This is a Work In Progress and I am sharing it solely to receive feedback.
NO SOLICITATIONS OR PEDDLERS, PLEASE!
What works? What doesn't? Where do you see it leading? Where would you like to see it leading? Does it hook you and make you want to read more? If not, what killed it for you? These are all questions for you to consider answering, or tell me whatever else is on your mind in regards. Please, let me know in the Comments below.
The writing will also be evolving, as the story and characters are being developed as I go, so certain parts may change after they have been read by you as I consider the feedback I receive. Your input does matter to me.
The next day, Imogen woke up and got ready for work, eating a breakfast of sugary cereal in milk, toast with peanut butter, ruby red grapefruit juice, and a mug of coffee. She fed and cuddled with Osiris before heading out the door. There is still snow on the ground, but it is predicted to warm up and partially melt off today, so she is dressed lighter than yesterday.
She walks the two and a half blocks to the designated bus stop, bundling her thrift store coat closer as her teeth chatter a bit in the cold wind, making her wonder how accurate the prediction was. The wait at the stop is not bad though. Three more people join her in waiting for the bus, but Imogen just ignores them. They are of no consequence in her life. Now, if there were to suddenly be a circumstance of dire proportions, she would get to know them better, maybe introduce herself, and find out what sort of prior training they have for battling the resulting zombies.
After the bus lets her off at her destination, the walk is not much farther. The company she works at is on the seventh floor of a tall office building halfway once more to the center of the city. Prodigious Solutions is one of several marketing and production companies owned by a larger corporation with locations in more than the one country.
Mondays are usually busy. Secret deals sometimes take place over the weekend, resulting in new projects coming online and requiring priority, or existing ones being added to. Imogen has learned to roll with the changes and adapt.
It is true that she still has trouble concentrating on what is required of her. Her mind has always been up in the clouds and it is hard for her to stay grounded when she enjoys what her imagination provides. Except she hasn't as of late. She has been retreating into her imagination to escape life's troubles and casting a deep shadow of sadness upon it. She vows to change that, and thus has been trying to forge new ideas to infuse her imagined world with.
On the seventh floor, the door swings open without much effort and she saunters in, saying good morning to the on-duty security guard/receptionist before swiping her employee card and heading all the way back to her cubicle in the Junior Marketing Division. She has not been with the company long enough or performed enough amazing feats to rise into the Central or Senior Divisions. The work their team does is lower end or test level for smaller accounts. Even when they do a good job and a product really takes off, it usually then gets sent up to the more competent teams with lots of experience to continue on with.
First things first, Imogen thinks to herself. I need to get that notebook back. She sets her stuff down and walks over to confront Monique at her cubicle, four down and one vertical. "Good morning, Monique. Do you have something for me?"
"Oh, good morning, Imogen. Here, read this copy text and tell me what you think so far." She hands her a few pages of product descriptions with flowery language mixed in to entice customers to want to buy the early child development toys. "I still have to fine tune it a bit before the meeting, so let me know right away if you see anything that you think should be fixed. Again, I'm sorry about being so heavy-handed to you all the time, but you've got to know that I worked hard to land a position like this and I will not let any of you drag me down and cause me to lose this job, do you understand? You've got potential. You let it shine through from time to time, but it's got to be more consistent and it's got to be on time. We are a team here, not just individuals who can piss away our own jobs without affecting each other' workloads and finished product." She hands the hallowed notebook back to Imogen. "I don't care what you do with your spare time. I don't need to know anything about you beyond these walls. It doesn't matter what you decide to draw, but don't let it take away from the time needed to accomplish your job here, got it?"
Imogen glares at her for a moment before nodding her head and walking back to her own cubicle. She sits down and her eyes get misty as she reads through the advertising copy. She felt personally attacked from the lecture her workmate just gave her. They are both trying to keep their jobs. It is not like Imogen is intentionally sabotaging Monique, if that's the way she feels. The way Monique worded it makes her angry, but she is right that they do all need to be a cohesive team. Everyone's performance affects everyone else's, and Imogen doesn't want the burden of getting any of them fired to ever rest on her own shoulders.
Imogen takes some deep breaths before walking back over to Imogen's cubicle to confront her again. "It all sounds good. There is one word here that needs to be fixed. Sounds the same, but it's the wrong word spelling. I'm not trying to drag us down, s-so stop treating me like I am."
"Then get your work in faster."
"St-Stop it. I-I'm trying to improve, but there's --"
"Don't give excuses, Imogen. Just get the work in. Look, I'm trying to get this finished to create the presentation slides, so just go back to your desk."
Tears well up in Imogen's eyes and she cannot hold in the single sob that escapes before rushing back to her desk to try subduing all the feelings she is having. An audible sigh can be heard from Monique in her cubicle as her fingers clack away on the computer keyboard.
Don't let this get you down, Imogen. Monique is just trying to be a realist. She's right, the work needs to be done. Period. Everyone needs to do their part in a timely manner for each job to get done properly and on time. Ahead of time is even better because it give plenty of time to fix errors before it needs to presented to the client. We don't want the client to be pointing out mistakes or wondering why something looks unfinished. That is how I should be thinking, but I'm always first with the feelings.
Imogen sets her glasses down on the desk and places the heels of both hands over her eyes like the act is going to plug up the tears from forming. Flashes of disappointment and resentment in the form of colors and shapes flash on the eyelid screens of her closed eyes. She digs her fingers up through her hair and then stabs her scalp with the fingernails. It has the strange effect of centering her emotions by forcing her brain to focus on the pain instead of the wild thoughts. After massaging her head in this manner for about twenty seconds, she lifts away her heels and the colors dissipate into darkness. She opens her eyes, blinks a few times, wipes away the remaining tears, and puts her glasses back on. It's time to get back to work. She turns on the computer and logs in to check her emails.
Soon it is nearly time for the presentation meeting. Monique comes over with the finished slides for their presentation to rehearse what they are going to say. Imogen stays cool throughout and it goes fine. Their product presentation is ready for primetime.
At 10:00, their entire junior team of Monique, Troy, Louanne, Chloe, and Pavel files into the small conference room along with two supervisors and someone who introduces himself as being from corporate. Imogen wonders why a person from the head office is there. Maybe they are judging if someone on their team is worthy of being promoted up the ranks to the Central Division? She hopes it will be Monique. That would make her very happy.
Troy and Louanne give their presentation first, showcasing baby monitoring device ideas, followed by Chloe and Pavel with a display of baby care products. Both pairings of their peers did really well. Now it is Imogen and Monique's turn.
[Insert dialogue]
With the ordeal finally over, she a Monique gather up their materials and return to their seats around the table. Monique flashes Imogen a smile and a thumbs up to indicate that she thinks the did a good job. Grace, their supervisor, rises and applauds, moving to the head of the table. "Good job, team. Those were all great presentations and some interesting ideas. Thank you. Now, I'd like to introduce you to the Vice Development Coordinator of our company, Vince Lynwood. He has a special announcement to make."
Everyone applauds as the corporate executive stands and moves to the head of the table and their supervisor sits down. "Good morning. Thank you, everyone, and thank you, Grace. I'm going to cut straight to the chase: We are eliminating certain departments with in the company. It is not due to under-performance, it's due to streamlining. The Junior Marketing Division, your department, is one of those being cut. We regret any inconveniences this may cause. You are welcome to apply for other open positions within the company but there are no guarantees being given that any positions will be available that line up with your current skill set. The Marketing positions for Central and Senior are full up. We feel that those two divisions are enough for the company at all locations moving forward. That being said, we appreciate all of the service you have given Prodigious Solutions up to this point and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, either moving forward in a new capacity within the company or locating a career elsewhere."
All of the employees in the Junior Marketing Division's jaws drop, even Grace's. It is obvious just by looking at her face that she was not made aware of this change and is doing her best not to lose her... composure at Mr. Lynwood. "Well, that is... quite a bit of news to take in. How long do we have until our last day?"
Vince answers, "Two weeks notice beginning today. You will be given one final project to help pass the time. For you, Grace, there will be one week per year of your service with the company, so you will have longer to land a different position."
"This isn't fair," Monique growls to herself, but loud enough to be heard.
Pavel asks, "Will there be any severance package or exit bonus to go with our regular pay?"
"I'm afraid not," Vince says. "Those in Junior status do not qualify for any such perks."
"Will we be given a list of available openings?" Louanne asks.
"Open positions are listed on the company website. Click on the menu and select Careers, then type in your location to see what is available closest to you. Thank you for asking."
Imogen is listening, but is still busy processing the sudden news and impending change to her lifestyle that will result. She has given no thought as to what else she may wish to do with her life. Panic begins to set in, but she pushes it back knowing that here and now would not be a good spot to have a breakdown. Her headache from yesterday starts to resurface as though to remind her of what happened when she let her panic get the better of her in the coffee shop and how embarrassed she was.
