Laura entered Dan's office juggling a cup of black coffee and a dish with the evening's dinner of roast beef and fixings. She knew it was one of his favorite meals. It was cold now. Dan never made it to the table. Laura felt like she was a widow.
"Honey, here's some roast beef dinner. I know you like it."
Dan barely glanced up at her before returning his eyes to stare at his keyboard. He picked up the coffee cup and sipped thoughtfully.
Laura perched on the office love seat gazing longingly at her husband. The silence in the office was thick, suffocating, dark.
Laura stood up and smoothed her skirt, just purchased at the mall. She'd hoped Dan would notice.
"I'll go clean up now, Dear."
Silence.
She quietly closed the door behind her. She heard the printer kick in as she walked down the hall.
Four hours passed and Dan remained behind the office door.
Laura, ready for bed, tapped on the door lightly. Dan didn't answer. She knocked a little louder. Nothing. This time she knocked harder and called out, "Dan?!"
She tried to open the door, but it was jammed. She leaned her shoulder in and pushed on the door with her weight. It gave way and she stumbled into the office. The lights were off and the silence made the hairs on her neck stand up.
"Dan!!" she cried out. He lay on the office floor beside his desk with his face looking up toward the ceiling, his eyes wide open. His mouth was ajar and his hands clutching his stomach. Laura reached down and touched his throat. His skin was cold and no pulse coursed beneath his skin.
Laura stood. Curiosity overcame her, even in her despair. The book Dan had been working on for years sat exposed for the first time in the marriage. He put it away, away from prying eyes, he said. She walked to his desk, glancing furtively at her husband staring at the ceiling. Laura reached the folder on the desk. It was thick with paper. She threw open the folder and peered at the paper.
It was blank. She began rifling through the reams of paper. She couldn't breathe. They had nothing typed or written on them. The mystery that kept her husband from her since she said "I do" was nothing more than an empty document.
Image created in Blue Willow AI Art generator.
This is my five-minute freewrite
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