Post by kottur on Aug 6, 2012 19:10:46 GMT -8
((Just a quick story I typed up today))
“I think you’re overreacting a bit, Bill.”
Malcolm gave the man a small grin as he took a sip from his water bottle. His office’s lights hummed, offering the only sound in the room as the shaggy-haired reporter stared at him from the other side of his desk for a long moment.
“You don’t think it’s strange for a Telecommunications company to have such a large investment in its security branch?”
Mal shook his head, resting his feet on his desk. “Not at all.” He inclined his head towards the window behind him. “It’s a crazy world out there, Bill. There have been reports of violent crimes going up in recent months. AEgir is, above all else, concerned with the safety of the members of our “family.” Knowing your employees are safe is well worth the price of buffed-up security.” He cut him off as he opened his mouth to speak.
“I know you want this to be a sign of the Big Bad Corporation abusing its power and funds, but it’s all about peace of mind.”
Bill Holden nodded, picking up his bag. Mal pivoted his seat to look out the window; it was getting late. Lights in other building windows were starting to turn off.
“One more thing, Mal. About Ms. Rystaad.”
“You know exactly what I’m going to say, Bill.” He didn’t bother to turn around. “What Ms. Rystaad chooses to do in her free time is nobody’s business but her own. Anyone can see the company is doing fine under her. And frankly, I find it a bit sexist to suggest a woman can’t run a corporation because she-”
“Alright, alright.” Holden stopped his tape recorder, packing it away with the rest of things. “Thanks for letting me come by, Mr. Sigurdsson. This was an...interesting experience, as always.”
“You’re a good reporter, Bill. You just need to stop making mountains out of mole hills.” He turned to shake the man’s hand. “Be safe out there.”
The elevator down to the base floor lobby was a quiet one, with very few people getting on and off. He checked his phone, checking texts and emails he had missed during his last meeting with Bill Holden. Invites to go drinking, future meeting times, HR reminder on dress code, “I’m a Nigerian Prince and I want to-”
He looked up from his phone. A twisted, hissing sound was growing louder and louder in his ear. It wasn’t mechanical, not the workings of the elevator; it was more...beastial. Like some creature was making it. He had heard it before...
Savage Coast. Fleshy creature stands its ground, hissing. Such a horrible hiss. It charges. He fires the pistol; it won’t go down. It keeps coming.
“You getting off?”
He was facing one of the night janitors, back in the elevator. He could feel the sweat forming on his hairline.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry! Zoned out there for a moment.”
He exchanged quiet laughs with the man before heading out to the large, spacious lobby. He dropped a coin into the long pool in the middle, a silly ritual he had done with fountains since he was a boy, before exiting the building. Brooklyn was having a good night. The air was warm, and the weather clear. He made a B Line for the subway entrance, determined to leave his ‘episode’ he had back in the elevator in the past.
But still, he couldn’t deny he still felt off. He found himself constantly checking those who walked past him, checking every corner he turned on his way to the subway platform. He purposely chose an empty car once his train arrived, opting to stand instead of sit before the cars lurched forward. The fast moving tunnel lights were oddly calming, at first. But soon he started seeing faces in the window’s reflection. Grotesque faces. Monsters that weren’t there.
The train had stopped at the next platform, and few loud youngsters piled into his train car, snapping him from his trance. Things were getting bad. He never liked the things he saw while out in the field, figuring out ways to spin the inevitable questions reporters would have about AEgir employees in the areas. He was no stranger to violence, but those instances were against people, not horrid abominations you have nightmares about. Those...things, left a lasting impression on him, one he couldn’t seem to shake.
The teenagers were starting to stare at him. He was sweating a bit again, and had started to breathe a little heavily. He quickly exited the car, walking at a fast pace up the stairs to the open space of the Manhattan. It was only a short walk to his building from there, and for a while the “fresh” city air seemed to settle his mind a bit. He said his polite hellos to the doorman, got into the elevator, and made it to his floor without incident. He went through his nightly routine: Crown and Coke, TV, undress, brush teeth, bed.
He was running down the same hallway he always visited. Grey, no windows or doors. The creature, beastial, four-legged, and terrifying, was closing in. He turned to fire his pistol. Click. It pinned him to the ground. Its mouth opened wide with a horrible noise, saliva dripping onto his chest. It reared its head back. Strikes. Blackness.
He was looking at the ceiling of his apartment again. His body was covered in sweat, his chest rising up and down with each breath. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with a loud sigh. He looked to the mirror on the other side of the room, and saw the person he hated most. The liar, the weak-willed bullshitter who couldn’t handle when the job got tough. He stood up and walked over to it, opening a drawer on the dresser underneath. Unable to look at his own reflection, he took out a bottle of pills. The pills that would give him peace, at least until tomorrow morning. He tossed them into his mouth, letting the swallow ease his racing mind.
“I think you’re overreacting a bit, Bill.”
Malcolm gave the man a small grin as he took a sip from his water bottle. His office’s lights hummed, offering the only sound in the room as the shaggy-haired reporter stared at him from the other side of his desk for a long moment.
“You don’t think it’s strange for a Telecommunications company to have such a large investment in its security branch?”
Mal shook his head, resting his feet on his desk. “Not at all.” He inclined his head towards the window behind him. “It’s a crazy world out there, Bill. There have been reports of violent crimes going up in recent months. AEgir is, above all else, concerned with the safety of the members of our “family.” Knowing your employees are safe is well worth the price of buffed-up security.” He cut him off as he opened his mouth to speak.
“I know you want this to be a sign of the Big Bad Corporation abusing its power and funds, but it’s all about peace of mind.”
Bill Holden nodded, picking up his bag. Mal pivoted his seat to look out the window; it was getting late. Lights in other building windows were starting to turn off.
“One more thing, Mal. About Ms. Rystaad.”
“You know exactly what I’m going to say, Bill.” He didn’t bother to turn around. “What Ms. Rystaad chooses to do in her free time is nobody’s business but her own. Anyone can see the company is doing fine under her. And frankly, I find it a bit sexist to suggest a woman can’t run a corporation because she-”
“Alright, alright.” Holden stopped his tape recorder, packing it away with the rest of things. “Thanks for letting me come by, Mr. Sigurdsson. This was an...interesting experience, as always.”
“You’re a good reporter, Bill. You just need to stop making mountains out of mole hills.” He turned to shake the man’s hand. “Be safe out there.”
The elevator down to the base floor lobby was a quiet one, with very few people getting on and off. He checked his phone, checking texts and emails he had missed during his last meeting with Bill Holden. Invites to go drinking, future meeting times, HR reminder on dress code, “I’m a Nigerian Prince and I want to-”
He looked up from his phone. A twisted, hissing sound was growing louder and louder in his ear. It wasn’t mechanical, not the workings of the elevator; it was more...beastial. Like some creature was making it. He had heard it before...
Savage Coast. Fleshy creature stands its ground, hissing. Such a horrible hiss. It charges. He fires the pistol; it won’t go down. It keeps coming.
“You getting off?”
He was facing one of the night janitors, back in the elevator. He could feel the sweat forming on his hairline.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry! Zoned out there for a moment.”
He exchanged quiet laughs with the man before heading out to the large, spacious lobby. He dropped a coin into the long pool in the middle, a silly ritual he had done with fountains since he was a boy, before exiting the building. Brooklyn was having a good night. The air was warm, and the weather clear. He made a B Line for the subway entrance, determined to leave his ‘episode’ he had back in the elevator in the past.
But still, he couldn’t deny he still felt off. He found himself constantly checking those who walked past him, checking every corner he turned on his way to the subway platform. He purposely chose an empty car once his train arrived, opting to stand instead of sit before the cars lurched forward. The fast moving tunnel lights were oddly calming, at first. But soon he started seeing faces in the window’s reflection. Grotesque faces. Monsters that weren’t there.
The train had stopped at the next platform, and few loud youngsters piled into his train car, snapping him from his trance. Things were getting bad. He never liked the things he saw while out in the field, figuring out ways to spin the inevitable questions reporters would have about AEgir employees in the areas. He was no stranger to violence, but those instances were against people, not horrid abominations you have nightmares about. Those...things, left a lasting impression on him, one he couldn’t seem to shake.
The teenagers were starting to stare at him. He was sweating a bit again, and had started to breathe a little heavily. He quickly exited the car, walking at a fast pace up the stairs to the open space of the Manhattan. It was only a short walk to his building from there, and for a while the “fresh” city air seemed to settle his mind a bit. He said his polite hellos to the doorman, got into the elevator, and made it to his floor without incident. He went through his nightly routine: Crown and Coke, TV, undress, brush teeth, bed.
He was running down the same hallway he always visited. Grey, no windows or doors. The creature, beastial, four-legged, and terrifying, was closing in. He turned to fire his pistol. Click. It pinned him to the ground. Its mouth opened wide with a horrible noise, saliva dripping onto his chest. It reared its head back. Strikes. Blackness.
He was looking at the ceiling of his apartment again. His body was covered in sweat, his chest rising up and down with each breath. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with a loud sigh. He looked to the mirror on the other side of the room, and saw the person he hated most. The liar, the weak-willed bullshitter who couldn’t handle when the job got tough. He stood up and walked over to it, opening a drawer on the dresser underneath. Unable to look at his own reflection, he took out a bottle of pills. The pills that would give him peace, at least until tomorrow morning. He tossed them into his mouth, letting the swallow ease his racing mind.