Monday 28 April 2014

Entry 29 - Back to Work

*twitch*

*Twitch*

*TWitch*

*TWItch*

*TWITch*

*TWITCh*

*TWITCH*

"FUCK IT!" - He screamed, throwing his fist into the holoscreen and feeling like a idiot for trying to punch thin air. He shrugged, got up, kicked the immovable chair, hurting his own foot, and left limping down the hall.
All around him everybody kept working, eyes glued to their screens, hands gentling caressing the keys, lips moving without sound to answer the soundless questions they were being asked.
"Maybe no one noticed" - he thought while limping down the aisle, "maybe if I return now, no one will notice" - and a voice was heard all around the building, calling him by number to the managers office - a simple and audible "FUCK!" escaped his lips, out of habit - and crossing right through department 5B he went to the manager's office. It was a nice mid-summer morning there, although it was mid February and almost 5PM, and the wind made his hair and dance alone while he bowed down and repeated the ritual greeting : "From my sweat, thy richness is made and for that I am thankful oh lord Manager".
 The manager shook his own hand in the hair to indicate he would, for this one time, not require the hand kissing of costume even if not law, and pointed to the small pillow, for the day was going well and the manager felt he could be generous even for one that had just disrespected the rules - "The lords are free to judge but also to forgive", the Church told, "to punish and show pity."
 He kneels on the pillow, doing a smaller bow before, thanking the Lord Manager for this small boon, and lowered his head waiting for the word of the Lord.

 From atop the throne the manager typed a few words that were repeated in a small holoscreen at the employee's eyes and screamed into its - his, the lord reminded himself again, employees are also people, just not as much as he was - hears :
 "YOU HAVE BROKEN THE PEACE AND FAILED AT OUR EYES" - a small "I agree oh Lord Manager" appeared on the button and started blinking. It would blink until the employee accepted it. He could, of course, decide not to accept it, this wasn't some dictatorship, employees were free. Of course, not agreeing would have consequences, but that was the meaning of choice. The employee waited a few seconds, as if to test the Lord Managers patience, before pushing the button.
 "YOU SHALL BE FINED IN" - the manager measured the amount of time both he and the employee had lost with this little stunt, added 10% because the employee had decided to wait too long before agreeing and ended up typing "60% OF TODAY'S PAY."
 The little button started blinking again, and this time the employee pressed it quickly, feeling lucky that he did not lose the entire day or his job.
 "YOU CAN RETURN TO YOUR WORK."

 The employee got back to his feet and bowed : "May my blood pave the streets for thee lord and thy richness be ever growing", before leaving back to his desk where would continue to work, five more hours today, ten more tomorrow, ten more the day after, and the day after that, and the day after...