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 256: He shifted his weight to the front of his feet.
He shifted his weight to the front of his feet. James kept his movements as silent as possible, even as he made ready to spring up and run if the need arose. Tucker gave no sign of noticing him. He stayed statue like in front of James. For his part, Morris remained fixed on Tucker and didn’t even flicker a glance in James’ direction.
James felt forgotten and invisible. It was, if he was honest with himself, rather a relief to be forgotten.
As James waited for someone to react, the word Alderwood floated through his mind. He heard it before, he knew it. He just couldn’t place it. In front of him Tucker let out a breath, his body shivering into motion.
“You know of Alderwood?” Tucker said.
“It came up,” Morris replied.
“In your research?”
“Your reports have been a little thin on details lately,” Morris said.
“I was hoping your recovery would take up enough of your thoughts that you wouldn’t notice,” Tucker said. His voice sounded regretful. “But we can’t have everything can we? At least I got something out of it.”
“And what did you get,” Morris asked. His voice remained calm and relaxed even though James could fairly feel the tension snapping through the air.
“I got you and James here with no one else around,” Tucker said. “And we all know that this office has been infiltrated before and is therefore not the safest place in the world. I’m sad to say, it is about to be infiltrated again.”
“Did you give the others access last time?” Morris asked.
“I had a little help with that,” Tucker replied. His voice sounded almost amused. “After all I didn’t have the codes. Of course I only had a general description of James at the time and had to work without a photo. He is a slippery little fish,” Tucker looked over at James and James felt himself grow cold.
“You were supposed to die in an auto accident, but you managed to get a flat tire and pull over before you reached the point of the accident. Then you used the phone in the back office instead of at the front desk and the cops showed up before the hitter could get to you. Then here, the hotter mistook Carson for you and took him out.” Tucker laughed and shook his head. “Kind of Ironic since Carson was the one who gave me the codes and told me when you’d be here.”
James stared at Tucker, his mouth opening slightly as though he would say something. No words came to mind and he closed his mouth.
Ten til Midnight 