343

343.

What is it ? I don't know why I'm thinking about right now.

It's not really the appropriate situation. But I'm stuck on this notion and about a metaphor that our professor used to tell us. What was it ?  I can't remember. But I remember perfectly what led me here, at this moment of space and time.

I'm was born in Stamford. The "finest stone town" as they used to say. Many things made me leave. I had to leave this place. One of the reason was that as a software architect you can't really find a proper job there. I had to move first to France where I worked for 3 years and then finally  come back home. Not literally because I'm living now in Liverpool, but in the UK.

Things went pretty good for me for a while. New job as Lead Software Engineer at Boomerang. One of the fast growing startup at the moment. New apartment, nothing fancy enough space for my big library, all the electronic devices that I've collected for all these years, my impromptu electronic laboratory etc. Everything a tech genius girl should want...Maybe without a partner...For that part I needed time.

Everything went fine up to this day. A strange day where just by looking at the way things were going, you should probably expect that something bad will happen. I saw a black cat, twice. Crows were at the bus stop. A lot of strange things. 

But to be fair, nothing technically happened that day, except the encounter of a strange guy.  Everyone has already had this feeling when someone watches you but you're not even looking at them : well, that's exactly what i felt that day.

I was on the bus and while I was listening to this podcast about how to make your own beer in your apartment...Not that i wanted to do it.  I just wanted to know how and what kind of people attempt do that. If it worked for them, maybe i will give it a try.  But during the entire podcast, i had this feeling that someone was watching me. I had my earphones and was looking at my phone. But I couldn't resist the urge to look at that individual who was observing me all this time. When I looked around me. My eyes were magnetized by those of this man. He wasn't a frightening or creepy guy, on the contrary. He was the topical young Golden Boy that work at the City. Well groomed, well dressed everything that I appreciate in a man. He had this all white outfit that immediately caught my attention. And when I looked at him he looked at me and smiled. I didn't know what to do! So like a little girl, I hid myself in my smartphone.

A few stop later this guy got out of the bus. I gave a quick look at him, but he didn't seem to be interested anymore. That was such a odd moment. A odd encounter. I had chills. He seemed like a really nice guy but what was in him that made me afraid or worried ? I didn't know. But what's strange was that this wasn't the last time I would seem this man.

The second time I saw Mr X, I'm just going to call him that since I still don't know it's name . It was the most strange, uncomfortable and frightened.  Strange because I didn't expect to meet him at this moment.

Every Sunday, at 8 o'clock. I'm going for a run in the Queen Elisabeth 2 Park. Usually i run for thirty to forty five minutes for about 5 or 7 kilometers. It's very important for me, especially for my health since I spend most of my time in front of a computer.

This time I wanted to run more than usual. I don't know why but I just wanted to clear my mind because I was reliving some past events in dreams. Events that I want to forget for good.

So I've started running. The park was open and there was nobody there. I start near to this public bench close to the entrance and run all around the lake that is in the middle of the park.

It's not a big park because if I remember correctly to go around the lake, it take me 30 minutes or less and when I see my watch at this moments, it usually indicates 5.1 or 5.2 kilometers. So I started running. It was so good to do some physical activities after this intense week. But something was strange. I had this feeling that somebody was watching me all along. It was the same feeling that I felt when Mr X was watching me in the bus. I looked around me while running but didn't see anybody.

The park was completely empty, at least from my point of view. After that, I tried to clear my mind by thinking about something funny. The first thing that came to my mind was Boris and what he did this Thursday. Boris was our new colleague. A guy from Russia with a huge beard but a face like a teenager...Everyone thought that was a weird combo...At least all the women with whom I talked about him. Boris, implemented a great algorithm  to perform some automated tests for our product.It was awesome ... After that I forgot what I was thinking about because my watch emitted this sound that indicated that 5 kilometers have been reached. So as usual I looked that to turn it off and start a new lap or at least try to . And one finally raised my head to look in front of me, i saw him.

Mister X. He was sat on the bench. My "starting bench". I had immediately this strange feeling. I had goosebumps. I started to feel a chill on my back. I didn't understood why. Even right now, I don't understand why. This man didn't looked at me, so I avoided him and pursue my run. But that's when something strange happened. This man started to laugh. He laugh so hard that the gooses and ducks that were nearby left the place, probably scared by this man attitude.  I was scared too; even more scared when I turn my head to see what he was doing and saw that we was laughing while looking at me straight in the eyes !

Who was this guy !? What was his problem ?! I ran so fast to reach the other entrance of the park and go directly to my apartment. I closed the door. Closed the windows even if it was only 9 am. Went to my room, removed my shoes and hid under my bed cover like I used to do when I was a little girl.

What was wrong with me ? I was a grown woman and was scared by a crazy dude that was probably crazy and had nothing to do with me. But what's up with him. Who laugh like that ? Was it a coincidence or was this guy following me ? No it's not possible! I'm not the crazy girls that they used to said... But why do I keep coming across this same guy ! Why ?

I didn't have an answer. I was too scared and too tired that to think to about it again. I slept the entire day. It something that never happened. Maybe I was  working too much. Maybe I needed some time to rest. 

The Monday morning I called my boss to ask him a day off. I just told him that I wasn't well and that I needed at least the day to be at one hundred percent of my abilities. He was so comprehensive. He gave me two days so that I will be back 200 hundred percent. That was Daniel with his humor. He is an old engineer, but a great boss. The best I had in years. During the first day off I didn't left my apartment. I don't know ... I felt like I might see this creep again. So I just wanted to take care of me and my plants; listen some 

Hip-Hop Jazz music ( I really love Nujabes ) and relax all day. 

The second day I decided to go out with my team. They wanted to cheer me up since I shared the story with some of them by e-mail.

We met at our favorite place : "Mom's sons". It was the place we used to hangout when the week was done or to celebrate a success.  Last time we met, Zita invited us. She wanted to tell the team that she was pregnant. In my mind I said "again?". It was her fifth child! Zita was my confident. She was 34 but she had already a lot to handle. Maybe that's why I've always thought that she was a good listener. She will be a good manager one day.

That night she was able to come, her husband really like to take care of kids and let her go have fun.  We drank, play some games and had a very fun moment.  I had the chance to talk with Zita about my situation. She didn't took me seriously at all :

" Maybe it's your soulmate !"

" Don't say that ! " I replied.

She simply thought that I was under a lot of pressure lately and that combined with the encounter of this crazy dude made me panic. She really tried to reassure me that night. But I wasn't too sure about it.

We didn't finish too late and Zita brought me back at my place. However, because I was hungry that night I made a quick detour to the bakery 50 meters from my place. There was nobody inside. I ordered my usual : 2 croissants and 1 baguette. The lady was lovely as usual and I could smell the flavor of the various bakeries being baked for the next morning coming from the kitchen when 

came back with a hot baguette coming straight from the stoves. I took my order, paid the lady and left the bakery. Everything was perfect until my bumped into a man.

A few coins fell down so I crouched down to take them. And when I got up I could see that it was the same guy : Mister X. I should have known that something was strange with this man. It didn't say a word when I bumped into him. On top of that he didn't even try to pick the coins for me. He didn't move at all for a moment and then moved without saying a word. This time I was scared. So scared that I froze. It was the voice of the lady from the bakery that brought me to reality.

" What a rude man. "

I agreed by a little nod accompanied by a smile.

She smiled back and went back to her store.

I almost ran to go to my apartment. Locked every door and closed all the windows. This time it couldn't be a coincidence. Who was this guy? I didn't know him ! I had not relationship in years. So It couldn't be a lover or somebody I've hurt in the past. Who was this man!? I didn't slept well that night. But In the morning, I said to myself :

- Joan, you're not crazy as they used to say. You're not scared either. You're going to work today and if you see this man again. Just ignore him. If he try something this time, call the police.

I was mentally prepared. But I didn't expect to experience what I had experience just a few seconds ago. I left my apartment and while i had just finished to lock the door I heard a sound.

It was loud. It was strong. Like an explosion. Either a small explosion or a big one from far far away. I knew this sound. It was familiar. Not that I heard it in person by I heard it frequently. In movies I think. It was a gunshot.

A few seconds later I was where I was right now. On the floor. Probably living the last seconds of my life.

I heard voices around me :

" Hey ! This woman has been shot." was saying what I assumed to be an old man by the tone of the voice.

" He shot her ! It's him ! The guy with the white outfit ! Somebody stop him !" was saying the lady from the bakery. Her Irish accent betrayed her.

" Call the police ! Call the police ! " was shouting a young boy.

Me, I was on the floor , bathed by my one blood.

That's when I realized that I have been shot.

I couldn't move. Maybe the bullet hit a nerve.

I could only think. Maybe I only be able to think. 

I could also die...

Yes ! I do remember now ! I do remember why I was thinking about 343. It's 343 m/s! It's the speed of the sound.

I do remember that metaphor again! Ms Wechsler. Yes, she was our professor...What was the metaphor again ...

you hear ... dead... Oh ! Yes : 

" If you hear the sound of a gunshot, it means that you're not dead yet."