The evening sun slipped through the glass walls of the tall office building, casting long streaks of light across the desks. The clock on the wall ticked loudly as the workers began to pack their bags. Chairs creaked, computer screens dimmed, and the faint sound of laughter filled the air as everyone prepared to go home.
Ethan sat at his desk, his eyes fixed on his computer screen. The room was filled with the sound of keyboards and printers, but all he could hear was the low hum of the ceiling fan above him. His tie was loose, and the collar of his shirt was slightly open. He rubbed the back of his neck, tired from staring at the numbers on the screen all day.
"Man, I can't believe it's already closing time," a voice said behind him.
Ethan turned slightly. It was Collins, one of his co-workers. Collins was tall, energetic, and always had something to complain about. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his face was tired but still lively.
"Yeah," Ethan said quietly, glancing at the clock again. "Time flies."
Collins groaned. "Flies? For who? I still have a stack of documents to finish, and my girlfriend is already texting me like crazy. She's waiting at the mall, and if I don't get there soon, I'm dead."
Ethan gave a faint smile and shook his head. "You always wait till the last minute."
Collins laughed and leaned on Ethan's desk. "Yeah, yeah. But you know how it is, man. Work never ends. I just need to finish this one last report before I leave."
Ethan already knew where this was going. He could feel it coming before Collins even said it. He minimized his window and began shutting down his system, trying to look busy.
"Anyway," Collins continued, "you're good at this stuff. You work fast."
Ethan sighed softly and reached for his phone. "Collins," he said, "don't start."
Collins smirked. "Come on, man. You're single. You've got no girlfriend waiting on you. Just help a brother out, yeah?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at him. "No. Not today. I've got things to do."
Collins made a fake pout. "Things to do? What things? Go home and stare at your wall again?"
Ethan ignored the jab and stood up, picking up his bag. But before he could take two steps, Collins spoke again.
"Hey, too late. I already sent the file to your email."
Ethan froze. He turned slowly. "You did what?"
Collins grinned like a man who knew he had won. "Check your inbox. It's there. Just finish the report and send it to the higher-ups. It's not even hard. Just a few edits, some data arrangement, and a summary. You're better at it anyway."
Ethan dropped his bag back on the table. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Nope." Collins tapped his watch. "It's already past six. I really need to go, man. She'll kill me if I'm late again."
Ethan rubbed his temple. "You could have at least asked."
"I'm asking now," Collins said quickly, pretending to plead. "Please, bro. Just this once."
"You said that last week."
"And you helped me last week, didn't you? See, you're a good man. That's why you'll do it again."
Ethan gave him a flat look. "You're unbelievable."
Collins laughed. "Yeah, but you love me for it."
He picked up his bag from his chair and patted Ethan on the shoulder. "Don't take too long. Just finish it and send it in. You'll probably be home before eight. And don't forget to turn off my system when you're done."
Ethan didn't respond. He watched Collins hurry off, still talking about the gift he had to buy for his girlfriend.
"Some people have all the luck," Ethan muttered under his breath.
Soon the office began to empty. Chairs rolled back, footsteps echoed, and the sound of laughter faded down the hallway. One by one, the lights went off until only a few remained.
Within fifteen minutes, Ethan was the only one left. The silence in the room felt heavy.
He opened his laptop again and checked his email. True to Collins's word, the document was there, an unfinished financial report with messy formatting and missing figures. He exhaled deeply and cracked his fingers.
"Alright, let's get this done," he said to himself.
The sound of his keyboard filled the room. He worked steadily, fixing numbers, adjusting lines, and checking references. Occasionally, he paused to sip from a half-empty cup of coffee beside him. The bitterness kept him awake.
Outside the window, the city lights glowed faintly against the darkening sky. From this high up, everything looked peaceful, cars, buildings, the slow movement of people below. But the office itself felt isolated.
He typed for another twenty minutes before his phone buzzed. It was a message from Collins.
Collins: "You're the best, man. Thanks again! Don't forget to send it before 8. Also, turn off the lights before you leave."
Ethan frowned at the message but didn't reply. He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. His eyes felt heavy.
Another thirty minutes passed. He finally completed the document and printed it out in other to show it to their manager.
The office was dead quiet now. Only the hum of the air conditioner remained.
He stood up, looked around, and noticed how empty everything was. All the desks were cleared. Chairs pushed in neatly. The fluorescent lights flickered slightly, casting uneven shadows across the walls.