For those just tuning in, this challenge is about taking a story idea from bare bones idea into a fully fledged story by writing consistently every week day for fifteen minutes. The sentence I end with on one day, is the sentence I start with on the following. Part one was Bob’s story and has nothing whatsoever to do with the story below. Part Two follows a character named Penelope. I have a few basic sentences to act as road marks on her journey. I am loosely calling that an outline. We will see where she ends up by the time the story is done. For now, we start Part two of the 2025 Fifteen Minute Writing Challenge.
Day 5: She needed to at least save up for her own place before that day came.
She needed to at least save up for her own place before that day came. As she reached the door of the law office, Penelope swallowed back her fears for the future as well as the last of the minty bits from her crushed breath mint.
‘Maybe I sent a job application here,’ she thought. Penelope had been sending out loads of applications. She didn’t remember any law offices on the list though. ‘But maybe they needed an accountant.’ While Penelope studied economics she paired it with accountancy in the hopes of being able to cast a wider net for employment.
‘I should have checked my applications list,’ Penelope stepped inside the building and crossed the lobby. She started second guessing her clothing choices as she hadn’t thought this was a job interview. ‘But the letter didn’t sound like a job,’ she told herself. As the letter didn’t sound like much of anything else either, the thought was scant comfort.
She reached the front desk and swallowed back her nerves, trying to resist tugging non existent wrinkles out of her clothing. The receptionist was on the phone and Penelope waited quietly for her to finish. The call ended and she looked at Penelope, smile a professional smile.
“Ae you Yasmine?” Penelope asked. Since Mr. Alvis gave her the name she felt she out to use it.
“I am,” the receptionist replied.
“Good I’m in the right place then. I am Penelope Douglas I am supposed to meet with Mr. Alvis.”
“Of course,” Yasmine said. Her smile remained professional. I will need to check your identification.”
“Sure,” Penelope said. She swung her purse forward and reached inside for her wallet. She took the wallet out and pulled her driver’s license from its spot. She handed it to Yasmine who had opened a drawer and took something out while Penelope retrieved it. To Penelope the device the receptionist held looked a bit like a check out scanner one would find at the store. And as the receptionist took Penelope’s ID she scanned it.
Nothing beeped or changed color. There was just a red line that went over the ID as Yasmine passed the device over the card. She smiled and handed the card back to Penelope. It was very anticlimactic. Penelope put her license in it’s accustomed place in her wallet and her wallet back in the bag as Yasmine put the device away.
“What exactly were you checking for,” she couldn’t resist asking.
“Fake IDs,” Yasmine told her.
“To get into a law office?” Penelope said. She had heard of people using them to get into bars while under age, but never into a law office.
Yasmine’s smile broadened, becoming more genuine than professional. It crinkled her eyes and caused a dimple to appear in her cheek. “You’d be surprised,” She said. “Let me call Mr. Alvis and tell him you are here.”
Penelope nodded as Yasmine picked up the phone, dialed the numbers needed and waited for pick up.
“Yes, Mr. Alvis, this is Yasmine, Ms. Douglas has arrived.” She paused nodding as she listened. “Yes I checked.” There was another pause. “Of course Sir,” she said.
The call ended and Yasmine looked to Penelope.
Ten til Midnight 