The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 41: She would still have extra to make up, but it would seem more manageable.
She would still have extra to make up, but it would seem more manageable. It was about mid morning Thursday when Ryan appeared in her cubicle doorway. She could see the file in his hands. She remembered he plan and felt a flare of annoyance as he looked over her still mountainous pile of files and still started to lift his own.
“No,” she said, before he could even ask. He blinked in surprise.
“Excuse me?” he asked.
“No, I can’t take on any project for you at this time,” Sophie said. He opened his mouth and she shook her head. He shut his mouth and offered her a puzzled expression before turning away. He left an Sophie felt a quivering throughout her body. She told him no. She was not accommodating, she did not take on his work. She let out a shaky breath and fought the urge to call an apology after him.
‘I don’t get to work on my own home projects if I don’t get home from work at a reasonable time and I don’t get home at a reasonable time if I take on other people’s work.’ As she knew the others took long lunches and left exactly on the dot of five every night she had no sympathy. She looked at her files. She felt her resolve harden. She would already be staying late this week. She needed to remember to say no.
Sophie took a deep breath and got back to work. It was after lunch that Kristen stopped by.
“Hi,” she said as she was walking around the corner. “I was wondering…”
“No.” Sophie said before she could finish the sentence. “I have too much to do to take on any other projects.” Kristen’s mouth opened and closed. She frowned.
“Fine,” she said. Kristen turned and walked off.
Sophie was left alone the rest of the day and again stayed well after the others left. Saying no had been easier the second time and Sophie hoped she wouldn’t cave. She knew she could probably hold strong with her co-workers but wondered if Mr. Evers would get involved. She thought it was a possibility.
Friday morning Kristen again looked at her with a sour face and didn’t bother with a good morning. Sophie let it slide off of her even though the lack of politeness bothered her. To her surprise, she was left alone to work throughout the day. She again worked late and headed home. ‘I wonder if they are just waiting until I’ve settled in from my time gone.’ Deciding it was best to set the office to the side, Sophie let it go. She had dinner with Janine who filled her in on the final wrap up of the sales and store closing and cheered at Sophie’s refusal to take on the work of others.
“Stay strong,” Janine told her before departing for the night.
The weekend flew by and Sophie indulged herself in fanciful designs for gowns she doubted she would ever create. After the workload of the week, it was a relief to simply play with her colored pencils and sketchpad.
Ten til Midnight 