The Late Light
Just after midnight, Aaron got up to get a glass of water. As he walked past the small office room he shares with his roommate, Leo, he noticed something unusual. The office door was slightly open, and the desk lamp inside was on.
This immediately stood out. Both Aaron and Leo are careful about turning off lights before bed. Aaron is especially sensitive to light when he sleeps and clearly remembered closing the office door earlier that night.
Inside the room, the computer screen was dark, but the chair was pulled back as if someone had stood up recently. The air felt slightly warm, and the room smelled faintly of coffee.
Earlier that evening, Leo had mentioned feeling anxious about an upcoming deadline. He said he was finished working for the night and planned to relax before going to bed. He went to his room shortly after.
Aaron tried to remember if he might have opened the door himself without noticing, but that didn’t feel right. He is usually very aware of small routines, especially at night.
The next morning, Leo said nothing about being up late. He only mentioned that he felt tired and hadn’t slept well. He didn’t comment on the office at all.
Aaron stood in the doorway, wondering whether Leo had returned quietly to work, whether his own memory was unreliable, or whether the explanation was something simpler than it felt at the moment.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What do you think happened?
Who do you think used the office?
What are you basing that on?
Which detail matters most?
Which detail matters least?
What assumption are you making?
What detail could point to the other person instead?
Which detail could be misleading?
What information is missing?
What question would you ask Aaron first?
How could this have an innocent explanation?
How could this be misunderstood?
If you had to defend the other person, what would you say?
What would change your mind?
What conclusion feels most reasonable right now?
