The Fifteen Minute Novel is a novel written fifteen minutes at a time with each week day’s section starting with the sentence from the previous day. At least it is attempting to be a novel. For now I am just aiming at one continuous story, worked on for fifteen minutes each day. Started Friday January 1st, 2021 (in case you want to search for the beginning. I can’t wait to see where it ends up. It could be good, or it could be a mess. We’ll have to see. For now, here is today’s fifteen minutes.
Day23: “I would simply pick out what I usually wear instead of what suit the environment.”
“I would simply pick out what I usually wear instead of what suit the environment.” James said.
“Very sensible,” Carson replied. There was an edge of wariness in his voice. James expected Carson was not accustomed to people being sensible. James almost smiled. He was used to people not being sensible as well. But at the moment sensible seemed the most logical.
At some point his belongings would arrive and he would find his own place to live. He had six months in this apartment and then he could wither take over the rent here or move on. He could work at the jb Carson chose for him r find his own.
At the moment James didn’t know what he wanted out of his life. His life was ending in the world he occupied before the shooting and he hadn’t gotten around to figuring out what he wanted to do with himself. He divested himself of things that held no meaning, but found nothing to take the place of the meaningless. He knew he could have spent several more years with the company, seeing them past any future turbulence and he even knew that when he left he would still be called upon to provide assistance because it was the family company. Even now, when he sold his shares and was in witness protection his family still expected to be able to call on him for aid.
James knew that if he stayed there was little chance he would ever fully break free from those ties. Now he had no choice. The ties were severed. He still had no clue what direction to move in, but he knew he had a choice. That choice was to spend the next six months in the apartment trying to figure it out on his own, or to go out and work his assigned job and try to figure things out while doing something productive.
‘And it’s just a job,’ he thought as Carson took the folder back and stood, ready to leave as James had no protests to offer. Carson told him he would call once things were arranged and James said he would look forward to it. Then Carson left and James was left alone with his thoughts and the apartment that didn’t feel like his. Despite the earlier cinnamon roll and early hour, James felt his stomach rumble.
“Brunch isn’t a bad idea,” he decided.
He walked back to the kitchen and began un packing his microwave. He managed to get it plugged in and actually showing the correct time instead of blinking midnight at him which he considered a success. He decided that cheese enchiladas would be his brunch of choice and followed the few directions on the package to turn the frozen block into food again.
While the microwave did its thing, James unpacked the coffee machine and plugged it in. He busied himself tidying up the packaging until the ding alerted him to food being ready. He took it from the microwave and placed it on the table. His stomach rumbled in anticipation and James pulled a plastic fork form the packet he picked up from the store and sat down to eat the enchiladas as fast as his mouth could take the heat. It was a war between the heat and his belly as the temperature of the food threatened to scald his taste buds even as his stomach urged him to eat faster.
In due time an equilibrium was reached. The food was consumed, the package empty. James realized he didn’t have a trash can and put the empty container and used fork in the empty packaging. Carson pointed out the dumpster for the building and James decided he might as well dispose of his trash. Then he could make plans for the day. He gathered up the boxes and bits of plastic, made certain his keys were in his pocket and let himself out of the apartment.
The list of things he needed seemed endless. “I need to go actual shopping at some place other than a grocery store,” James decided. He added his trash to the dumpster, noticing that it was only half full. He then returned to his apartment and took out his phone ready to locate the nearest shopping center.
Ten til Midnight 