The beast within

Chapter 5

"Im going to kill you." 

"Hey now, no need to get physical. Though It's terrible, It may work. I just need a little-a lot of work is all!"

I was on one side of the table while Edna, bless her, was on the other, threatening to end me. I bet you're wondering how I got in this situation. Well, you see it all started an hour ago.

I just got home and as promised Edna was waiting for me. Inside.

"Im not even going to ask how the hell you got in here."

"Good 'cause that would waste time, but to make a long story short I made a copy of your key."

"That's where it went, do you know how many times I had to pick my own lock because of you?"

She gives me a look that says, No, and I don't really care. Are you done now? 

"Are you done now?"

I count to ten, needing to remember that this kind, wonderful, delightful woman that's in her mid-thirties with two adorable kids at home is my editor. If she were to disappear it wouldn't be good. 

Jet waddles in as if on cue and I feel myself calm down.

"What do you need Edna?"

She gives me a look and rolls her eyes. "Im here to collect your rough draft for your latest book remember. The boss man is close to throttling me because of all these empty promises you keep telling me to give him."

Oh.

"It's not printed out but you can stay while I get that done. You want something to drink? Tea, coffee? " 

"Im short on time so I'll-"

"Tap water it is then."

I put down my bag and grab my computer. "I'll be back."

A few minutes later I have the pages printing and a nice lukewarm glass of tap water ready for Edna to enjoy. 

My butt hasn't even hit the seat yet when she speaks. "So about next months proj-"

"So how are the kids?"

She glares at me, taking a sip of water before answering me. "They're fine."

"That's good, that's good. How about Daniel?" 

I wait with bated breath for her to take the bait, her eye roll has me relaxing for the first time since I got home.

"Don't even get me started, I swear that man could out lazy even the fattest of gamers. No offense to fat people or gamers or anything, it's just I feel as if im the only one doing anything to benefit the family. Yeah sure, he has a job or whatever, but as soon as he's home it's as if the only thing that matters is his TV and trashy reality shows. Im forced to feed the kids, clean the house, clean kids, clean myself, hell one time I had to clean him! I love him, I do but he needs some tips when it comes to family. One time he-"

Her rant went on for what felt like days even though it was only like thirty minutes. 

Ding!

Oh, thank god!  "That's the printer, I'll be right back."

With a stack of fresh hot paper, I proudly place the stack in front of her. 

"Tada!"

She reads it in about twenty minutes. I mean it is a short story, about fifteen chapters but damn this woman wasn't playing around.

"Two things. Firstly, Congrats on turning something in at a decent time. Secondly, it's a shame that what you did manage to turn in is terrible." 

You ever do something that makes you so proud that you want to show a friend, but then that friend tells you its shit and you hear a record scratching in your head? Well imagine that, but the thing is a book you've been working on for about a month now and that friend is your editor.

"What do you mean terrible? Give me that." I snatch the papers from her and scan through it. This is terrible, the hell-

Oh no.

I bite my lip nervously. This can't be what I think it is, can it? I scan through the rest and pray. 

Shit.

"So you're going to laugh but This is isn't the book I meant to turn in." 

"Then print it out so I can leave."

"But that's the thing, when I printed it out I didn't see any other book, which means I either deleted it or I never did it..." 

"Then what did the hell did I just read?"

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. "My sad attempt at an action novel that I was working on yesterday..." Silence. I open my eyes and immediately regret it. Her face showed no emotion but her eyes, oh god her eyes. A storm that would put Poseidon to shame thundered in those baby blues.

"So you mean to tell me, you don't have a book ready and that you were making an action novel when you obviously needed to be working on your deadline?"

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath and stood.

"Im going to kill you."

I never liked my coffee table. It was a hand me down of a hand me down from my parents as a housewarming gift. Its been through a lot, from coffee stains that really put the coffee in coffee table, to dents and scratches that make it look more like a scratching post then a table.

But as I stand here, the table the only thing keeping me from being on the news, I wonder if maybe I've been too hard on the poor thing. 

"Do you know how hard I've had to work to keep Mr.White off my ass about your deadline?"

"No, but I thank you anyway- Oh god!"

She throws the tap water at me, and im glad I gave her a plastic cup otherwise I would be the one yelling. 

"I said no need to get physical!" 

"You should have thought about that before giving me your sad excuse for an action novel!"

I'll be honest, not my best move. 

"I thought I was giving you the right one im sorry!"

She takes a deep breath, "No, you know what? It's fine. I'll go back empty-handed, and when Mr.White asks about your deadline I'll tell him to contact you. You can deal with this yourself. Im going to go home, unplug the TV and go to sleep. It's about time Daniel learned how his kids like their PB&J's."

And with that, she grabbed her stuff and left. 

Welp.

_______________________
 Hello! I finished chapter 5 where I hoped to explain Edna's character a bit more.

If anyone was wondering, Yes, Edna's husband does love his family and wife, he's just super lazy. He has tried to fix his laziness but has failed due to boredom. Im not sure whether or not I should put him in the story as an actual side character or just leave him as a character who is only mentioned via his wife and sometimes Stacy when she wants to distract Edna.

Well anyway, hope that helps you get a better understanding of Edna. She is not afraid to commit murder if it means she keeps her job lol.

Till next time.