Nightmare On The Stockmarket
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Dan just had to get out of the office. He’d been sitting there for hours, his eyes glued to a screen that was showing him nothing but red numbers and flashing symbols.
It seemed like every time he looked up from it all he saw were more flashing lights – or worse still, another set of flashing lights in the form of an angry-looking woman who kept insisting on telling him how much money she thought they could lose if this deal went wrong…
He couldn’t concentrate any longer; not with her shouting at him over the phone about what might happen if they didn’t do something now. And then there were those other people – the ones who kept coming into his office demanding answers to questions he hadn’t even asked yet!
They wanted to know where their shares were going to be traded and when exactly they would start trading again. Dan knew perfectly well that these things took time to sort out, especially as the company wasn’t actually bankrupt after all.
But he also knew that some of them were getting increasingly impatient because they weren’t seeing any results from their investment so far. Sooner or later one of them was bound to take matters into their own hands and try and find out what really happened behind closed doors. That’s why he needed to leave right away before someone decided to pull a gun on him…
It was nearly midnight by the time he got back home. As soon as he walked through the door he kicked off his shoes and headed straight for the kitchen to make himself a strong cup of coffee. Then he sat down at his desk and pulled open the drawer where he always kept a bottle of whisky hidden inside.
He poured himself half a glassful and gulped it down quickly without thinking too hard about anything else. After that, he felt better already. Much less stressed, anyway.
‘I’m glad you’re here,’ said Amy when she came into the room. ‘You look like shit.’
Dan shrugged. ‘Yeah, I guess so. Too many late nights lately. You want a drink?’
Amy shook her head. ‘No thanks. Just give me your keys and let me drive us both home tonight. We can talk properly tomorrow morning once we’ve had our first cup of tea together.’ She smiled sweetly. ‘And maybe have a nice little chat about what happened last night while I’m driving you to work.’
Dan shuddered. What did he ever see in that girl? He knew he should probably tell her everything that had gone on during the past few days. But somehow he never managed to bring himself round to doing it. Even though he knew he wouldn’t feel quite so guilty afterward.
Not unless he told her about the whole business with the dead body lying in the street outside his house either. That was definitely something he needed to keep secret from everyone else. Especially since he knew that Amy would immediately think he must have done something terrible to deserve such a fate. And what would happen to him then…?
The two of them drove silently to the apartment building where Dan lived alone. When they arrived at the parking garage he handed Amy the key to his car and watched as she unlocked the passenger door and climbed into the front seat.
Once she was settled comfortably beside him he started the engine and followed the instructions on the dashboard display until he found the correct level for the underground parking lot. After that, it only took five minutes to reach the ground floor and park the car next to the elevator.
They rode up in silence. Neither of them spoke as they stepped out into the hallway and walked towards the stairs leading to Dan’s flat. By the time they reached his door, Amy was looking very pale indeed. Her lips were trembling slightly and her breathing sounded shallow. Was she scared of what he might say to her? Or was she just nervous because of what happened earlier today?
When they finally made it to the living room Amy turned around and leaned against the wall. ‘Don’t worry,’ she whispered. ‘Everything will be fine.’
Dan nodded slowly. ‘Thanks.’ He paused for a moment and then continued. ‘So what are you going to tell your parents about this evening?’
Amy swallowed nervously. ‘Nothing. Absolutely nothing. My dad is away on business, my mum has a headache and I don’t want to wake anyone up.’
Dan frowned. ‘But what if they ask you about it tomorrow morning?’
She sighed. ‘Then I’ll tell them I spent the evening with a friend.’
‘A male friend perhaps?’
Amy looked at him sharply. ‘Of course not!’
‘Well, then how am I supposed to explain why you suddenly disappeared for three hours yesterday afternoon?’
There was a long pause before Amy answered. ‘I went shopping with a girlfriend.’
Dan stared at her blankly. ‘What kind of a lie is that?’
Amy flushed angrily. ‘Look, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you by taking advantage of the situation but please understand that it wasn’t easy for me to deal with everything that happened today. It was almost worse than it was when I discovered all those things in your study.’
Dan groaned softly. ‘Oh, God…’
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, he simply stood there staring at her. The urge to hug her and comfort her was overwhelming. But instead he forced himself to stay calm and wait patiently for her answer. For whatever she decided to do now.
Finally, Amy seemed to come to some sort of decision. She pushed herself upright again and walked over to stand in front of him. Then she put one hand gently on his shoulder and gave him a smile.
‘Okay,’ she said quietly. ‘We need to talk about this. But later. Right now I really want to get out of these clothes and go to bed.’
***
After Amy left Dan fell asleep within seconds. He woke up several times during the night feeling cold and uncomfortable. Every time he opened his eyes he saw that the clock on the mantelpiece showed four o’clock in the morning.
Finally, he rolled out of bed and padded across the bedroom to turn on the central heating. As soon as the radiators began to warm up he felt much better. A couple of minutes later he was back in his own bed under the covers.
He lay still for another minute or two, listening to the sound of the traffic passing along the road outside. Only after he’d been sure that no one could hear him moving around did he crawl out of his bed and make his way to the bathroom.
Once he was dressed and ready for work Dan sat down at his desk and pulled open the drawer containing the bottle of sleeping pills that he kept hidden inside. Another thing he hadn’t wanted to discuss with Amy. If he couldn’t trust her enough to tell her about his problems then maybe it was best to stop trying to pretend that everything was okay. At least until he got his life sorted out once and for all.
As he poured himself a glass of water he wondered whether he ought to also take a pill. But he quickly rejected the idea. There was too great a risk that Amy might find out about it and wonder why he’d taken them. So he decided to leave well alone.
After breakfast, he took a cab to the office and worked through the morning without any major interruptions. In fact, he was so busy that he hardly had time to think about anything else. That suited him perfectly. He needed to concentrate fully on the job ahead of him. And he knew exactly which project he should start working on first.
At lunchtime, he ordered a sandwich from room service and ate it while sitting in his office chair. His mind was already focused on the task at hand and he didn’t even notice when someone entered the room behind him. It was only when she started talking that he became aware of her presence.
‘Hi, Mr. Andrews.’
He jumped slightly at the sound of the woman’s voice. ‘Hello,’ he replied automatically.
The young blonde smiled at him. ‘I hope you’re having a good day.’
Dan shrugged. ‘It hasn’t been bad.’
‘That’s good. Because I’ve brought you something.’
Dan looked at her curiously. ‘Something?’
‘Yes sir,’ she said brightly. ‘You asked me to bring you a copy of our latest brochure.’
Dan shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t.’
‘Really? Well, then I guess you must have forgotten. Anyway, here it is.’
She handed him a large manila folder. Dan glanced briefly at the cover page, then reached out and took it from her. He flipped it open and scanned the contents.
‘Wow,’ he murmured. ‘This looks fantastic.’
The girl beamed happily at him. ‘Thank you very much. We thought you would like it. Now, if you’ll excuse me –’
‘Wait for a second,’ Dan interrupted. ‘How did you know where to find me?’
The girl laughed. ‘Easy! You told us to deliver it directly to you.’
Dan frowned. ‘But I never said that.’
‘Oh yes you did,’ she insisted. ‘In the email, you sent last week.’
Dan stared at her for a moment longer before finally shaking his head helplessly. ‘Well, I’m sorry but I don’t remember saying that. I probably meant to say something like “please send me a copy” or something similar, not “bring me a copy”. I can assure you that wasn’t what I actually wrote.’
The girl sighed unhappily. ‘I suppose we’ll just have to chalk this one up to experience. Please accept my apologies for wasting your time.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Dan assured her. ‘It happens sometimes. No harm done.’
With that, he closed the file and stood up. The girl watched him as he walked towards the door. When he reached the exit he turned back and offered her an apologetic smile.
‘Look, I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered you with such a silly question. I promise it won’t happen again.’
Her face brightened immediately. ‘Oh, no problem!’ she exclaimed cheerfully. ‘Now please excuse me. I really do need to get going.’
And with that, she hurried away into the corridor. Dan watched her go before turning around and heading back to his office. Once there he locked the door and placed the folder on top of his desk. Then he went over to the window and gazed down at the street below.
His thoughts were still filled with the new brochure. He could see how it would make their business look more professional and appealing. And he realized that its arrival had come at the perfect time. With the Christmas season approaching they needed to generate some interest among potential customers. This brochure would help them achieve that goal.
He spent another hour studying the content and checking every detail. By the end of the afternoon, he felt confident that he understood everything perfectly. Satisfied with his progress he opened his laptop computer and began searching online for a suitable printer. After a few minutes, he found a company that specialized in producing high-quality brochures and other marketing materials. They seemed ideal so he made a note of their contact details and called them straight away.
When the receptionist answered the phone she sounded surprised by his request. ‘Are you sure you want to print these yourself?’ she enquired politely. ‘We offer a full design and printing service. If you’d prefer we can handle all aspects of your order.’
Dan hesitated for a moment. On the one hand, he appreciated the girl’s willingness to help, but on the other, he wanted to take care of things himself. It would give him a greater sense of accomplishment. Besides, he reasoned, dealing directly with the printer gave him the opportunity to negotiate a better deal.
After thinking about it for a minute or two he decided to agree. ‘Okay,’ he said reluctantly. ‘Please send me a price list.’
‘Of course,’ the girl replied enthusiastically. ‘Would you like me to email it now?’
Dan nodded. ‘That would be great.’
A short time later he received an attachment containing a detailed breakdown of costs. He studied it carefully before making a decision. Then he dialed the number provided and spoke to a sales representative.
‘Hi,’ he greeted him. ‘My name is Daniel O’Connell. I was hoping you might be able to help me.’
The salesman listened patiently while Dan explained his requirements. When he finished he waited expectantly for the man to speak. But he remained silent for several seconds before eventually asking: ‘So, are you ready to place an order?’
Dan frowned. ‘Actually, I’m not quite sure yet,’ he admitted. ‘I haven’t decided whether I want to use your services or someone else’s.’
The salesman smiled reassuringly. ‘There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, most people feel exactly the same way when they’re first starting out. So long as you’ve got plenty of options available you should be fine.’
‘Thanks,’ Dan agreed. ‘You sound pretty knowledgeable about the industry. Have you been involved in it yourself? Do you work for a printing firm?’
‘No, I’m afraid not,’ the man confessed. ‘I used to run a small business myself once upon a time, but I sold it recently. Nowadays I spend my days working here.’
‘Ah well,’ Dan remarked nonchalantly. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, why did you decide to sell your company?’
‘Honestly?’ the man asked. ‘Because I didn’t enjoy running it anymore. I started feeling bored and unfulfilled. Eventually, I realized that if I continued doing the same thing day after day then sooner or later I would grow tired of it completely. That’s when I came to realize that life is too short to waste on something you don’t love. So I quit and invested the money into this job instead.’
‘Well put,’ Dan commented. ‘I guess everyone has to choose what’s right for them.’
‘Exactly,’ the man concurred. ‘And that’s precisely why I’m always happy to help. You never know, maybe one day you’ll find yourself in the same position as me. Who knows? Anyway, let me check your prices. Is it okay if I call you back in ten minutes?’
‘Sure,’ Dan told him. ‘But please don’t worry about calling me again unless absolutely necessary. I understand that you have a lot of calls to answer today.’
‘Not at all,’ the man assured him. ‘I wouldn’t dream of disturbing you unnecessarily. And anyway, I’m only a couple of streets away from where you live – just in case you change your mind and decide to place an order with us.’
Once he hung up the phone Dan sat quietly contemplating his next move. The truth was that although he enjoyed designing brochures he wasn’t particularly interested in selling them. Instead, he had been hoping to establish a new career in the IT sector.
Unfortunately, there were far fewer opportunities for programmers than for printers. Even though he knew how to write code he lacked experience and qualifications. Consequently, he needed to start somewhere, and the best way forward appeared to be by learning the skills required to get a foot in the door.
For the next half-hour, Dan searched the internet until he discovered a website offering free tutorials. He quickly signed up and spent the rest of the evening following the instructions. By the time he went to bed, he felt reasonably confident that he could build a basic web page using HTML and CSS.
Although he still hadn’t made a final decision he found himself wondering whether setting up a simple site might be enough to convince potential employers that he was worth hiring. After all, even if he couldn’t land a permanent role straightaway he could always do contract work on a freelance basis.
***
At 8am the next morning Dan woke up early and lay staring at the ceiling for several minutes. As usual, he was plagued by doubts about his future. He wondered whether he really wanted to become a programmer, or whether he should try for another type of job altogether.
It seemed strange to him that he’d already invested so much time and effort without knowing what he was trying to achieve. Yet despite this uncertainty, he knew that he no longer cared about being employed full-time. All he wanted now was to earn some extra cash.
For the moment that meant finding a part-time job, but who knew what the future might hold? Perhaps he would end up working in the IT field after all. Or perhaps he would discover something entirely different. Either way, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he kept moving forwards.
He finally dragged himself out of bed and headed downstairs. His mum was already awake and sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. She looked tired and stressed, which surprised Dan because she usually managed to hide her emotions behind a mask of indifference. However, judging by the bags under her eyes and the dark circles beneath them, it was clear that she hadn’t slept very well last night.
‘Morning Mum,’ he said cheerfully. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Fine thanks,’ she replied. ‘Just a little bit wore out. But I think I’m getting better now.’
‘That’s good,’ Dan encouraged. ‘Are you going to go shopping with Dad today?’
His mother hesitated before answering. ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t,’ she suggested hesitantly. ‘It doesn’t seem like such a great idea to take two sick people out in public.’
Dan frowned. ‘Why not?’ he demanded. ‘You’re fine. And besides, you’ve got plenty of food in the fridge. There’s nothing wrong with eating leftovers for lunch.’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ his mother conceded reluctantly. ‘In fact, I can’t remember the last time I ate anything fresh. I must admit that I feel rather hungry.’
‘Then let’s go!’ Dan insisted enthusiastically. ‘We won’t be long.’
‘Okay,’ his mother agreed. ‘Let me make sure I have everything ready first.’
She rose from the table and walked over to the counter where she started rummaging through the cupboards. Dan watched her curiously. Normally she tried to conceal any signs of weakness, yet here she was acting completely differently. Was it possible that she really did want to spend more time together? Or was he simply imagining things?
A few seconds later his father emerged from his bedroom wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He yawned and stretched, then gazed blearily around the room.
‘What time is it?’ he asked sleepily.
‘Eight o’clock,’ Dan informed him.
‘Oh God! We overslept again!’ his dad groaned. ‘When will these bloody clocks ever stop ticking?’
‘They never will,’ Dan told him. ‘So why don’t you put your shoes on and come down to breakfast?’
As expected, both parents soon finished their breakfasts and left the house. Once they were gone Dan returned to his computer desk and began looking for jobs online. The problem was that every single one of the vacancies required applicants to possess relevant qualifications as well as extensive practical experience.
He doubted that he would find anything suitable unless he took an intensive course in programming. In other words, he needed money fast.
After spending most of the day searching for openings, Dan decided to give up and head upstairs to watch TV instead. When he reached his bedroom, however, he noticed that the light was still on underneath his sister’s door. That meant she hadn’t gone to school either.
Since he wasn’t planning to return home until the late afternoon anyway, he thought it best to leave her alone. Besides, there was no need to worry. He had no intention of letting anyone bully Laura into doing anything against her will. If necessary, he’d speak to Mr. Smith personally.
The rest of the week passed slowly for everyone involved. Despite having only been unemployed for three days, Dan was beginning to get bored of watching daytime television. Even worse, his mother’s illness continued to worsen.
The End