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Happy Labor Day Weekend everybody!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Best of the Brine
Carceral
I loved my job. I loved the people I worked with everyday. The window above my desk always had sunlight and a great view of the gardens behind the building. It was a happy place to work, even if it wasn't perfect. Thursdays were cake day, where someone brought in baked goods every week for the office.
It all started on a Thursday.
Now when I think about pink and white frosted cupcakes, it is all I can do to not become violently ill. My life changed on a cake day when scarlet blood spattered onto the perfectly decorated pastries, making them a gory reminder of how living should never been taken for granted.
My first memory of that day was when Jenny bounced in, carrying her platter of community cupcakes. She told us it was a new recipe and that if we didn't like them she wouldn't be offended. I flashed her a reassuring smile and wished her a good morning. That was when I could still give reassurances. When I could still smile and mean it.
The rest of the morning wasn't very memorable until I looked down at the clock on my computer and saw that it was 11:15, time for a short coffee break. I stood, stretching my muscles and walked to the small kitchen, the smell of much needed caffeine driving me forward. It wasn't until I clinked the coffee pot back in place that I realized something wasn't right.
The phones, which usually rang off the hook, were silent. I stared down into the black liquid in my favorite cup. Small waves rippled across the surface, making me want to dive in, head first. Jenny rounded the corner quickly, her eyes bright and excited.
"There is something wrong with the Internet connection. Maybe they'll send us home if we can't get any work done!" She clapped her hands and giggled, taking a step back from the kitchen into the hall. "Have you tried a cupcake yet?" she asked
I eyed the treats on the counter. "No," I reached for one "but I think it's time to-"
A horrified scream that could have only belonged to Beatrice cut me off, but then abruptly ended after a few loud pops. Jenny's eyebrows knitted together in concern. My brain was too slow to process what the noises had been. If I had only reacted sooner, I think Jenny's brains might not have landed on the beautiful pink and white cupcakes. I could have pulled her into the protection of the kitchen. But instead, I was reaching for a cupcake, instead of my friend.
I loved my job. I loved the people I worked with everyday. The window above my desk always had sunlight and a great view of the gardens behind the building. It was a happy place to work, even if it wasn't perfect. Thursdays were cake day, where someone brought in baked goods every week for the office.
It all started on a Thursday.
Now when I think about pink and white frosted cupcakes, it is all I can do to not become violently ill. My life changed on a cake day when scarlet blood spattered onto the perfectly decorated pastries, making them a gory reminder of how living should never been taken for granted.
My first memory of that day was when Jenny bounced in, carrying her platter of community cupcakes. She told us it was a new recipe and that if we didn't like them she wouldn't be offended. I flashed her a reassuring smile and wished her a good morning. That was when I could still give reassurances. When I could still smile and mean it.
The rest of the morning wasn't very memorable until I looked down at the clock on my computer and saw that it was 11:15, time for a short coffee break. I stood, stretching my muscles and walked to the small kitchen, the smell of much needed caffeine driving me forward. It wasn't until I clinked the coffee pot back in place that I realized something wasn't right.
The phones, which usually rang off the hook, were silent. I stared down into the black liquid in my favorite cup. Small waves rippled across the surface, making me want to dive in, head first. Jenny rounded the corner quickly, her eyes bright and excited.
"There is something wrong with the Internet connection. Maybe they'll send us home if we can't get any work done!" She clapped her hands and giggled, taking a step back from the kitchen into the hall. "Have you tried a cupcake yet?" she asked
I eyed the treats on the counter. "No," I reached for one "but I think it's time to-"
A horrified scream that could have only belonged to Beatrice cut me off, but then abruptly ended after a few loud pops. Jenny's eyebrows knitted together in concern. My brain was too slow to process what the noises had been. If I had only reacted sooner, I think Jenny's brains might not have landed on the beautiful pink and white cupcakes. I could have pulled her into the protection of the kitchen. But instead, I was reaching for a cupcake, instead of my friend.
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