Day 11:
46357937 – Buden, Roger, OH: 30. 93975574 – Porzion, Irene, MA: 20. 93952460 – Rosenburg, Paris, IL: 20. 46357517 – Stahn, Maryellen. PA: 45. 81755401 – Jetista, Barbara, CT: 10. 85731275 – Santona, Toro-Ramon, PR: NA. 46335666 – Parqes, Joseph, MD: 30. 81735600 – Docker, Denise, MI: 10.
Coffee. They offer it for free in the break room. Gotta keep the drones awake and jittery. Gotta keep them anxious. If you feed their addiction to caffeine, you'll feed their addiction to work. Can't let it slip.
93975523 – Dzuenski, Robert, FL: 10. 93974597 – Philippes, Joseph, IL: 20. 46358091 – Fallein, Nicholas, IA: 30. 81734582 – Martin, Teresa, TX: 10. 93858817 – Aurenbach, Leroy, PA: 45. 46358192 – Omuellette, Eileen, OH: 30. 93982592 – Morsel, John, OH: 30. 45319091 - - Kalafit, Christopher, MI: 10. 46351781 – Ouranda, Lyle, PA: 45. 81755558 – Wineck, William, MD: 30.
Phone call. The home office in Michigan needs special help. Could we make an exception? It's probably fraud, but this is a really big case, and they don't want to lose it. No, you have to get it signed by the client. Nothing I can do. Yeah, we'll take a fax.
46501446 – Pluto, Mark, MI: 10. 93579740 – Bonding, Hugh, CA: 30. 46351194 – Janson, Craig, CA: 30. 46336504 – Edenbaugh, Nancy, VA: 30. 46357293 – Arms, William, FL: 10. 46351063 – Rend, Bryan, AR: 10. 46353068 – Horrour, Walter, CA: 30. 46522335 – Mort, Kelly, NC: 30. 46355765 – Dauthi, Anthony, GA: 10. 46541301 – Needs, Joseph, CT: 10. 93548156 – Desperation, Robert, NH: 30. 93592816 – Hell, Carolyn, IA: 30. 46359844 – Flensing, Pamela, NC: 30. 46556853 – Tearing, Brian, MA: 20. 46543356 – Crushing, Azzario, CA: 30.
The fluorescent lights in the department are flickering. Pretty badly. You can really start noticing the shadows that they create. Normally, they're hidden or obscured by the multiple light sources, but when they're flashing like this, the shadows really stand out. The computer monitor acts like an anti-strobe, bright when the lights flicker off, and then overpowered when they come back on.
46353588 - Scarred, Stanley, NJ: 30. 46345588 - Vergiftung, Harold, NJ: 30. 46359471 – Shattered, Donald, MA: 20. 93842586 – Trapped, Fred, FL: 10. 46343545 – Suffocate, John, CA: 30. 94005289 – Asphyxia, William, IN: 20. 93954192 – Necrosis, Joseph, MA: 20. 93594192 – Sepsis, Joseph, MA: 20. 46351971 – Scabrous, Carla, MN: 20. 93594515 - Slough, Edith, FL: 10. 46315414 – Congeal, Rodney, PA: 45. 93954085 – Flee, Richard, MN: 20.
There's a maintenance crew here now, they're on the other end of the cubicle field, and have set up an A-frame ladder. They've removed some panels from the drop ceiling, and seem to be pulling wires and cables out. Some of them look chewed. The charred body of a rat falls from the hole, and lands with a heavy thump on Jessica's desk. Good thing she's at lunch right now.
463575937 – Trapped, Dalton, OH: 30. 939575574 – Stasis, You, MA: 20. 939552460 – Absence-of, Possibility, IL: 20. 46357517 – Cornered, Caged, PA: 45. 81755401 – Nowhere, Notime, CT: 10. 855731275 – Choices, From, PR: NA. 456335666 – Years, Ago, MD: 30. 817355600 – Surround, Future, MI: 10. 939755523 – Decisons, Leaving, FL: 10. 935974597 – Disastrous, Unwilling, IL: 20. 463580591 – Results, Inescapable, IA: 30. 817345852 – Inevitable, Failure, TX: 10. 953858817 – Lifeless, Devoid, PA: 45. 463581592 – Cold, Meaningless, OH: 30. 939582592 – Nothing, Morsels, OH: 30. 453190951 - - Unused, Leftovers, MI: 10. 463515781 – Fading, Away, PA: 45. 817555558 – Nothingness, Nothingness, MD: 30.
The digital clock flashes to the magical number. Stow the coffee mug in the drawer, pull the jacket off the hook, shuffle to the elevator. Don't make eye contact. Yawn. Think of the couch. Think of the last beer in the fridge. Think about what's on TV. Don't think about doing this all over again tomorrow.
93592816 – Helpless, Hopeless, MY: 23