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Part One (633 KB) - Whoa is (Not)

Part One (633 KB) - Whoa is (Not)

Part One (633 KB) - Whoa is (Not)

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Around the table and shelves were all the CDs he’d accumulated over the years, several filled with<br />

illegal programmes that could land him in jail for a substantial amount of time if d<strong>is</strong>covered. More stuff<br />

lay in h<strong>is</strong> filing cabinet by the side and under h<strong>is</strong> unmade bed.<br />

Neo went to h<strong>is</strong> bed and sat down on it. He ran h<strong>is</strong> fingers over h<strong>is</strong> blanket, h<strong>is</strong> hand coming eventually<br />

to rest on the pillow. So many times he had woken up here to d<strong>is</strong>cover he was late for work… and just<br />

as many nights had he not slept here, having fallen asleep by h<strong>is</strong> computer.<br />

He got up, headed for h<strong>is</strong> closet, and opened its doors. H<strong>is</strong> clothes hung inside, never to be worn again.<br />

Neo pushed them aside and got into the closet, huddling into a sitting position on the closet floor.<br />

The doors swung shut.<br />

There was a click.<br />

Neo swore.<br />

Right, he thought, gritting h<strong>is</strong> teeth in annoyance, all feelings of nostalgia temporarily washed away.<br />

Closing h<strong>is</strong> eyes, he concentrated on the doors. There <strong>is</strong> no lock… There <strong>is</strong> no lock…. Use the Force,<br />

Neo… There <strong>is</strong> no lock…<br />

There was a sat<strong>is</strong>factory click, and Neo gratefully pushed the now unlocked doors open, trying to ignore<br />

the unwanted thoughts of how Yoda would be so proud of him. Neo climbed out of the closet and stood<br />

up, running a hand through h<strong>is</strong> black hair. He gazed at h<strong>is</strong> kitchen area – welcome sanctuary to many<br />

little homeless ants – and went to stand in the doorway of the bathroom in which he had suffered many<br />

a stomach-ache. H<strong>is</strong> toothbrush and toothpaste still lay by the sink, along with various other bathroom<br />

accessories.<br />

Neo entered and gave the toilet one last flush for old times’ sake. Then he went out, shutting the<br />

bathroom door behind him. He shouldn’t linger any longer, he thought, checking h<strong>is</strong> watch. Time was<br />

precious.<br />

Neo gave h<strong>is</strong> apartment one last glance, bidding it a silent goodbye; then he left, never to return again.<br />

He walked back to Mrs. Thatch’s room and passed her the keys.<br />

“Aren’t you taking anything with you” she asked.<br />

Neo shook h<strong>is</strong> head. “No. I won’t need them where I’m going.”<br />

“And you can’t tell me where that <strong>is</strong>”<br />

“I can’t.”<br />

Mrs. Thatch sighed. “All right, then. Take care of yourself, Thomas.”<br />

“I will.”<br />

A while later, as she watched h<strong>is</strong> retreating form d<strong>is</strong>appear down the corridor, she suddenly had the<br />

feeling that she had to follow him… she had to know…<br />

As quietly as she could, Mrs. Thatch hurried after Neo. She followed him as he left the building and<br />

turned the corner to the old telephone box standing there in the dark. He entered, to Mrs. Thatch’s<br />

puzzlement. Was he going to make a phoneca…<br />

The phone started to ring.<br />

Thomas picked it up and put it to h<strong>is</strong> ear, and for one last second he looked out and saw the old<br />

landlady standing there.<br />

Their eyes locked for a moment.<br />

Then he van<strong>is</strong>hed.

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