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 92: “Are they transferring your files?” Carrie asked.
“Are they transferring your files?” Carrie asked.
“They are taking some of my old accounts away and giving me new ones,” Sophie said.
“They are already giving you new ones?” Carrie asked. “You aren’t just setting up the databases?”
“Yeah, they take out a few and give me a few at the same time so I can transition to a different department.”
Carrie looked at Sophie for a moment and then nodded. “Don was really upset by his evaluation.”
“Was her?” Sophie asked.
Carrie nodded. “He wouldn’t give any details.” She looked to the others and saw they were already in their cars. “Do I need to start looking for another job?”
“No one has told me anything,” Sophie said. “But I don’t think that would be a bad idea.”
Carrie nodded. “Thanks,” she said.
“Quick question,” Sophie asked before Carrie could step away. “Who told you it was my job to do your work?”
“I think Don said something and then Kristen,” She said, “Since both were adamant, I thought it was true. It wasn’t though?”
“No,” Sophie replied. She wondered if Carrie would apologize. She didn’t. She simply turned away and walked to her car. ‘I guess she thinks that because that’s what she was told she didn’t need to apologize.’ Sophie shook her head and walked to her own car. Carrie may have been smart enough to pick up that something might be in the works, but it didn’t make her any more likeable.
‘And that is enough thinking about work today,’ she decided.
Sophie drove home and once she changed, she made her self a quick dinner and then settled herself with her sketchbook. Usually when she designed things, she knew right away where they would be worn. This was an outfit suitable for the office. That could be worn to an office or dressed up for dinner out. This could be worn to a nice restaurant or on a date. Always Sophie pictured where something could be worn and then imagined herself in those places wearing something. She then sketched out the design.
On her latest trip to the fabric emporium she found a couple of fabrics that she had no concrete plans for. She didn’t pick them up for anything and when she bought them she bought whatever length of fabric was left on the bolt. It was a departure for her, but Sophie thought it would be a fun one. She went into her workroom and picked up one of the fabrics, taking it, her sketch pad and a couple of pencils back to the couch. She felt the fabric in her hands and swished it through the air to see how it flowed when in motion. She lifted her hand and let it hang down to see how it draped. She moved it in the light to see how light and shadow affected the cloth.
Ten til Midnight 