Chapter 27: What Happened To You?
TATE ASSOCIATION – 8:15 AM – MONDAY
Mira Castillo arrived at the 9th floor like she always did — early, prepared, and perfectly composed.
Her heels clicked against the floor in that familiar rhythm as she walked through the empty hallway.
The office was quiet.
Still waking up.
Just the way she liked it.
She unlocked the main door.
Stepped inside.
Breathed in the silence.
Another Monday.
She walked to her cubicle — the corner office with the window, the one with the small vase holding a single white flower.
She set down her bag.
Powered up her computer.
Organized her thoughts for the day.
Then she glanced toward the cubicles.
El's was empty.
She checked the time.
8:17 AM.
El was always early.
Always.
Like her.
Strange.
She shook it off.
Probably just traffic.
Or the train.
It happened.
She started reviewing the Q3 projections.
Numbers.
Patterns.
The usual.
But her eyes kept drifting to that empty cubicle.
---
8:47 AM
The door opened.
People started filtering in.
Demi bounced in first, chips already in hand, greeting everyone like he owned the place.
Mark shuffled past, muttering about something.
Janet from Accounting rushed by with her usual stack of papers.
And then —
El.
He walked in looking normal.
Quiet.
Reserved.
His usual self.
His hair was neat.
His eyes were clear.
He moved with that calm, measured pace she'd come to recognize over the years.
Mira exhaled, not realizing she'd been holding her breath.
There he is.
He didn't look at anyone.
Didn't greet anyone.
Just walked to his cubicle and sat down.
Started working.
Normal.
Ordinary.
El.
Mira turned back to her work.
---
CONFERENCE ROOM – 9:15 AM
Mira stood at the front, tablet in hand, going over the weekly priorities. Her voice was steady.
Professional.
Controlled.
El sat in the back, same as always.
Quiet.
Attentive.
Taking notes.
Normal.
Mira continued her presentation.
Deadlines.
Expectations.
The Q3 project.
But something nagged at her.
A small feeling she couldn't name.
Why was he late?
He's never late.
She shook it off.
Focused on work.
---
12:30 PM
Mira was reviewing reports when she heard it.
A commotion from the cubicles.
Not loud. Just... different.
She looked up.
Demi was standing at the entrance to El's cubicle row, waving his arms, talking to someone she couldn't see.
What now?
She stood.
Walked over.
Demi saw her coming and immediately went stiff.
"Ma'am! Nothing! Everything's fine! Totally fine!"
Mira looked past him.
El was slumped over his desk.
Asleep.
She blinked. "Is he okay?"
"Fine! Great! Just... sleeping! At his desk! During lunch! Very normal behavior!"
Mira stared at him. "Demi."
"...Yes?"
"How long has he been out?"
Demi glanced at his watch.
"Uh... forty minutes? Maybe? I tried to wake him but he's GONE. Like, really gone."
Mira's concern flickered.
"Let him rest. Wake him in a bit."
She walked away.
But she glanced back once.
That's not like him.
---
1:30 PM – BREAK ROOM
Mira needed coffee.
Real coffee, not the break room sludge.
She'd brought her own — a small luxury she allowed herself on rough days.
She walked in and stopped.
El was sitting at the small table by the window.
Alone.
Coffee untouched in front of him.
Staring.
But not the same El from this morning.
This El was wrong.
His face was pale.
His eyes were hollow.
His hands were trembling slightly against the table.
He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks — even though she'd seen him just hours ago looking fine.
What happened?
Mira's chest tightened.
She walked over.
Sat down across from him.
No hesitation.
"El."
He blinked.
Looked at her.
His eyes were too aware, too haunted, like he'd seen things no one should see.
"Mira." His voice came out rough.
"Are you okay?"
He didn't answer.
Mira leaned forward.
"You were fine this morning. Now you look like—" She stopped herself.
"What changed?"
El shook his head slowly.
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me."
He was quiet for a long moment.
"I can't explain it. Not now. Not here."
Mira's heart ached. "Then when?"
"Soon." He stood.
Grabbed his untouched coffee. "I hope."
He walked out.
Mira stared at the empty doorway.
What happened to you?
---
AFTERNOON – MIRA'S DESK
Mira couldn't focus.
She kept glancing at El's cubicle.
He wasn't working.
He was just sitting there.
Sometimes talking to Demi in low, urgent tones.
Sometimes staring at nothing.
Demi would nod along, make jokes, try to lighten the mood.
But his eyes kept flicking toward her, worried.
They're both in on something.
Something I don't understand.
Her phone buzzed.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Ma'am. It's Demi. I got your number from the company directory. Don't be mad. El is... I don't know how to explain it. He keeps talking about crazy stuff. Time loops and dream girls and playgrounds. Is that normal? It doesn't sound normal.
Mira stared at the message.
Time loops?
Dream girls?
Playgrounds?
She typed back:
MIRA: It's not normal. Keep me updated.
DEMI: Will do. Also if he starts levitating I'm calling you first.
Despite everything, Mira almost smiled.
---
4:45 PM – CLOCKING OUT
Mira packed her bag slowly.
Watched people filter out.
El was still at his desk.
Not moving.
Demi was beside him, talking softly.
Mira walked over.
Demi saw her coming.
"Oh, uh, hi Ma'am! We were just— discussing— work things! Very normal work things!"
Mira ignored him.
Looked at El.
"El."
He looked up.
She didn't soften it.
Didn't dance around it.
"I don't know what's happening with you. But I meant what I said earlier. I'm here."
El stared at her.
Demi mouthed something dramatic behind her.
Mira continued.
"You don't have to tell me anything. You don't have to explain. But you're not alone. Okay? You're not."
El's voice came out rough. "Mira..."
She held up a hand. "You don't have to say anything. Just... know. That's all."
She turned and walked away.
Behind her, she heard Demi whisper.
"DID THAT JUST— WAS THAT— I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS."
She didn't look back.
But her heart was pounding.
---
MIRA'S APARTMENT – 10:15 PM
Mira sat on her couch, staring at her phone.
She'd typed a message to El three times. Deleted it three times.
What do I even say?
She thought about him at lunch.
Broken.
Haunted.
Nothing like the quiet, steady man from this morning.
Something happened in one hour.
Something I don't understand.
Something he won't tell me.
She typed:
MIRA: Goodnight, El. Hope you're okay.
She stared at it.
Debated.
Deleted it.
Too much.
Too little.
Wrong.
She set the phone down.
Then it buzzed.
EL: I'm trying to be.
Mira's heart stopped.
She stared at the words.
I'm trying to be.
What does that mean?
What is he trying to be?
Okay?
Happy?
Alive?
She didn't know.
But it was something.
It was a crack.
And she was going to hold onto it.