Far Away.

As I picked up my bag after wrapping up the work for the week, excited for the holidays as I may, I stood up humming some song that was stuck in my mind, I saw a face under the bright florescent light. A face drowned in thought, lost in his own world, the familiar yet distant eyes which had a story to tell. He was in deep, completely unaware of the present, staring at the locked screen on the computer and tapping the mouse.

I noticed that he was thinking about something too deeply, that tint of sadness was too clear to go unnoticed. I pretended to not notice anything and woke him from his trance.

"Hi, still in the office?"

There was this sudden transformation in the eyes, like a newly lit candle. It was surreal for me to notice that.

"Hey hi. I was just leaving!"

"Well, I have a flight to catch. Going home for holidays. When are you going home?"

He tried his best to keep that spark alive but something gave away. May be it was the mention of home. 

"Nah man! I couldn't this time."

Despite the fact that these were the longest stretch of holidays, I couldn't put a finger on why he couldn't! I wanted to inquire. He looked troubled and I wanted to help him out in anyway possible. But before I could, he started packing up his things to leave and I realized that I had a flight to catch and so I wished him the festive greeting and told him to take care. 

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It was the beginning of the last month of the year. The work at office was kind of packed since everyone were planning for the holidays and thanks to the client overseas who took the whole month off, we had a lot on out plate before we headed different ways. Everyone seemed to be planning a great vacation with their family, some going overseas while some home. He looked at the calendar and checked the flights to home. As days gradually drew closer, the office slowly thinned and the chaos of the tapping keyboards, ringing phones and office chatter dimmed in the holiday cheer. There was excitement everywhere, there was a cloud of happiness over everyone's head. 

Everything seemed to be in order and he was all set for the holidays. Except he didn't book the ticket that day. And unlike others, he had something else in plan, or was it nothing. There was no more work left at office, but everyone hasn't yet checked out on the vacation plan were just in office as a routine, but eventually they all left. Assuming he was alone on the last working day of the year, he contemplated over the notion of holidays. He loved holidays, and like everyone else he also craved for them. He loved the idea of being home, spending time with the family, going to the relatives home, making fun and all the jazz. He was staring at the screen while lost in thought about why he wasn't so keen on going home.  He still loved holidays, but home seemed to be getting distant for reasons he could not explain. He wished for things to be different with him, had he taken that chance a few years ago, had he taken that risk a month ago. It is not too late even now, yet the fear of not going to make it haunts him nonetheless. He just wanted to be away, far far away. He questioned how did he get so broken? How did he become so vulnerable? Why did he want to escape, escape this journey of life? Why did he want to go so far away? Being woken up by a familiar voice, he looked at the eyes searching for an answer. He donned the intrigued look he had so mastered over the years, the eyes that sprouted enthusiasm, the craft which he had perfected. With farewell and best wishes after the little long conversation, he sunk back in his chair, under the glowing light, lost yet again. 

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This post was written for #BlogChatter prompt of the week #AwayFromHome.

#WeAllHaveAStoryWeDontWantToTell