The world seemed bleak and grey this day, as though something were intended to happen on this spring presently. My eyes remained on the standard stainless steel elevator door, my torso in a forward lean as I outstretched a hand to press my fingernail into the numerical button.

  I positioned myself backwards into a straightened stance, my body like a direct line that reached highly toward the top of the elevator.

  The doors opened with a mild swoosh, my eyes passing over the few that entering, giving a curt nod there, and a handshake to one or two.

  "Plenty to do, isn't there?" A man murmured to me offhandedly, my gaze locking onto the collar of his suit, and the striped tie which he adorned centrally on his torso.

  "Surely, I would've personally hoped for less." I chuckled, giving a thin smile that failed to reach my eyes. The man raised a hand to his earlobe and scratched at it.

  "Yeah, guess you can't ask for too much." The man acknowledged, more talking to himself than me.

  "Exactly." I briefly eyed his wrinkled hand, veins popping out like worms beneath the dirt. His hand twitched slightly, as though a jolt of electricity had coalesced in his core and spread through him like vines. "You alright?" I inquired with a tinge of discomfort.

  No answer came, as he convulsed further, his body dropping to the floor with a thunderous thud. I expected this metaphorical electrical shock to dissipate, yet to no avail.

  "Call the ambulance!" I shouted, my eyed positioned onto the man as I knelt to attempt at helping him. He shook and shook, nothing helping as the elevator door swished open, two bystanders rushing in as the caller continued with his explanation.

  "We're on our way." I heard through the phone, barely audible over the speaking and begging for him to wake.

  "He is. . ." A man spoke, placing a hand on the chest of the guy having a seizure. "I don't think he's breathing." He felt his throat, a gasp echoing through the crowd.

  I remained shocked of the incident throughout the day, exasperation evident in my tone of voice, and a shame plastered across my pale face.

  He had died.

  "Could I have done something?" This thought, and sometimes verbal mumble remained in my mind, a wave of anguish washing over me, even with my attempts at removing it.

  I went along with my work, my eyes a bleak void, mind fixated on the scene. I received a text which buzzed loudly, I looked down to my phone and noticed the five texts I had previously missed.

  "You coming to dinner tonight?" Asked my fiancé, a kind woman who certainly knew how to impress.

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  "Hello?"

  "Eric, hello?"

  "Happening in an hour, you're about to be off."

  "Answerrr" She eventually lost her grammatical correctness through the wait as I responded, index finger pressing button after button, which only further reminded me of the elevator ride.

  "Sorry, had my phone on silent accidentally. I'll be there in a moment, let me finish up. See you soon, babe." Once I responded she was lightning quick to give a piece of her mind.

  "You better." I scoffed at this, not an annoyed scoff, a pleasant one. I made my way from the office, a hand clasping my shoulder as I stepped out the door and rounded the corner.

  "Son, you're a bit late to leave." My father acknowledged, his voice rough. He took his hand away from my shoulder, flicking the cigarette from his mouth onto the pavement of the sidewalk, stomping it out. He was fifty-one, still going strong with his habits of smoking.

  "Had to finish up some not-so brief work. I'll be out with Mary." I spoke quickly, noticing the time. My father extended a hand, grabbing my tie as he began correcting it with his callused hands.

  "You're my son, and a soon-to-be husband. Though, you're late on a lot of work. If you want to take control of Errel Construction Co., then you'll need to give a lot more than you have." He exhaled deeply, removing his hand and reaching into his suit breast pocket where he retrieved a cigarette and offered it to me.

  "I'll keep it in mind, and no thanks." I shook my head, a hand up to express my lack of need for one.

  "Good, enjoy your date." He lit the cigarette, pressing it to his dry lips. His wrinkled forehead creased when giving a small frown after I stood motionless for a moment.

  "Right, sorry, mind is all over the place." I gave an expression motion with my hand to my head, before taking my leave.

  I walked the streets, crossing roads and sidewalks as I reached the front doors of the lavish restaurant. My emerald, green eyes viewed through the window, settling onto Mary who sat alone with a glass of wine gripped tightly in her hands.

  A worker held open the door, smiling brightly my way. New York city was nice at night, and luckily it was soon to be night, leaving us to the sights and nightlife once our dinner was over.

  "Babe, here!" She waved, I briskly walked over, my tightened jaw loosening at the sight of her.

  "You look lovely!" I smiled, we had reserved the place, so it was rather easy for her to find me, and the other way around.

  "Thank you." She smiled back. I motioned for us to sit, allowing me to give a short breath. "I heard the news. . ." She mentioned, her tone softened.

  "Yes, it was very sad, honestly. I saw it firsthand." She nodded along when I told the story. A wine glass was set before me, apparently, she hadn't ordered one for me. Though, the waiter noticed and made sure to give me a supple supply, me being a regular and all.

  My fingers curled around the glass, my lips pursed as I settled the cylindrical frame onto my lips. I sipped it, swirling it in my mouth to retrieve all the flavor, before setting it down.

  "Your hair looks beautiful." I complimented once more. We were both blonde, and she had bright blue eyes that complimented her face, and a thin frame that was fitted in a black dress.

  "Thank you, once again. You look very hot." She laughed, leaving me to do the same. My hand twitched, before it shook. I felt my throat constrict, alongside my body. "Babe?" She asked, her eyes focused on me.

  I tried to speak, though nothing but breaths came from my mouth, my lips shook as I suddenly collapsed to the floor. I felt the pain spread through me, unable to breathe.

  "Help him! Help!" She shouted to the restaurant's workers. There was a silent murmur, then a clammer of footsteps and thuds as people gathered. "Help!" She screamed.

  I felt tears gather in my now watered eyes, as everything then went blank. A dark void, one of bleakness and nothingness, though soon a light emerged.

  I believed myself to have awakened, though I was bewildered by the sight before me, a hand that was not my own, clothes that were not my own, and presumably, a world that was not my own.