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 180: “I’ll find out soon enough,” she told herself as she opened the door to the gym.
“I’ll find out soon enough,” she told herself as she opened the door to the gym. She said hello to Kevin and started her own work out. She pushed herself hard and sweated through. After Sophie went upstairs and took a shower. The workout calmed her nerves and made her feel calm and somewhat empty ass though her worries about the day drained out with her sweat and were washed down the shower drain.
She dressed carefully for the office knowing she was going to the upper floors. She made sure her outfit was professional but subdued. She didn’t want to look overly bright or flashy. Figuring she managed to strike the right balance, she left for the office. She was a few minutes earlier than usual when she arrived and Sophie was glad she had that extra time. A large section of the parking lot was cordoned off.
The pavement of the lot was cracked and gave of an acrid scent and there were a few bits of things that looked almost melted into it in places. Everything else appeared to have been cleared away. Because the section of the lot was removed from use however there were fewer spaces. Sophie had to park a little further away than usual, at the edge of the lot, and walk back to the office.
The distance wasn’t too different, but she had to circle the lot in order to find a spot which took up her extra few minutes. Once she was parked and the cr locked, she went into the building. In her office, she checked the clock and did her official log into the computer, scanning the e-mail to see if anything arrived that she might need to see before going upstairs. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and she locked it down before heading upstairs.
“Ah Sophia please come in,” Sean said as he saw her. Neither the receptionist nor Elizabeth arrived yet and it looked ass though Sean had just walked in.
“I’m not too early am I?” she asked.
“No,” he told her. “Right on time. It just took me a bit longer to park so I am running a minute slow.” Sean gestured towards the visitors chair and Sophie sat.
“I understand that you have been offered positions elsewhere,” he began.
“Yes,” Sophie said. “Two, although one I had to decline.”
“Oh and why is that?”
The one I declined?” she asked. He nodded. “I found out after they offered it to me that the business is owned by Kristen’s family and I don’t think that taking it would be a good idea.”
“Ah,” Sean said. “She has been causing you some issues. May I ask why you applied for other positions?”
“I like a calm work environment,” Sophie said. “I don’t like the drama and to be honest, I don’t like the feeling that I am being held accountable for the actions of others.”
“The administrative leave,” Sean said.
Sophie nodded. “It goes on my work record and everyone in HR and accounts thought that I was being disciplined even though my leave was with pay.”
“Which was an embarrassment as well as a mark on your work record,” Sean said. Sean nodded.
Ten til Midnight 