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.
Day: 45: “At the moment I bought seat covers, an air freshener and a few tools to keep it running,” James said. “There isn’t space for more here.”
“At the moment I bought seat covers, an air freshener and a few tools to keep it running,” James said. “There isn’t space for more here.”
Carson was quiet as he sipped his coffee. James could practically seeing the thoughts turning in his head. A part of James knew that his agent was turning over his car purchase and tring to figure out if it would draw the sort of undue attention that he was, at the moment, trying to avoid. That part he appreciated. However there was more.
Carson may have looked affable and played the friend in need, but he was a man who very much enjoyed his control. James recognized the signs. He had seen them often enough on his step-brother Eric. Eric loved having information, especially secret information on others. Despite James’ protest, Eric kept several corporate spies at the ready. More often than not they were sent to spy and snoop on their own employees rather than competitors. Every time James caught him at it, he ordered it stopped. Eric always had a ready excuse, but stopped until he thought James was no longer looking.
Carson had something similar in him. James thought of how much he liked his records and the way he handed James the bus schedule. Some of that, he had to admit was necessary. James was in a new place with a new name and would need to get acclimated. Some of it was a bit of control. James suspected Carson liked the control.
‘We’ll go along with the job,’ James thought. ‘It is part of the program. ‘Behind that we will follow the rules of the program to stay safe.’ That James thought was just common sense. At the moment he had an apartment for six months, his belongings were in limbo and he needed a job. Part of the job was to explain what he did each day, and the rest was to keep him from going crazy with boredom. At the moment money wasn’t actually an issue. James had more than enough to live on and live comfortably. But cover was more important.
As James watched Carson think through his acceptability of the car, James also realized that part of that was just for show. Carson wanted him to ask permission. ‘We play along,’ James thought. ‘Get settled and then move out.’
Once he was settled and on his own, Carson would only check in and then meet with him when it was time for his upcoming court dates. James could play at being cowed.
‘But as soon as I am secure in the job I am looking for a different place to live,’ he decided. He might be able to play along with Carson, but it rankled. Now that he saw the similarities to his step-brother, James couldn’t stop seeing them. As he did not currently have many warm thoughts for Eric, it wasn’t a good situation.
“I suppose the car will do,” Carson finally said. “It is unexpected but it doesn’t violate the agreement. It isn’t something that would be identifiable from your past. As long as you aren’t restoring it completely. A new vehicle like that would stand out in this neighborhood.”
“I guessed as much,” James said before he could stop himself. “Just out of curiosity,” he had to ask. “Why was this neighborhood chosen?”
“We often use apartments here,” Carson said. “It is convenient to the office and people here generally mind their own business and keep to themselves.”
“I see,” he said.
“I’m sorry if it isn’t quite up to your usual standards,” Carson replied. The smile was pleasant, but there was something mocking underneath.
Ten til Midnight 