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 156: “Searching is not contact,” James told himself.
“Searching is not contact,” James told himself. To his surprise, the first thing that came up when he searched out the company was his memorial page. James blinked at the listing and with a sense of unreality filling him, he clicked on his memorial.
There were pictures and what appeared to be just enough text to hold them all together. The text listed his achievements starting with his school accolades and working through his business ones. The official company photo graced the top of the page. It featured James in a suit smiling professionally for the camera.
To his own eyes he looked tired, but he was assured at the time that the image was professional looking and would set the right tone for the company. There were other photos, mostly older. They showed him with his father and grandfather mostly. He felt a twinge looking at them. The bulk of his time was spent with the two of them and losing them had been had. Not being able to take any photographs or reminders of them with him when he left was even harder.
As his father and grandfather disappeared from the photos, each in their turn, his step brothers arrived. There were fewer posed pictures, most taken when James came home for a school break. The age difference as well as differing interests didn’t allow for much overlap.
‘Those must be all the photos they had of the three of us together.’
The images ended with notes about his memorial service and an invitation to electronically sign the register and leave a sentiment or memory behind. Before clicking on the link, James glanced over the page in its entirety and realized why it seemed off.
‘It is a piece of company propaganda,’ James thought. It showed him as the responsible head following in the footsteps of those who came before him and it showed a more or less passing of the reigns to those who came after him. The last few paragraphs of the text mostly talked about his stepbrothers stepping up to fill the gap that he left behind.
“Eric looks like he came up the leader in that one,” James said reviewing the final text and ignoring his own former glory. While the article gave both of his step brothers a more or less equal footing it was clear if you looked between the lines that Eric was poised to sit in the big chair while his brother played back up.
“I wonder how that is going to play out.” The two had always been united in their desire for top position. As long as James held it, they were equals, both working together to oust him. There was always the suspicion that they decided to unite against him. In the text he could see cracks appearing in that unity.
“I suppose they finally realized there is only one chair at the top desk.” James said. He wondered what would happen next. Would Mike concede to Eric’s domination? Would he contest it?
“And which one helped collaborate with Cassie on the book?”
Ten til Midnight 