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 135: The evaluation finished soon after and Sophie stood to leave.
The evaluation finished soon after and Sophie stood to leave. “I told you it would be petty painless,” Elizabeth said.
“Glad to find it wasn’t” Sophie said. She left the office and walked to the elevator. As she pressed the button, she felt someone else join her in waiting. She looked over her shoulder and saw her former supervisor, Don Evers standing there waiting. She smiled politely and looked away again. The elevator dinged and they both got on. Sophie pressed her button and Ever’s pressed the floor below.
“So how is the new department?” Evers asked.
“Fine,” Sophie said.
“Have they appointed your new supervisor yet or are you still reporting to Elizabeth Walker?”
“Still reporting to Ms. Walker,” Sophie said.
“Well I wouldn’t get used to it,” Evers said. “As soon as they clear up the mess in my former department I will no doubt be given the job and be moving up to join you. Then things will go back to the way they were. Hopefully you have learned to be a team player.”
Sophie was spared a reply by the elevator doors dinging open to her floor. She stepped out of the elevator and was happy to leave Evers behind. As the doors closed and she walked away, Sophie wondered what mess he thought was on his floor and how any of it was not his fault.
‘Not my concern,’ she told herself. Currently she and Evers had the same position classification so she wasn’t certain he could be promoted to her supervisor. ‘Unless he gets a promotion.’ From what she knew that was not a likely possibility.
‘Which means I don’t have to worry about him.’ Sophie was happy to let thoughts of Evers go as she got back to her office and dove into her files. The office energy was still infectious, and Sophie found herself well ahead of her usual schedule by the time she clocked out for the day. She rode the elevator down to the parking lot with the others.
AAs they were walking to their cars, Petra walked with Sophie towards her car. “As a quick heads up,” Petra said, in a low voice not meant to carry. “There will be some lay offs in your former department. Just wanted you to know in case anyone gets angry.”
“Good to know,” Sophie said. “Thanks.”
Petra nodded and went to her car. Sophie got into hers. “I haven’t seen any of them in weeks, except for the elevator ride this morning,” she told herself as she started the engine. “I doubt that would change any time soon.”
Sophie was happy to forget about to, even though she was a bit curious as to who was going to be let go. ‘It was between Ryan and Kristen.’ She wondered if that changed.
Ten til Midnight 