Writing 101, Day 18: Then there was no one.

Then there was no one with him. He woke up early in the morning in his comfortable bed. The wake up song continuously played on his music player till he stopped it using remote control lying on his bedside table. He rose to his feet and helped himself to prepare a cup of Peruvian coffee in his newly installed modular kitchen. He did not bother for a healthy breakfast to start the day he planned for a long time. He enjoyed the view of rising sun from his balcony while sipping from the coffee mug. It was time for shower and move out on his way to office.

Then there was no one with him. He passed through the hustle and bustle of the crowded city he had been living in for last couple of years. He did not forget to water the plants on the balcony of his apartment. He remembered to feed the fishes in his aquarium. He could not do anything unusual than his daily routine. The day was supposed to be a simple and ordinary day like any other. He was driving his SUV through the narrow road on the outskirts of the city.

Then there was no one with him. He parked the car on sideways before going uphill which was a short cut towards his office newly built outside the city. He picked up the pack of cigarette from the glove compartment in front of the passenger’s seat. It was his daily routine to have a smoke here before entering to the narrow ledge of the hill through which he drove to his office. As usual, he called his assistant in office. He enquired about current day routine so that he could start immediately after reaching office. Although it did not make any difference but it was a habit and he could not afford to break his daily routine. The conversation ended in a while with general greetings as usual.

Then there was no one with him. He lit up a cigarette from the pack. The brown paper cigarette was a mark of his elite status. Not many people in his office could afford or bothered to smoke such expensive brand. He looked at the road he left behind and took one puff. He tried calling his wife but reached voicemail instead. It was good that his wife did not pick up otherwise it would have been difficult for him to carry on with his plan for this day. Not sure why he dialled her number, breaking his routine. He was supposed to call her in the early morning that he did not do. His wife and son went to his in laws place last week since they returned from a two weeks long vacation abroad.

Then there was no one with him. He lit up another cigarette from the packet to continue what he was thinking. He remembered the notice from the bank regarding his mortgage. He was defaulter for a long time now and the bank sent him two months’ notice to repay all the debts. There was no way he could pay all that money. Initially he thought to sell some of his wife’s jewellery to repay the loan but it was not enough. Initially he paid every month’s due but gradually his expenses rose higher than his income and he started missing a payment or two until it became a burden he could no longer bear.

Then there was no one with him. He could only think about the life insurance policy he had. Maturity period for this was too far but the nominee would receive a huge sum in case of sudden death of the policy holder. His wife was the nominee there. Received sum could repay all his loans and would ensure his family not to cry out for basic rights. He went back to his car. He looked at his iPhone wallpaper. It was a photograph of his ten years old son.  He started the engine and drove towards the uphill.

Then there was no one with him. He thought accidents were not rare in this road. No one would doubt his intentions and consider this as suicide. It was really important that this whole incident looked like an accident.