.

What just happened? He thought to himself.

All thoughts of the strange behaviour of the man drowned out as he was squashed into the descending elevator like a meat sandwich.