Cup of Sleep

The Bitter Taste

Company Policy four-hundred: Any company with an employee count greater than five hundred will be provided with the opportunity to buy two litres of pure Byritherol to do with what they wish. Byritherol being the chemical that makes our coffee so powerful.

Along the back of the room a table was set, lined with a red, coffee-stained table cloth that hung over ten plastic folding chairs, a single chant echoed around the room

"Happy hour!" They yelled, both fists slamming against the conveyor belt, the packets and loose grains of cinnamon slid across without interruption."Happy hour!" The chanting continued, increasing in pitch and volume, stopping only when a coffee cup was placed on the table in front, lacking the steam of one full of hot liquid, instead it was filled to the brim with finger-sized slips of paper folded in half, they all watched, still as a statue. Even Elizabeth and Danni paused, watching as a man wearing a bright yellow hard hat and high visibility jacket reached in and removed one of the slips of paper, unfolding it and reading the words written in scribbled handwriting

"Eric Mitchell." The supervisor called out, his voice echoing back and forth through the factory floor. The process repeated, one name after another was pulled from the cup "Marcus Reed" the supervisor called out "Alex Mitchel" then, when the seventh name was called, "The new girl" He yelled, lifting his finger and pointing at Elizabeth, frozen in her place "Claire Black," he yelled. More hands than she could count wrapped around her arm, passing her from one person to another leading to the front of the room, supervisor leading her the rest of the way with an uncomfortable warm hand on the small of her back, Elizabeth did nothing, watching as she was pushed in front of a table and made to sit down on a cold plastic chair with the number seven place carelessly with a blue sticker. A shot glass containing a deep brown bitter smelling liquid, the final three names were called.

"Now I know you know the rules," He started, addressing the other workers "but I'm not sure Claire does. Should I explain?" Without waiting for a response he kneeled on the ground, opposite Elizabeth's seat and said, so quiet she barely heard, "It is likely you will die." he whispered, pushing the shot glass towards me "This glass contains pure Byritherol in liquid form, on the count of ten everyone drinks, last person standing win." before Elizabeth could ask any more questions he stood up and addressed his captive audience again, yelling louder than before "Do we have any bets?" He asked, quickly adding "Remember the betting tax." Despite this, the crowd roared with bets

"Five spunod on Eric," The first she heard called

"Twelve spunod on Alex," Yelled the second, then someone Elizabeth didn't think would bet did.

"Seven spunod on," Danni started "on Claire Black." When voting stopped the supervisor leaned closer and said,

"Looks like you already have a fan." He said, laughing silently to himself, backing away before she could reply. "Ten," He yelled, everyone in the room except Danni and Jane repeating the count down, "Nine" Danni reached for her mask but stopped, looking over and Jane whose eyes had not left her since she first stepped on the stage, Elizabeth looked over to Danni, moving back and forth between her and Jane, Danni followed her look, walking towards Jane."Eight" Danni pushed through the crowd, moving around people and nearly tripping over their feet "Seven" Danni reached Jane and just stood there, blocking her view, even from the other side of the room Elizabeth could see her fists clench keep calm Elizabeth thought, She was too far to hear what was being said. "Six, five, four, three, two" Elizabeth lifted her mask, moving it slightly above her mouth and held it there.

"One" the audience yelled, watching as all ten downed the drink in one shot, Elizabeth placing her mask over her face as soon as possible. Once she could open her eyes, once the tears had cleared she noticed the beat of heart, pounding in her head like a beast in a cage, A thick fluid ran down her nose then nausea, enough to make her consider taking off the mask but she stopped herself, looking over and Jane who stood there, her hands resting on one of the conveyor belts. Danni's eyes were elsewhere, looking from her to the stairs, to the door they had first entered through.