Maripolite

Untitled Part 18

Ring buzz buzz buzz "Morning, Charles Morgan speaking"

Charles was sitting at a corporation meeting when the call came and the conversation froze him to the chair. His executives kept talking around the table but his attention was focused on the drone of the callers' dry voice over the phone as the entire world around him faded from existence.

Then suddenly his heart began to beat louder until it rang in his ears and his head throbbed like the base of a drum boom boom boom. He squeezed the phone against his ear and coughed so that he could suck air into his lungs while he grasped the table to steady himself lowering his head to the table. He heard the rustling in the room and the screeching of chairs as some of those present stood to see what had happened.

"Okay," he answered through the phone and placed it face down on the table without hanging up but unable to release it from his claw frozen fingers. He felt Dianas' hand on his shoulder and he rose his head to give her a cold glare before standing up and pushing his chair back so hard that it fell over onto the ground.

They were all staring at him clearly surprised by his unusual disruption of the meeting he stared back words at the moment failing him. The blood in his body had rushed to his face and he could feel the warm burn of his essence pumping through him a very unusual feeling

Breath

Charles inhaled deeply taking note of the fact that he had to remind himself to breathe he squeezed his fists against his thighs and squinted his eyes trying to remember the faces in the room and their reactions to his untimely disruption so that he could remind them of it should he need to. He looked over to Diana her features were calm and she didn't blink as she waited; they all waited for him to explain but he had no intention of offering any clarification.

"Meetings over" he whispered hoarsely "everyone out"

Some reclaimed their seats but everyone in the room remained focused on him he gritted his teeth squinted his eyes and reached up to unbutton his jacket which was slowing down the busy flow of blood through his veins it was becoming very uncomfortable then he hooked his hands on his hips.

Find your voice

He had to figure out who the fuck was talking in his God-damned head but that didn't mean that the voice wasn't right he took another deep breath his chest and his shoulders rising and voice with it, planting both fists on the table he leaned forward being cautious to steady himself as he spoke

"ALL OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT, the meeting is over!"

They heard this time and most quickly responded the others were not far behind he was sure that the viscous movement of his lips had scared them sufficiently that the disturbance would be forgotten in favor of the cruel dismissal.

The room emptied but Diana retained her seat.

"Diana the meeting is over" he turned and walked towards the wall of glass forty feet above land with no one and nothing to see but clouds and blue sky, he sniffled marginally but kept his back to her waiting for her to leave.

"Is it something that I can help with?"

"No"

"Is it the business"

She was prying "No Diana, please leave and can you ask my secretary to find me here"

Her chair scraped and he heard footsteps then a soft click behind him.

He leaned his head against the window and took another one of those deep breaths his body kept forgetting to take.

He coughed then breathed then coughed then one singular tear rolled over his eyelids and plummeted to the ground. He walked into the glass and lay his burning body against its cool exterior letting the warm water out of his body seemed like the best way to cool down not that he did this often so he had to take control because he had no time to comfort himself he had to be there for Nathalie.