#47657AQN
Jon wakes up at 6AM.
He brushes his teeth with toothpaste made by a corporation he secretly hates.
He goes downstairs and eats a single egg, a piece of toast, and exactly one half glass of orange juice.
He wishes his wife hadn't left him last year, but knows that it's mostly his fault – knows that most things are his fault.
He steps out of his apartment, a two bedroom unit in an up and coming neighborhood.
He steps into his car, a 2007 Hyundai Accent. If he gets the promotion this quarter, he plans to upgrade.
He knows he won't get the promotion.
He drives at six miles an hour over the speed limit, and listens to a Christian Rock station.
He arrives at work on time, and goes up to his office on the 10th floor.
Hannah is there, wearing something low cut, too low cut to be strictly professional in his opinion.
He tries three times to stare down her blouse, unsuccessfully, which is not strictly professional in anyone's opinion.
He makes seven, medium-quality PowerPoint slides.
At lunch, he eats a Bagel and drinks a cup of strong, black coffee.
He wonders how hard it would be to jump out of the window, and whether he would scream.
The day ends and his co-workers invite him out for drinks, Hannah's going to be there.
He declines.
He drives home at five miles an hour under the speed limit.
When he arrives, he heats up a frozen pizza made by a corporation he secretly admires.
He watches a sitcom, and touches himself a little.
He feels the thinnest pang of shame.
This is the emotion that he carries with him to bed, where he falls asleep at 11PM exactly.
...
"Yea...That was OK and all, but I don't know..."
"OK? What are you talking about? That was fine!"
YOU ARE READING
A Year of Stories
Short StoryThe goal: A new short story, every weekday, for a year. That's about 260 stories, for anyone keeping count. This is Volume #1, covering January and February stories. Inside you'll find a mix of Fantasy, Literary and Science Fiction, occasionally...
