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 74: Sean looked from Evers to Sophie.
Sean looked from Evers to Sophie. “In addition to project codes we are timing projects and work loads and need to make certain that Sophia is only doing the work assigned. Is that clear?”
“It is,” Sophie said.
“Quite,” Evers said. The word had a snapped off feel to it.
“Sophia if you are ever in question about a project that may have been added, you will call your supervisor to verify that it is part of your workload.”
Sophie nodded as he looked to her. Sean then looked to Evers. “Don, as we ware reviewing workloads throughout each department, the staff you supervise will no longer be granted any extensions. If you feel that thee are reasons for the extensions, you are to put the request in writing and I will be reviewing it personally.”
“I see,” Evers said.
“Are their any questions?” Sean asked.
Sophie shook her head. “It seems quite clear.”
Evers narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. “Before you transfer Ms. Daniels you should know that I have completed her final quarterly review and have just submitted it along with a probationary notice.”
“A review of Sophia’s work was completed before your evaluation and was officially filed in her record,” Sean said. “The review you completed was done primarily as part of your assessment. There have been discrepancies noted in your reviews and it was deemed helpful to have two reviews done of the same employee for comparison’s sake. I am certain it will come up in your quarterly review this afternoon.”
Sophie watched as Evers blinked in surprise, his eyes going from glaring at her to widening as he shifted his attention to Sean.
“As for the probation, if you check your e-mails you will see that the probationary notice has been retracted.” Sean looked from Sophie to Evers. “Any further questions?” Again Sophie shook her head.
Slowly Evers did the same.
Sean smiled. “Excellent. Hopefully this clears up any confusion. Sophia you may return to your work.”
Sophie nodded, turned and left the office. Kristen smirked as Sophie walked past. She made it back to her desk and saw the files Kristen left before. She picked them up and filled through, noting they were all Kristen’s coding. She took the small stack and walked back to Kristen’s desk. She placed them on the edge of the desk.
“I’m sorry,” Sophie said. “I am not allowed to work on these at the moment.” She turned. Kristen pushed to her feet.
“You know you’ll be fired if you aren’t a team player. Don already put you on probation.”
Sophie turned back. “I am still not allowed to take any of your files.”
Ten til Midnight 