Knock on the window!!!

Jerika was angry and she went out of the station. She knew that she seems like an adolescent, a kid through her behavior but she did not care although she was trying hard to keep her tears inside her but still she was struggling to not let them flow. Martin saw everything and he regretted making Jerika come to the part when clearly she did not want that. Martin ran in the Jerika's direction. He was Jerika struggling to open her car's gate. She was so angry and frustrated that she was not able to do anything properly. Martin ran towards her to help her but when Jerika saw him, she signed him to stop right there. Martin was her subordinate and she did not want him to see her in such a weak position, acting like a child. She was vulnerable at that time and she wanted to stay alone. Martin honored Jerika and did not went closer to her. He knew that Jerika was not in very good situation so he waited for her to become better and then maybe they together can sort out this problem.

Jerika went straight to her house and as she entered inside her house, she busted in tears. Jerika sat on the floor and she bows her lead and placed her hands o her mouth to make minimal voice while crying. Although there was no one inside the house and even the maid was gone on leave but still she was worried to let even walls know that she was breaking inside. Jerika cried for fifteen minutes there and then abruptly stand up and removed her heels and throw them around the floor. Jerika threw her bad on the sofa. She went to her bedroom and grabbed some comfy clothes and went straight to the bathroom. Jerika took the longest hot water bath and she felt better after that.

Jerika was not upset because she lost the project and left the job… she was upset because of her life. Her life had become stagnant. It was not going anywhere. She lost the only purpose of her to live. She knew that her life needed purpose but everything seems bleak at that moment. She just needed everything to be over, everything to be done with. She wanted to start over but she had no desire to let go of the things she had in her life. She had a peaceful life. She was happy but the system made her life to collapse and shatters into the pieces so small that its splinters were continuously hurting her to the core.

Jerika grabbed a glass and pour herself a drink. She put on some nice music and sat on floor in front of her couch resting her lead on it. She was reflecting on past two years and way before than that when she heard a knock on the window.

**********

"You did not come to the party sir" Antoine said while taking a seat in the nearby table.

"It is okay… I am enjoying myself from right here" Mr. Riley from the management said.

"I did my job" Antoine said. Mr. Riley's instructions to him were clear that firstly he needs to see if Jerika could be trusted and if not then anyhow she was needed to take out from this project. The means for removing Jerika was not important. Mr. Riley was ready to go to any length; he just cared about the ultimate result but Antoine did not want blood on his hand… not any more especially not Jerika's. he was already guilty of killing his one friend… he did not know what he will do with other but he hoped for one thing that a day will come when Jerika and he will mend their differences and go back normal. It was a hope… a false hope because that was the only thing Antoine could do.

"Oh… yes… I came to know that… it was brilliant by the way… some gossips will be there for some time but I think it is good for Zion. Everything we do for Zion Antoine and it was very important that Jerika stay away from this project" Mr. Riley said. He knew that the scene will invite some unnecessary gossip but with time it will fade away and people will soon start talking about the important things.

"I was surprised to know that she was in the station to begin with" Antoine said. Antoine wondered that how he was allowed to be appointed and work here. How did that happen in the first place? Jerika could not do that by her own… someone definitely helped her. This place had no female staff as a rule… it was not racist but a rule made by upper management form the earlier times. The Zion space station was a very old organization and its rules were very primitive and so was the management. Even after all the developments in the outer world, the upper management did not changed the basic rule to let any female worker work in the station so how was Jerika allowed it was mystery. There were no rules like that nationally which restrict females to work but the management of Zion worked with the government but the actual deciding body was the upper management and the people there had certain mindset… orthodox but still it was. Even after being a government body, the Zion still had a private sector practice and the results which Zion provided to the nation were good so there were no much need to ask for the change in the rules until Jerika arrived and all the rules itself changed.

"Oh… yes… I was surprised about that too… I am not sure how that happens and later she was a part of station somehow but then she was starting to cause trouble and I do not think that you will ever want" Mr. Riley said.

"I never thought that she could cause so much trouble directly to someone like you" Antoine said. It was clear that Jerika had become a problem for Mr. Riley and hence he so eagerly wanted her to be out. Mr. Riley was a powerful man and Jerika was bothering him so clearly he was afraid of her. Anyhow Jerika was right… there was a strategic plan to remove her from the project and it worked. She was gone and never going to come back. Antoine made sure of that himself. He was not very proud of that but still he managed to get out of this trouble.

"Ohh do not make me so big… I am an old man still trying to fight the world but some noise makes me irritated and hence it becomes necessary to make them silent" Mr. Riley said. Antoine smiled on hearing that. Mr. Riley was vicious and selfish creature. He was eating Zion from inside and as a part of Zion's management; he had no trouble doing it. Everything was so easy for him and there were no questions asked.

"Sir… do not worry… I do not think or I cannot imagine that Jerika will ever make any more trouble. She is gone now and as much as I know she is not coming back and even if she wants… she has to come through you and me and there is no way we are going to let that happen. Jerika's story is over. She can make as much noise as she wants but nothing will happen to her cause. She will not be able to do anything by standing outside the station" Antoine said making Mr. Riley relaxed about Jerika.

"Hope so…" Mr. Riley said because if that is not true than trouble will find its way for Jerika in the wrong way she can never expect.

**********

Jerika grabbed a glass and pour herself a drink. She put on some nice music and sat on floor in front of her couch resting her lead on it. She was reflecting on past two years and way before than that when she heard her door bell ringing. She avoided looking at it. She decided to ignore it. Whoever must be, the person will go away itself. Jerika was in no mood to entertain anyone right now but the door bell kept ringing. The only thing which was irritating Jerika was the fact that the continuous ringing was spoiling the atmosphere and the soft nice music Jerika played but still she did not get up to look at the person who was on the door because she had a hunch who it could be. If she was thinking the right person ringing the door then she must not open the door at all, even to make him go way because that will be a difficult task.

The man did not stop there. The man was adamant in talking and meeting with Jerika and he knew how to pursue her to talk. The man went around the house and searches her through the window. The man saw Jerika sitting in her living room near the fire place resting her head through couch. It was clear that she had a rough day but the reason for which man came was important and he wanted to talk to her urgently so the man started knocking on the window.

Jerika looked outside and she saw Mr. X standing there. Jerika looked away and then signed him to go away but Mr. X kept knocking on the gate. Jerika scratched her head. She was already in bad shape and she did not want to listen to anything else right now but how to make him go away was difficult. He was a clingy man but loyal and Jerika knew that it must be important that he came all the way down there but still Jerika did not want to talk to him. Mr. X kept knocking on the window which irritated Jerika.

Jerika put the glass on the table and then stood up. She looked at the window and then stands there by crossing her hands. She looked at Mr. X and then signed him to speak.

Mr. X take out his small writing pad from his pocket and started writing something on the paper while Jerika looked at him in confusion. After finishing writing, Mr. X took out the paper by tearing it and then placed it on glass of the window using his palm for Jerika to see. Jerika had not put on the lights and hence it was difficult for her to see what was written on the paper so she moved further and when she looked at those words, her heart skipped a beat. It was written that,

"HE IS AWAKE"