I'm Thinking of Ending Things

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— I still don’t understand. How could something like this happen?

— We’re all in shock.

— Nothing so horrible has ever happened around here.

— No, not like this.

— In all the years I’ve worked here.

— I would think not.

— I didn’t sleep last night. Not a wink.

— Me neither. Couldn’t get comfortable. I can barely eat. You should have seen my wife when I told her. I thought she was going to be sick.

— How could he actually do it, go through with it? You don’t do that on a whim. You couldn’t.

— It’s scary is what it is. Scary and disturbing.

— So did you know him? Were you close, or…?

— No, no. Not close. I don’t think anyone was close with him. He was a loner. That was his nature. Kept to himself. Standoffish. Some knew him better. But… you know.

— It’s crazy. It doesn’t seem real.

— It’s one of those terrible things, but unfortunately it’s very real.