I Write In 2018

Career Implosion

I travelled up from the city. The week had been beyond hectic. My career was on the edge of an abyss. The lake. I knew I would find peace and serenity at the lake. The thunderous noise of the city would be gone and I could make sense of my situation. I don't know where I had gone wrong. In my mind everything had made sense at the time, but then... something had happened. Something I had not expected, but then again; maybe I should have suspected it.

I had left those files out, after all. It hadn't mattered that I had just stepped out of my office for a moment. I had needed time to let the information settle. Get it in my head ready for the presentation.

I had been naïve to trust it would be left untouched.

When I walked into the meeting this morning I had been ready. But Anderson said he wanted to present his proposal first and I let him. He was my friend.... or so I thought. God, why had I let him.

He spieled out my whole proposal without making any eye contact with me. What was I supposed to do? Just thinking about it brought the pain and anxiety back and I had to pull over until I was able to swim back up to the surface of the emotions that clawed at me, trying to drown me.

All that work had been mine. He had stolen it. But he was the boss's son. I didn't stand a chance. What was I going to do? It had been bad enough getting out of that meeting. Saying I wasn't ready. No one would believe me if I told them the ideas were mine. What the hell was I going to do?


Words = 299

For -Daily Flash Fiction: ▼

Prompt for 5/27
Write a story that includes the words: lake, noise, mind

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