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 160: “It starts today,” Elizabeth said. “I need to collect the in progress files and see where you are right now with your work load and then I need to send you home.”
“It starts today,” Elizabeth said. “I need to collect the in progress files and see where you are right now with your work load and then I need to send you home.” Sophie blinked at the suddenness.
“All right,” she said.
“I am sorry about this,” Elizabeth said as they both stood and moved towards the door. You have been nothing but professional, but there needs to be a show that an investigation is being done and you are cleared.”
“Plus the time off looks like punishment,” Sophie said.
“It won’t go on your employee record to affect your standing with the company,” Elizabeth promised.
“That’s good.”
They got into the elevator and went back down to Sophie’s floor. Even though she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, she still felt guilty. She walked with Elizabeth to her office and unlocked the drawer with the files. She took out the ones that hadn’t been completed and showed Elizabeth where she was with her input. Eizabeth stacked the files and then sighed.
“Look, don’t worry,” she said as Sophie gathered her things and prepared to leave. “This will all blow over soon.”
Sophie nodded and tried not to look either guilty or ashamed when she saw the others glancing in her direction, wondering what happened to her. The walked to the elevator, Elizabeth carrying the stack of files. Sophie pressed the down arrow and Elizabeth moved to the second elevator and pressed the up one. “Soon enough you will be back and everything will be normal.”
Sophie again nodded and when the elevator arrived she got on. She was glad not to have to look at Elizabeth’s face any more. She seemed upset but willing Sophie to think the best. Sophie tried not to dwell on it. She took the elevator down. flashed her id at the reader to log out and left the building.
It felt strange to be leaving the office mid morning on a Monday. Even stranger to know that she wouldn’t be back for about two weeks. She walked to her car and was pleased to see nothing happened to the tires while she was inside. She got into the car and drove back to the apartment.
In the parking lot, Sophie got out of her car and saw Janine pulling into the lot. Janine frowned at her as she got out of the car.
“You get sick or did you just decided to play hooky?” she asked.
“Neither,” Sophie said. “I’m on administrative leave.” She told Janine what happened and Janine swore. “If it does affect you then I think you should sue,” she said.
“Maybe,” Sophie hedged. “Where are you coming from?”
“Just shipped off a bunch of packages,” she said. “Oh,” Janine said. “And I was going to tell you when you got home, but I got an e-mail about the clothes. They loved the line and had a request for expansion. Sizes, colors, they sent a list. If you are willing to do what is on the list and sell the line exclusively through them, they are willing to give your clothing line a try. There is some basic information they want about you for the site as well since you would be one of their featured designers. And if it sells well, they would be interested in looking at further items from future clothing lines.”
“Really?” Sophie said, her annoyance from the office fading away.
“Really and who knows it might do so well you don’t have to go back.”
I wouldn’t go that far,” Sophie said hastily. “But it is something to keep me occupied and not worrying about the office while I am on leave.”
Sophie followed Janine up to her apartment where she pulled up the e-mail and sent it to Sophie.
Ten til Midnight 