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 83: For now, however, the rain stopped.
For now, however, the rain stopped. Penelope decided she would leave the rooftop garden alone for at least the next few days. Michaelson wrapped up with Fairchild and walked over. “I called to have the plant taken care of and for the car to be dealt with,” he told her.
Penelope nodded. She noticed the staff was getting ready to leave.
“We did keep them somewhat after hours,” he admitted. Penelope saw that Fairchild was escorting the staff back towards the rear exit. As it was closer to their parked vehicles Penelope thought they would more than likely have headed towards that door anyway. She suspected he wanted to keep them from tip toeing to his office to see what happened before they left. While the bank manager escorted the remaining tellers out of the back door, two vehicles pulled up. One was a shiny black SUV with governmental plates, and the other was a tow truck.
‘I don’t have to be a genius to figure this out.’
Michaelson asked her to wait where she was while he went out to talk to the others. As he spoke to them Fairchild came and stood next to her.
“More excitement than we usually have,” he said.
“I am sorry for that,” Penelope replied. He waved her apology away.
“It happens and truth be told I am rather pleased to get rid of the plant.”
“Are you?” Penelope asked. She frowned. “Why?”
“My ex gave it to me to brighten the office, before she was my ex of course. Then we split. I didn’t want reminders but it seemed silly to take it out on the plant, so it stayed.”
“And now it is going,” Penelope said.
“It certainly is,” Fairchild said.
“I suppose my anger was good for something then,” she said.
“Anger?” He nodded. “I see, yes anger tends to be the most potent. You were going through the bank records?” He waved his own question away like unwanted cigarette smoke. “Ignore that, of course you were and I can guess there were more charges and mental connections made given the strength of the anger.” He sighed. “People are always strange where money is concerned.”
Penelope nodded and for a moment she wanted to ask what sort of things he saw. He had a very sad and closed in sort of look to his face and she let the questions die on her tongue. She looked through the glass and saw Michaelson returning.
“Your keys?” he asked.
Penelope took out her keys, unthreaded the car key from the ring and handed it to him. He took it back out and handed it to the tow truck driver. The car was attached to the tow truck and one of the two black suited agents who came in the governmental SUV got into the tow truck with the driver. They trundled off, taking her car off for inspection.
“I wonder if I am supposed to call my insurance agent,” Penelope said.
“You might want to let Michaelson handle that,” Fairchild said after a moment of thought. “I’m sure there is some sort of procedure.”
“Probably.”
Michaelson and the second agent walked into the bank. Penelope and the manager backed away to let them in.
“Rollinson here will be taking care of your office,” Michaelson told Fairchild. “If you could take him back, I will be taking Ms. Douglas home.”
Rollinson stepped forward.
Ten til Midnight 