“Fourteen Days”

“Hello?”

“Is this a good time?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Who is this?”

“You saved my number as ‘Unknown.’ That’s fair.”

“I didn’t save it.”

“You used to.”

“I don’t do that anymore.”

“Right.”

“Why are you calling?”

“Because I can’t keep carrying this alone.”

“You chose to carry it alone.”

“I chose a lot of things. Some of them were wrong.”

“You’re calling to confess now?”

“I’m calling to ask you something first.”

“No.”

“I didn’t ask yet.”

“You always do this. You circle the room until I’m exhausted and then you dump the thing.”

“Are you alone?”

“Why?”

“Because if someone hears this—”

“Say it.”

“Please.”

“I’m alone.”

“Okay.”

“Stop breathing like that.”

“I’m trying to keep my voice steady.”

“Try harder.”

“I deserve that.”

“You deserve worse.”

“Probably.”

“So why are you here?”

“Because I saw your message.”

“What message?”

“The one you didn’t send to me.”

“You’re stalking me?”

“No. It wasn’t like that.”

“It’s always like that with you. Accidents that know my name.”

“I didn’t mean to see it.”

“But you did.”

“Yes.”

“And now you’re calling.”

“Yes.”

“Let me guess. You want to assist. You want to be the hero in the midst of the chaos you made.”

“I don’t want to be a hero. I want to be useful.”

“You were useful before you lied.”

“I know.”

“Say the lie.”

“I told you I wasn’t involved.”

“Louder.”

“I told you I wasn’t involved.”

“And?”

“And I was.”

“Go on.”

“I signed the paper.”

“Which paper.”

“The one that made it final.”

“You told me you fought it.”

“I didn’t.”

“You told me you went back.”

“I didn’t.”

“You told me you stood in that office and refused to—”

“I didn’t.”

“Say it.”

“I didn’t fight.”

“Why.”

“I was tired.”

“Tired.”

“I was scared.”

“Scared of what.”

“Scared of losing everything.”

“You lost everything anyway.”

“I lost you.”

“You threw me away.”

“I didn’t throw you away. I—”

“You chose a life where I didn’t fit.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“Then explain it. Explain it like I’m stupid.”

“I thought I could fix it later.”

“Later.”

“I thought time would make it softer.”

“Time makes things sharper. You know that.”

“I know now.”

“You knew then.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Yes. I knew.”

“Good.”

“So.”

“So nothing. You don’t get to ‘so.’”

“I’m not asking for forgiveness.”

“You’re asking for something.”

“I’m asking for the truth.”

“The truth is you’re late.”

“I need details.”

“Details.”

“What did you tell them? What did you sign? What did you agree to?”

“Why do you need that?”

“Because they’re coming back.”

“Who’s coming back.”

“The people with clean shoes and quiet voices who say ‘policy’ like it’s God.”

“They never stopped.”

“They paused.”

“They don’t pause unless they’re planning.”

“You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You used to say that when your hands were freezing.”

“Stop remembering me.”

“I can’t.”

“Learn.”

“I’m trying.”

“Try somewhere else.”

“I can’t. Not today.”

“Why today.”

“Because I got a letter.”

“A letter.”

“Not an email.”

“Why would they send a letter.”

“Because it looks serious on paper.”

“What does it say.”

“It says you have fourteen days.”

“Fourteen days for what.”

“To respond. To conform. To surrender.”

“Surrender what.”

“Everything that’s left.”

“Left of what.”

“Left of me.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I wish I was.”

“Read it.”

“I’m not reading it to you.”

“Why not.”

“Because if I read it out loud, it becomes real.”

“It’s real already.”

“I know.”

“Read the part that matters.”

“It says… it says the name.”

“Whose name.”

“Mine. And yours.”

“Don’t.”

“I’m not trying to hurt you.”

“Don’t say my name like we’re still connected.”

“We are connected.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“On paper. In files. In the same sentence.”

“How.”

“Because you were the witness.”

“I wasn’t the witness.”

“You were.”

“No.”

“You signed.”

“No.”

“You were there.”

“No.”

“I saw it.”

“You saw what.”

“I saw your signature.”

“That’s impossible.”

“It’s not.”

“I never signed anything.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t.”

“Then someone signed as you.”

“No.”

“You’re sure.”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure you never—”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t say ‘okay’ like you don’t believe me.”

“I’m trying to understand how it happened.”

“It didn’t happen.”

“It did.”

“Stop.”

“I can’t stop. Not now.”

“You’re trying to pull me into your panic.”

“I’m trying to pull you out of mine.”

“I’m not in it.”

“You are.”

“No.”

“You just don’t know yet.”

“Say what you want.”

“I want you to tell me where you were on the twelfth.”

“The twelfth of what.”

“The month you left.”

“Don’t talk about that month.”

“I need to.”

“Why.”

“Because the signature is dated.”

“Are you accusing me.”

“No.”

“It sounds like you are.”

“I’m asking.”

“You always ask like a knife.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Answer your own question.”

“I can’t.”

“Then stop talking.”

“I can’t stop.”

“Why can’t you stop.”

“Because if I stop, I’m alone with it.”

“Get used to it.”

“I tried.”

“And.”

“And it keeps calling me back.”

“That’s your guilt.”

“It’s not just guilt.”

“Then what is it.”

“It’s… it’s like a door I forgot to lock.”

“And now it’s open.”

“And now someone’s inside.”

“You’re making metaphors. I despise when you do that.”

“I’m scared.”

“You should be.”

“I need you to be calm.”

“I’m calm.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m calm enough.”

“Please.”

“Don’t ‘please’ me.”

“I’m asking as someone who knows you’re not cruel.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I do.”

“You know who I was.”

“That’s still you.”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Stop saying okay. Say something real.”

“Fine. What do you want from me.”

“I want you to meet me.”

“No.”

“Just once.”

“No.”

“In public.”

“No.”

“In daylight.”

“No.”

“You won’t even let me talk to you face to face.”

“You’re talking now.”

“This isn’t face to face.”

“This is safer.”

“For who.”

“For me.”

“I won’t hurt you.”

“You already did.”

“I won’t again.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I can try.”

“You tried before.”

“I know.”

“So why would I meet you.”

“Because the letter has your address on it.”

“Which address.”

“The old one.”

“I don’t live there.”

“They don’t know that.”

“Why would they send it there.”

“Because it’s on the file.”

“What file.”

“The file you helped create.”

“I didn’t create anything.”

“You were there.”

“I was there for you.”

“You were there for them too.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know.”

“That’s the worst part.”

“Stop.”

“You didn’t know what you were signing.”

“I didn’t sign anything.”

“Then someone used your name.”

“No one can.”

“People do it every day.”

“Not with me.”

“You trust your world too much.”

“My world doesn’t work like yours.”

“Everyone’s world works like mine when money gets involved.”

“I don’t have money.”

“They don’t care. They demand compliance.”

“Compliance with what.”

“With silence.”

“Silence about what.”

“About that night.”

“Which night.”

“The night you think is just a bad memory.”

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“They do.”

“Who is ‘they.’”

“The same people who smiled at you like you were safe.”

“I was safe.”

“You were not.”

“Stop.”

“You were never safe with me either.”

“Correct.”

“So don’t pretend this is about protecting you.”

“It’s not.”

“Then what is it.”

“It’s about the thing I did that I can’t undo.”

“And you want me to help you undo it.”

“I want you to help you.”

“I don’t need help.”

“You do.”

“No.”

“You’ve been pretending for too long.”

“You don’t know what I’ve been doing.”

“I know you moved. I know you changed your number. I know you stopped sharing photos.”

“Why do you know that.”

“Because I checked.”

“You checked.”

“I checked.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“I know.”

“That’s not love.”

“I know.”

“That’s control.”

“I know.”

“Then why.”

“Because I kept thinking if I understood you, it would hurt less.”

“And does it.”

“No.”

“Good.”

“I deserve that.”

“You keep saying that like it’s a prayer.”

“It is.”

“I’m not your god.”

“I don’t want you to be.”

“Then stop calling.”

“I can’t until you hear one thing.”

“Say it.”

“I was in the room when it happened.”

“Stop.”

“I watched them slide the paper across.”

“Stop.”

“I watched you hesitate.”

“Stop.”

“I watched you sign.”

“I didn’t sign.”

“You did.”

“No.”

“You did.”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“There’s that word again.”

“I’m not using it like before.”

“You always use it like before.”

“I’m trying to be careful.”

“Be quiet.”

“I can’t.”

“Then listen.”

“I am.”

“If you say I signed, you’re making me guilty.”

“I’m not making you anything. I’m telling you what I saw.”

“You saw what you needed to see.”

“I saw your hand.”

“You saw my hand and still let it happen.”

“Yes.”

“Why.”

“Because if I stopped it, they would have come for me.”

“And they didn’t come for you anyway.”

“They did.”

“When.”

“After you left.”

“What did they do.”

“They reminded me what I owed.”

“You owed them.”

“I owed them.”

“What.”

“My silence.”

“So you were bought.”

“Yes.”

“How much.”

“Enough.”

“Enough to lose your soul.”

“Yes.”

“Do you hear yourself.”

“Yes.”

“Do you hate yourself.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because I need you to believe it.”

“I don’t believe anything from you.”

“Fair.”

“So what’s the one thing.”

“The one thing is this: you weren’t the target.”

“Then who was.”

“Me.”

“Of course.”

“They wanted me to sign.”

“And you didn’t.”

“I didn’t.”

“So they used me.”

“They used you to get to me.”

“They used my name to trap you.”

“Yes.”

“Why would they do that.”

“Because I cared about you more than I cared about myself.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“I know.”

“That’s still selfish.”

“I know.”

“So you’re saying my signature is fake.”

“I’m saying I don’t know anymore.”

“You just said you saw me sign.”

“I saw something that looked like you.”

“Now you’re changing it.”

“I’m trying to be honest.”

“You don’t know how.”

“I’m learning.”

“You can’t learn honesty from the person you lied to.”

“I can try.”

“Stop trying with me.”

“Then tell me what to do.”

“Leave me alone.”

“I can’t.”

“Why can’t you.”

“Because if your name is on that paper and mine is on that paper, you’re still in danger.”

“Danger of what.”

“Danger of being blamed.”

“For what.”

“For everything.”

“You’re being vague.”

“Because if I say it clearly, it becomes real.”

“It’s real already. Remember.”

“Yes.”

“So say it.”

“They’re going to say you helped me take it.”

“Take what.”

“The money.”

“What money.”

“The one that disappeared.”

“I didn’t take any money.”

“I know.”

“How do you know.”

“Because I did.”

“You did.”

“I did.”

“And you let them put my name on it.”

“I didn’t let them. I—”

“You watched.”

“Yes.”

“You watched and you did nothing.”

“Yes.”

“And you’re calling now because you’re scared you’ll finally pay for it.”

“Yes.”

“And you want me to save you.”

“No.”

“You want something.”

“I want you to be free.”

“I was free when you were gone.”

“You weren’t. You were simply alone.”

“Alone is better than trapped with you.”

“I know.”

“So why are you still talking.”

“Because if they take you into it, it’s my fault.”

“It was your fault anyway.”

“Yes.”

“So what now.”

“Now… I need you to declare you never signed.”

“I never signed.”

“I need you to say it in writing.”

“I’m not writing anything.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“If you don’t, they’ll—”

“They’ll what.”

“They’ll show the paper.”

“Let them.”

“They’ll say it’s yours.”

“Then I’ll say it’s not.”

“They’ll ask why it’s there.”

“Then you explain.”

“I can’t.”

“You can. You simply don’t want to.”

“I don’t want to destroy what’s left of me.”

“You already did.”

“So you won’t help.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then you will meet me.”

“No.”

“Then what will you do.”

“I’ll do it my way.”

“Your way is disappearing.”

“My way kept me alive.”

“For how long.”

“Long enough.”

“I need a plan.”

“You always need a plan. That’s why you signed. That’s why you ran.”

“I didn’t run.”

“You ran.”

“I stayed.”

“You stayed in the wrong place.”

“I’m still there.”

“And I’m not. That’s the difference.”

“Tell me your way.”

“My way is simple.”

“Say it.”

“I will not write anything.”

“Okay.”

“I will not meet you.”

“Okay.”

“I will not protect you.”

“Okay.”

“But I will protect myself.”

“How.”

“If my name is on something I didn’t sign, then I go where names are verified.”

“You mean—”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“That will ruin everything.”

“It already is.”

“They’ll ask questions.”

“Good.”

“They’ll pull records.”

“Good.”

“They’ll look at you.”

“They should.”

“They’ll look at me.”

“I’m not scared anymore.”

“You should be.”

“I was scared when it mattered.”

“This is going to hurt.”

“It already does.”

“So you’re really going to do it.”

“Yes.”

“When.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Don’t.”

“You don’t get to tell me don’t.”

“I’m begging.”

“Save your begging for them.”

“If you go, they’ll—”

“They’ll finally hear a voice that isn’t yours.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“If you do this, you’ll never hear from me again.”

“I already don’t.”

“I mean never.”

“Good.”

“You’re cold.”

“I’m alive.”

“I didn’t call to lose you twice.”

“You lost me once. That was enough.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“Is there anything I can do.”

“Yes.”

“What.”

“Hang up.”

“…Okay.”

“Don’t say it like that.”

“Like what.”

“Like you’re still waiting for me to stop you.”

“I won’t stop.”

“I know.”

“Goodbye.”

“Don’t say goodbye.”

“Why.”

“Because it sounds final.”

“It is.”

“…Then I won’t say it.”

“Hang up.”

“I—”

“Hang up.”

“…Fine.”

“Good.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“You’re still there.”

“So are you.”

“I said hang up.”

“I’m trying.”

“Try faster.”

“Okay.”

“Stop saying okay.”

“…I’m hanging up.”

“Do it.”

“…”

“…”

“Click.”