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 47: ‘It might be the only way I don’t stay late on Fridays.’
‘It might be the only way I don’t stay late on Fridays.’ Sophie thought that after a visit from Mr. Evers, the rest of her Friday would flow smoothly without interruption. As the afternoon woe on she began looking forward to her Friday and her weekend. With things flowing smoothly at home now that she had some time in the evenings, Sophie was planning another trip to the fabric emporium.
Her thoughts were interrupted as an incoming e-mail dinged not her box. She opened it and saw it was a department wide e-mail so everyone received the same one. She turned off her podcast as she scanned the e-mail wondering about the reactions. The e-mail was fairly short.
As the company was getting ready to take in new projects, each division, department and team member was going to be evaluated. There was a brief statement about new projects being assigned and adjustments to schedules being made. Below this brief bit of information was the room number for the evaluations and a list of those in the department. Beside each of their names was a time slot. Sophie saw all of her department listed. Mr. Evers, as their supervisor was listed last. Looking at the other departments, Sophie saw it was the same format for each, the supervisor being the last name and their time slot twice as long as that for those working under them.
Sophie’s time slot was for 11 am on Monday morning. All but Mr. Evers were sent in before her. On the other side of the wall, she heard Ryan and Carrie join Kristen and wonder what the evaluation entailed.
“We should ask Don,” Carrie said. Kristen and Ryan seemed to think it was a good idea and they went off to Mr. Evers’ office. Sophie heard the door close and all was quiet. Sophie turned her podcast back on and wondered if this was the result of the efficiency project she was told about before she went on vacation. She also wondered if it would have any impact on the evening’s schedule. She knew she was going to finish out all her projects before leaving the office and wondered if tonight, despite the fact that it was Friday, the others would decide to do so as well.
Deciding not to worry over it, Sophie turned back to her computer.
Ten til Midnight 