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 233: When she saw the others start to gather their things, she did the same, shutting down her computer and walking out of the office with them.
When she saw the others start to gather their things, she did the same, shutting down her computer and walking out of the office with them. Sophie rode down in the elevator with Linda and saw Kevin’s car pull into the lot. She stepped out side, waving goodbye to Linda as Kevin stopped in front of her. She got into the car.
“Perfect timing,” she said.
“I aim to please,” he said. “Also I was more than ready to get out of the office.”
“Bad day?” she asked.
“Not so much bad as someone somewhere else screwed up and decided everyone else had to suffer.”
“Not the best,” she agreed.
“How about you?”
“Well I found out that I probably won’t get my car back for at least two weeks and my supervisor and her supervisor both believe I shouldn’t go anywhere alone until it is resolved.”
“Probably not a bad idea,” he said.
“I know, its just hard not to feel like a naughty child with that,” Sophie admitted.
“I can see that. I’m happy to have a carpool though so we are good on that until you get your car back. After all I just work in the building next door. The parking lots even connect.”
“Thanks,” Sophie said. “One less thing to worry about.”
“True. So did you tell your boss because you think someone might try something at the office,” he asked.
“No they found out from the detective who wanted security footage before I could mention anything. Not that I had decided what to tell them. I don’t know if it has anything to do with work and I really like to keep my work and non- work life separate.” Sophie shook her head. “Not that my non-work life is that drama filled, usually.”
“Janine told me about the sewing business, that seems to be going well which is exciting.”
“True but that is kind of another form of work now instead of just a hobby. After my trip I decided I needed a little more balance than just moving from one type of work to another, but I hadn’t quite made it there yet.”
“Well you have a second business at least,” he told her. “I go to work. I come home and I play a lot of video games. Which I love, when I am not getting my butt kicked by a mouthy twelve year old.”
“Mouthy?” she asked with a smile.
Kevin grinned. “My Granny’s term for anyone using profanity.” He shrugged. “I am not mouthy mostly because I am fairly sure most of the people I am playing against aren’t adults and I don’t want to start something. But man that one kid.”
“Is it the profanity or that he keeps beating you that bothers you?” she asked.
“I could go all righteous and say it is the profanity, but the truth is that it is the fact that he does beat me. He could say what he wants as long as I can win a few times.”
“Well that’s good to know,” Sophie replied. She laughed.
Ten til Midnight 