"Fantastic work! You always manage to impress me with your ingenuity. Keep up this pace and you'll get far in life," a man with an aged voice says
"Thank you sir!" responds a young man with an energetic smile on his face.
"Then I think I will be taking my leave for today, sir. I will make sure to take care of those papers you requested. I wish you a great night."
Just as he was about to turn around, he remembered something.
"Oh yeah, please take care on the way home sir. The road has been very dangerous to drive on with this weather."
The old man nods, which prompts the young man to finally turn around and get on his way.
Looking at the young man's back as he makes his way out of the facilities, the old guy murmurs to himself.
"What a promising youngster. Talented, hard-working and extremely thoughtful. " he nods in approval.
"Not to mention the bright disposition he holds. Always with a refreshing smile on his face. No matter the situation, nothing ever seems to falter his positivity. Just having him around is enough to brighten everyone's mood. Truly remarkable."
The young man makes his way through the company, moving towards the exit. While walking, a bright smile was always seen in his face.
When he reaches the door, he turns around. He checks his bag to make sure he didn't forget anything. He then takes one final look at his work table and, seeing none of his belongings there, he turns around, opens the door and walks out.
As he stepped out of the building, the warmth that had enveloped him while he was inside instantly gives way to a biting cold that nipped at his skin. The abrupt transition made him catch his breath, a visible puff of warmth escaping and dissipating into the frosty air. His cheeks flushed pink under the assault of the icy breeze.
Lifting his head, he took in sight before him. A cascade of snowflakes, delicate and intricate, swayed in the air like frozen petals, caught in a whimsical dance with the wind. The entire landscape transformed into a pristine white canvas, every surface blanketed in a layer of untouched snow. Trees stood adorned with a delicate frosting, their branches bowing under the weight of the frozen artistry. It was a scene of quiet beauty, the hushed whispers of nature silenced under the thick, muffling blanket of snow.
In the background, the glow of street lamps cast a warm and inviting hue, creating pockets of amber against the cold, blue night. Their light played upon the snow, turning it into a sea of sparkling diamonds. The contrast between the cold, crisp air and the warm, golden illumination created a surreal ambiance, as if the world had momentarily suspended itself in a moment of tranquil magic.
The young man stood there for a moment. A smile still etched on to his face. If one were to watch him, it would leave the impression that he was joyfolly admiring the scene. However, that wasn't quite the case.
His smile, though gracefully sculpted, failed to find its way into the depths of his eyes. Instead, they maintained an icy composure, indifferent to the world unfolding before him. Within those cool depths, a gaze devoid of emotion hinted at the true nature concealed beneath the veneer of friendliness.
A 'Click' sound was heard as he closed the door behind him. He adjusted the collar of his coat and started moving.
He made his way through the snowy road, heading towards his car. The streets were mostly empty. Most people were already in the comfort of their homes, taking refuge from the inhospitable weather outside.
The frigid breeze made his longcoat sway, while snow slowly gathered on his shoulders, fashioning a peculiar view. The stark contrast between the pure white snow and the pitch-black coat mirrored the duality within the young man. Outwardly, a facade of lightness and grace, but within, a void, as profound and shadowed as the depths of his coat.
Soon enough, he reached his car. Protected by the parking lot's roof, it laid there, untouched by the outside world. Its flawless exterior reflected the refined taste of a man accustomed to the finer things in life. Clearly life had treated him well.
He headed towards the passenger's seat and placed everything he was carrying with him. With that that done, he then moved towards the driver's seat. Before he opened the door, he thouroughly cleaned the snow of his shoulders. The coat was now pitch black.
'Clank'
He closed the door after he sat down on his seat. With that door closed, his connection to the outside world was now thoroughly severed.
Something changed instantly. The smile on his face began to retreat. The mask that had concealed his emotions throughout the day was now, finally, slipping away. Replacing it was a deadpan expression, one devoid of any emotions. There was no happiness, no sadness, no anger, nothing. A void of expression, utterly empty.
If any acquaintance were to see him right now, they would not be able to recognize him. It was as if he was an entirely different person. The whole air around him changed. When he wasn't alone, a warm aura surrounded him, fostering comfort and solace for those in his proximity. With an unshackable smile, he was capable making anyone's day just a little bit brighter.
Yet now, the air surrounding him turned frigid and cold, steeped in indifference. A chill more profound than the winter snow outside settled in, a cold that could freeze one to the core of their soul.
He picked his phone from his pocket. Looking at his lock screen, he noticed more than 10 unseen notifications. It was to be expected. He hadn't touched his phone once since he began his shift.
Looking through the notifications, he swiftly dismissed everything he thought was irrelevant. Finally, when there was only 1 notification left, he stopped.
A message from Jessica. He clicked on it.
'Hey Arthur, you still remember what you promised last time right? Make sure you're here by 7 pm tomorrow. If you're even 1 minute late, consequences will be massive
See you tomorrow
He skimmed through the message from his girlfriend with a swift read, but there was a notable absence of emotion. Her playful tone, her subtle excitement for their upcoming meeting, none of it seemed to stir any emotional response from him.
After thinking for a while, he decides to send a reply
'Don't worry, I'm a man of my word. And don't bring up that time I showed up late for our anniversary. That was a one time thing. My mother already put me through hell for that and I want none of that ever again. She already likes you more than me
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Now on a serious note, I can't wait to see you again. It's only been 3 days but it feels like it's been 3 months since I last saw you.
See you tomorrow
The phone makes a slight noise as the message is sent.
There was something deeply unnerving about this scene. He typed out a message that overflowed with emotion, heartfelt sentiments, some humour and genuine expressions of affection. Yet, as his fingers danced across the keys, his face remained completely deadpan. The cheerfulness and emotion that permeated the message were nothing but a facade, a meticulously crafted mask that concealed the absence of those very sentiments in his reality.
It was incredibely telling that the emojis he sent seemed to be more alive than he was. If there was one word to describe his existence it would be Emptiness.
As he turned off his phone, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of his own reflection. For a split second, he saw a faceless silhouette staring back at him. A massive hole could be seen on his chest. Like a black hole, it seemed to consume all light around him, an entity perpetually unsatisfied and never content.
Confused, he picked his phone again, but this time he saw nothing. Just his own indifferent eyes staring back at him. Without thinking too much about it, he laid his phone down again.
With that, he decided it was time to go home.
He turned on his car. A low rumble echoing through the silent night.
And with one swift move from his feet, the car took off.
Now let's spend a moment here to properly introduce this character that we've been following for a while this chapter.
Arthur, a young man aged 24. Someone whose life could be desbribed as the pinnacle of privilege and accomplishment. His early years, cradled in the warmth of a supportive family, set the stage for academic excellence that seamlessly translated into a flourishing career upon graduation.
A master at striking conversation and social interactions since youth, he enjoyed life as a popular figure since his youth, always seen as the center of attention in his ever growing group of friends. This talent also helped him tremendously in his professional life, with him being able to easily captivate his fellow co-workers and superiors, leading to a meteoric rise of his standing in the company.
Currently, Arthur's career had hit a high note, with his high salary mirroring the successful climb up the professional ladder. He was living in a social sweet spot, with friends and family around, able and willing to answer his call at the drop of a hat.
On the romance front, he had a solid thing going with his beautiful girlfriend who was all about him. So well, in fact, that his mother was contantly pestering him about marriage and children. Life, in its everyday way, seemed to be humming along quite nicely for him. This was the ideal life many people wished they could have.
However, Arthur had a secret. A secret that he kept hidden since his childhood. Arthur simply found no joy in life.
Ever since Arthur could remember, an odd numbness lingered within him. The things that were supposed to spark joy or excitement in others, seemed to wash over him without leaving a trace. Events that left people buzzing with excitement barely registered on his emotional radar.
But he kept this internal discord to himself. He knew that he was defective, that he wasn't following the usual script of emotional response. In a world teeming with people, he felt like the lone outlier, grappling with a peculiar detachment from everything life gave him.
People felt sad, happy, excited, anxious, love, hate. Such a myriad of emotions. And yet for him, there was always a constant. A uneding and everlasting feeling of emptyness.
Arthur truly envied them, the way they viewed the world, the way they grappled with life, the way even the tinniest of things was capable of drastically changing their mood. There was a certain charm to it that only he, as an outsider, could truly realize.
So he mirrored them. He acted the way people acted, or at least expected him to act. Feeling happy when he was expected to, feeling sad when he was expected to. It was as if he was playing a video game. Carefully controling the actions of his character to suit his needs.
Wearing this mask, Arthur became a phantom in the real world. Only showing himself when there was nobody to there witness him.
With a constant smile on his face, Arthur, kept cruising through life. Perhaps he was hoping that, if he pretended to be happy for a long enough time, his smile would develop from an act to something genuine. That he would eventually start finding value in his life.
Or perhaps afraid of the consequences he would have to endure if he were to ever take his mask off. If he were to lose this carefully created life of his what else would he have left? This tireless facade may not spark any joy in him, but it at least gave him a sence of normalcy that somewhat soothed his existence.
'Bzzzz'
His phone rang. With the road filled with snow, it would be unwise to check it now. One moment of distraction could mean tragedy.
And, as it is to be expected, Arthur chose to pick his phone anyways. That was what responsible adults did after all.
It was a message from Jessica. It seemed like she had sent a picture with some message attached. He unlocked his phone and started reading it.
'You and your glib tongue of yours. You won't get anywhere with those pretty words
Anyway, look at what I found. Remember? When you arrived late at our first anniversary all flustured and were desperately trying to quell my sour mood. You saw this in a nearby shop and went in to buy it for me.
I have to confess, at the time, I was fuming with you so I was trying to give you a hard time. You deserved it though. How could you leave me waiting for 2 hours
Before Arthur could finish reading the rest of the message, a bright light coming from his windshield blinded him. Then, the acute sound of a truck's horn entered his ears, leaving him dazed for a moment.
When he finally got back to his senses, he tried to react, but it was already too late
The deafening crunch of metal on metal reverberated through the air, echoing the violent collision.
After the brutal frontal collision with the truck, a surreal stillness enveloped him. In that post-crash haze, time seemed to warp. The frantic scene around him played out in disjointed fragments—a blur of truck lights, a desperate voice on the phone calling 911. None of it quite registered.
The first thing he felt was the coldness of the snow touching his face. He had experienced the exact same thing as he was leaving the company, and yet, this time, it felt completly different. What was usually a mild annoyance became, sort of, comforting.
Next, he felt a warm viscous liquid slithering down his body. He looked down. A sharp piece of metal wedged in his chest, almost like a spear. Blood dripping down endlessly from his wound. He immediatly realized that he was not going to make it out alive.
However, he didn't feel sad or scared. He felt somewhat amused. He felt there was a sort of perverse beauty to it.
A man who had always been an empty vessel, as if something crucial had been missing in his heart. In some sort of twisted irony, the hole in his chest manifested into reality in what became the macabre culmination of a life defined by an internal void.
As the blood dripped, it carried with it the essence that fueled his existence. Each drop marked a departure, an irreversible abandonment of the vitality that had animated him. With each second, his conscience became fainter and fainter.
In the dwindling clarity, his gaze focused on his phone, with its screen now filled with cracks, yet somehow still working fine. In it, he could barely make out the end of the message he had been reading.
' I hope we make some more unforgettable memories this year. I love you Arthur'
At the end of the message was a picture. In it, was a young man and a young woman. The young man had a bright, albeit concerned, smile on his face. Next to him, the girl was trying her best to act as if she was angry, but clearly doing a very good job at it.
The funny part was that they were both using only 1 shirt. One of those large hoodies that fits 2 people in it, with one person wearing the left sleeve and the other wearing the right sleeve. The snow falling complementing the tenderness of the moment.
It seemed to trasmit that, no matter what happened, both of them would stick together. Whatever comes their way, they would face it together, with nothing being able to tear the hoodie that tied them both together.
From Arthur's point of view, however, there was now a crack in his phone that stood exactly in the middle of the two of them. Like indestructuble barrier, forcing their 2 realities apart, never to be intertwined ever again.
And with this last memory of his, the rest of his conscience faded and he drifted into eternal slumber.
As the snow fell, it embraced his lifeless form, covering him in a pristine white shroud, mirroring the symbolic veneer that had masked him throughout his existence. In death, the snow covered him entirely, just as his facade had cloaked him his entire life.
Arthur met his end in the same obscurity he had navigated in life, fading away without leaving a mark, destined to be forgotten by a world that had never acknowledged his existence.