Cubism

3:00 AM Saturday, Feb 14th

Winona is already in the kitchen when Allex turns the corner.

The light over the sink is on. Nothing else.

"You're up early," he says.

She mouths something.

There's a glass on the counter, outweighed by its shadow. Half full. Winona hasn't touched it.

Allex opens a cabinet, stops, then closes it, empty-handed. "Did you sleep?"

"Some."

He leans against the counter across from her. "Go under?"

She shakes her head. "Not really."

There's a small pause.

He studies her posture. Her hands. They're resting flat against the counter.

"Next time, come up sooner," he says.

"I did."

Allex nods but looks unsettled.

There's a knock at the door.

Winona doesn't react.

Allex glances toward the hallway then back to her. "Expecting someone?"

"No."

The knock beats again. Same rhythm.

Allex straightens. "Winona."

She doesn't face him.

"I said, are you--"

"I heard you."

The knock bangs again.

"You should've come up."

"I did."

The knock comes again.

Winona reaches for something behind the counter.

7:00 AM Sunday, Feb 15th

Mr. Mckenna doesn't open his door right away. He lingers.

He heard them moving about earlier. Shuddering cabinets. Low, controlled voices. He always waits and listens.

A count of four, maybe five seconds.

He slowly unlocks the door without turning the handle and idles. Listening.

Nothing ruffles the hairs.

He cracks the door open, just enough to see the hallway. Winona is already outside, standing a few feet from her door. Not arriving nor leaving. Just...there.

"Morning," Mr. Mckenna says.

She turns toward him. Slow and stiff. "Morning." Her voice is even. A disturbingly straight line.

He looks at her hands down at her sides. Perfectly still.

"You're out early," he says.

She doesn't respond to that.

"You alright today?" he asks.

Winona nods, quickly. "Yes."

Mr. Mckenna studies her for a moment. Longer than is polite but shorter than he wants. He glances at her door. Closed. A kept secret. No sound.

He looks back at her. "You should've come up," he says, in a lower tone.

Winona's expression doesn't change. "I did." She steps into the hallway. Nothing more.

Mr. Mckenna steps inside immediately, closes and locks the door. After a second, he slides the chain lock as well.

3:00 AM Saturday, Feb 14th

Winona is already in the kitchen when Alex comes in.

The light over the sink is on. Nothing else.

"You're up early," he says.

No response.

There's a glass on the counter. Half full. Close to the edge.

Allex opens a cabinet, stops, closes it. "Did you sleep?"

Winona doesn't answer. He turns toward her now. "Did you--"

"Some," she says, cutting him off.

"Go under?"

She shakes her head. "Not really."

Allex leans against the counter. "You should've come up sooner."

"I di--"

A knock at the door.

Winona doesn't look toward it.

"Winona."

"I heard you."

The knock comes again. Allex watches Winona's hands. One of them is curled slightly. Gripping something.

"You went under."

"I didn't."

"You stayed."

The knock comes again. Louder.

Winona's hand moves.

Allex's eyes bloom. "Wait--"

The glass tips. Falls.

And Falls.

10:00 AM Monday, Feb 9th

Winona is on time.

She signs in, sets her bag down, and takes her seat.

Everything is where it should be. Her desk is clean. Neat and arranged.

"Morning," someone says.

"Morning," she replies with a smile.

Across the room a man laughs loud.

Winona glances up briefly. Her hands rest on the desk. Still.

A woman across from her notices. Stares a little too long, then returns to her screen. "You sleep okay?" she asks, not looking up.

"Yes."

"Good."

The man across the room begins talking to a staff lead. Not laughing now. Explaining something. Unnerved.

"I didn't even--I mean, I was there, I saw her, but I didn't--"

A few people shift in their seats. Creating space.

"I woke up right after," he continues. "I came up. I did. I came up."

Winona's fingers press lightly into her desk. Tense. The room stays quiet. Someone near the door closes their laptop.

"I don't remember doing it," the man says. His voice cracks. "I don't remember doing anything."

A knock at the door. Rhythmic and precise.

The man stops talking. No one looks at him. Not anymore.

The knock comes again.

Winona lifts her eyes slightly.

The door opens. Two men step inside. Dark suits. No introduction. Zero hesitation.

The man stands. "I didn't do anything," he protests.

No one speaks.

"I don't remember it," he says as the two men approach.

"You don't need to remember," one of them speaks.

"I came up. I did. I--"

They take him by the arm. No discussion. Just movement.

He looks around the room of faces but meets no eyes. Winona watches in quick glances.

His voice breaks fully. "I didn't mean to--"

They lead him out. The door closes.

There's no movement for moment.

Then, one by one chairs roll forward. Screens light back up. Someone exhales.

"You should've come up sooner," the woman across from Winona mumbles to herself. Head down.

3:00 AM Saturday, Feb 14th

Winona is already in the kitchen when Allex comes in. The light over the sink is on. Nothing else.

"You're up early," he says.

She doesn't respond. There's a glass on the counter. Half full. Closer to the edge.

"Did you sleep?" he asks.

No response.

He turns toward her fully now. "Winona."

"Some," she says.

"Go under?"

She shakes her head. "Not really."

Allex steps closer. He's watching her hands. "You should've come up."

"I did." The words echo.

A knock taps the door. Neither of them looks toward it. Allex doesn't take his eyes off her. "You stayed."

"I didn't."

"You did."

The knock hits again. Rhythmic. Even.

Winona's hand tightens. The wide blade of the knife is tucked in a shadowy sheath. She doesn't move.

"You're still in it," he says.

"I'm not."

"You are."

The knock beats again. Harder.

The sound jars Allex, he half-turns.

Winona steps forward.

Allex reacts late. "Wait--"

The glass shatters.

He looks down. The hilt of the plunged blade bulges from his sternum.

He looks at Winona without anger, without confusion, just calm certainty. "You didn't come up."

Her hand is still there. Still gripping the knife. "I did," she says. Like she's repeating something she was told. The words only carrying the diffused air of her breath. She lets go. Looks at her hands.

"You don't need to remember."

Knock, Knock.

3:01 AM

Winona's eyes stretch open wide as she wakes.