October 30th

His heart finally stopped racing but a headache was nagging him near his right temple. Ryan stopped sobbing as the paramedics quickly arrived to help him out of his mangled convertible. Even though the car had to be towed, he felt okay and declined a ride to an area hospital.

Ryan was clutching the laptop bag, phone, and coffee mug tightly when the rideshare vehicle approached the accident site to pick him up. Cori sent him a text and asked about his condition. She also asked if he intended to see her the next day, his birthday. Ryan replied that he would let her know, but thanked Cori for checking on him. The truth was he wanted to be alone.

When he arrived to the office, co-workers surrounded him and so did his director. They were relieved he was okay and reassured Ryan the worst was over. He thanked everyone then walked to his office and closed the door.

As Ryan gathered his thoughts and recalled the morning events, he plugged up his lap top and checked the office emails immediately. The inbox was extremely cluttered but the budget analysis was there, marked as an "overdue" priority. He quickly forwarded it to his Director and other senior level managers while sighing loudly.

He noticed the headache was still nagging at him a little and decided to take something for it. The knock on his office door was loud and urgent. "Come in please," he said.

His director was almost in his mid sixties, loved to talk, eat, and considered himself a great sportsman. "Ryan, you really did an outstanding job with the budget analysis, honestly I thought you'd miss the deadline. The extension has been granted for further funding. You should have some kind of personal celebration." " I have to a lunch meeting to attend and then a conference." "Heard it was two bucks that crossed your path." "They may be the same ones I'll come across with my hunting club." He removed his glasses and paused. "Your birthday is tomorrow right Ryan?" he asked.

Ryan just nodded and responded "Yes, it is thanks for asking Bill."

"Well, that's what I thought. You should work from home and enjoy it." "Besides it's the weekend and Monday begins a new month for us." "All I ask is that you return in one piece and sober," he said while laughing aloud. "See you Ryan and a damn good job!" He exited the office and began to chat with other associates down the hall.

A video conference consumed much of his time, but Ryan couldn't help but notice several odd emails with attachments continued to land in his inbox throughout the workday. There were thirty of them. As the day came closer to an end, he decided to examine his inbox closer. The repetitive emails in bold font and of unknown origin, all included an attachment.

The subject line read: Celebrating Ryan

Just as he began to choose the most recent email and click its attachment, his mobile text alert began to play his favorite ring tone. It was Cori and her message simply read:

"Are you up to drinks? Blue Nun has cheap prices on bar shots!" He quickly responded to her with, "Maybe another time, Thx C."

Then a business video chat reminder requested he join the online session. The unexpected emails would have to wait a little longer. One of Ryan's colleagues agreed to drop him off. Their conversation during the commute had been an interesting but pleasant one.

The thirty minute ride flew by and he was elated to finally return home. He rushed immediately to his bathroom to shower and allow the warm soothing water to rinse away an eventful day.

After all his birthday was in a few hours, and at midnight he would practice a harmless tradition- drink a glass or two of scotch on the rocks, take several puffs of a mild cigar, and watch a cheesy porno flick from the eighties.

He plugged up his lap top and cell phone in his bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen. The microwave displayed 7:30pm but this particular evening felt much later to Ryan.

There was time to make some pasta and boil a few shrimp too. He decided to go outside for just a moment to stand on his front porch and star gaze. He put on his glasses but they were fogging up. His new contacts hadn't arrived so the older, worn spectacles would have to be his saving grace tonight.

His wind down plan was working nicely. The dinner turned out great and now it was time for a celebratory glass of wine, the scotch would have to wait until midnight. After pouring a glass of wine, he turned on the flat screen in the living room. He decided to walk back upstairs to briefly read emails and check his phone.

Ryan scrolled purposely on the laptop and quickly remembered not reading the cryptic emails or clicking the attachments. "Damn, it's 9:30 already," he uttered to himself. "Not much longer, Ryan my boy," he thought to himself. In three hours, his last thirty something birthday would arrive and forty promised him new unchartered territory.

Ryan clicked one of the cryptic emails and followed the written instructions to click the attachment. It showed a faded picture of him as a baby sleeping in a crib, another recent photo of him drinking with friends, a real time picture of his mangled convertible, and a photo of him crying.

Shaken by the content he began deleting the images and emails, but guzzled the wine. "What in the.." shouted Ryan.

The downstairs television volume suddenly increased to its highest level and the water in his bedroom bathroom sink came on full force. The door to his bedroom even opened back and forth, and finally closed and locked.

Simultaneously, all of the power in the house went off and the cell had not even charged beyond 10 percent. The only power source was the laptop and the message across the screen read:

If there is a humble beginning, a more humble end shall follow.

It consumed the screen as it was written in many fonts and different languages across Ryan's lap top.

The keys of his laptop began to type so quickly, that its speed and the heat of the screen first produced smoke, then flames. The heat of the keys even scorched Ryan's fingertips as he frantically attempted to stop the typing and hit the power button. The cord could not be unplugged. His glasses began to melt and once the screen shattered, the lenses burned his face and scorched his eyes.

Now blinded he wandered to where he thought the bedroom door was. He felt around for it as the lap top now burned and sizzled. Fumbling to unlock the bedroom door proved difficult but he managed to.

Ryan yelled for help even though he knew he was home alone and in a panic to get out of the bedroom, tripped on the hem of his pajama pants. This caused him to clumsily and wildly strike his head. It also caused him to tumble forward onto the old wooden steps head first.

The violent impact had been quick but brutally fatal.

The lights and anything powered by electricity suddenly came back on. The microwave beeped and flashed zeroes on its display.

The lamp post in front of his house flickered non-stop.

There was an eerie silence outside besides the barking dog down the street.

It was thirty minutes after midnight, Ryan's birthday-October 30th.

-THE END