Losing it

Satisfied sexually, and content that both his job was safe and he had nothing further to worry about, Zeke got himself cleaned up and left his confused boss in her room. He had considered (well more than considered - he was determined) getting involved with his coworkers, but figured, well he had just blown his load in his boss’s throat, he might as well save the others for another day. He didn’t bother heading to his cubicle and just headed for the exit.

“You leaving sugar?”, queried Tiffany at reception. As Zeke looked at her, the bubble beside her head read, “Oh no. He got fired! I’ll really miss him. He's so cute”.

“Yeah, got a migraine coming on. I’m going to go home. I’m ok though.”

“Yeah?” she asked doubtfully, having watched Zeke arrive less than an hour before.

Zeke re-assured her that it was indeed ok, and was actually quite touched to see the concern in her thoughts. He had never realized before that she actually liked him. He had always thought it was just a smile that she put on for work. Huh. Maybe he should actually think about something with her, without having to edit her thoughts for her... well, maybe not too much.

He left intending to reverse his journey of the morning before, going through the park to see if the morning’s runner was anywhere around and eventually head home by bus. A guy passed him on the street, and although he could see the cloud where the guy was complaining bitterly in his head about bills and his wife nagging, the cloud itself had become transparent and the writing in it more blurry and difficult to read. Huh thought Zeke - Do I need glasses? I can hardly make that out.

As he carried on into the park, the girl from the morning was nowhere to be seen. However a couple of women went past on bicycles. There was nothing. No bubbles at all. He had lost his power. Shit!

Fuck, thought Zeke. Surely this wasn't it. He had this gift then it was gone again so quickly. As he stood there, an electric bike courier whizzed past. Nothing from him either. Zeke started to panic. Instinctively he turned back towards the office since that was where he had so much fun. By the time he was outside it once more, he could start to see some small clouds and then some writing. A woman looked at her watch, then a bubble showed her wondering “maybe I could gt the 3pm train if I hurry”. He could have hugged her.

Yes! He was back. But… was it only going to work in or around his office? That couldn’t be right. He had seen the runner in the park’s thoughts earlier today and they were perfectly clear. What had changed? He replayed the events of the day from the time where he picked up that manga comic… Fuck. That was it. He had left it in his little satchel on the desk. It hit him like a thunderbolt.

“Hey honey”, greeted Tiffany as he whizzed through the office once more. He gave her a wave and a gesture that showed he was in a blind panic of a rush, and dashed on through.

Zeke almost bumped into Niamh, who was carrying a cup of coffee, on his haste to get to his cubicle.

“Hey watchit”, she said with a scowl. Her thought bubble was strong and clear. The words almost stood out to him as if embossed. He grinned stupidly at her and made a mental note to spend some more time with Niamh.

“Sorry”, said Zeke and trotted on, only slightly more careful till he reached his desk and picked up his satchel. A quick glance at the contents and he relaxed. The manga comic was still there, and, now that he had it again, so were all the thought bubbles. “I wish he would make less noise” was visible on a small cloud above the cubicle next to him, visible even though its owner was not.

Zeke strapped the satchel to himself cross-body for safety. He might look like a dork like this, but he was definitely not going to let it go.