This is the first half of the first paragraph, I started this almost two years ago, I didn't get far with it though, but I do like this paragraph, I'm always fiddleing with it and changing things because I don't think they fit etc, but I do like it. Anyway, feel free to tell me what you think, and don't hold back, its for my own good after all.
I might post the second half of the paragraph tomorrow.
Project: Indigo - Working title
The Worst Job in the World (Part A - 1800 words approx)
A tall blonde woman marched down the hallway, she wore an expensive black jacket as well as a black knee-length skirt that flowed as she walked. She was in her late forties and walked with purpose, under her left arm she carried a large black briefcase which was clamped in an iron grip. Her hair was short, white and spiked a tiny bit, the bright lights struck her eyes but they didn’t faze her. She wore black high-healed boots, they hammered on the floor as she moved, announcing her presence. It seemed deafening in the silent hallway. A pair of black leather gloves pocked out her pocket, small diamond earrings swung gently, she wore no rings on her fingers.
The hallway was simple; creamy colours with a hint of green, the woman began to approach two guards stationed at a door. They were clad in a traditional camouflage pattern, except it was deep red, dark blue and black instead of the usual range of greens. They also carried an assault rifle on their shoulders, as she neared they saluted, she didn’t reciprocate. She simply took a key card out of her jacket pocket and swiped herself in.
The walls were as plain as the ones outside, except this room was bustling, rows of desks with computers, and loads of people buzzed around. A short smartly dressed woman handed her a file, she took it, almost snatching it. Scanning it quickly she placed it down, a look of relief spread across her features but it was barely noticeable. A second woman approached, she also had a file with her.
“This is from the Safety Officer on Level -4,” said the woman as she placed it neatly on the desk.
“Thank you Kiera” she replied, she sat down slowly, whipped open the file and examined it. Apparently there were electrical faults in three of the cages on level –4, suddenly the woman’s face grew irritated.
“Kiera, when did this come in?” she asked as she got to her feet.
“About 2 hours ago ma’am when Mr Bashmer left” she replied, looking up curious.
“Didn’t anybody read it or get this fixed,” she hissed as she waved the file.
“No ma’am, it was addressed to you, but you-” Kiera stopped mid sentence as the other woman rushed out of the room.
She almost charged down the hallway, her boots louder than ever, she passed door after door, each one made from thick dull metal. She turned off down another hallway, the lights dimmer in this one, two more guards saluted as she passed but she ignored them. She stopped short in front of a door, her figure reflected on it, she admired it gently checking her hair and pushing at her wrinkles with disgust. As she put her key card in the slot it slipped from her grip, she sighed as she bent to pick it up, it read ‘Elizabeth Mercy Kraig’ After smoothing her skirt down she entered the room, a couple of people wearing white lab coats bustled round the cluttered room that was filled with hi-tech and expensive equipment.
“Right!” Elizabeth yelled louder than necessary, causing some of the other’s to jump in shock.
“Ma’am, a problem?” one of them stammered as he stood tensely.
“I want to know why I received a letter just now telling me about some electrical faults, why didn’t I get phoned, why wasn’t anything done about this, you know how serious any problem could be I hope, no matter how small,” she said firmly, she seemed to calmer than she first had been.
‘W…well, the usual protocol-” But she cut him off.
“Protocol, since when has protocol done anything for anyone? Think for yourself, this is serious, not some stupid leak in the girls locker room!” She retorted. She waved the file in the air “This says Elizabeth M Kraig on it, not ‘No one look at it and let all the freaking anomalies escape and maim us horribly’!” She snatched a pen from her pocket, signed the file and handed it to a gormless technician on the sidelines. “Get this fixed, NOW” she ordered.
“Ma’am, with all due respect, this is the first time a fault of this sort happened, how were we supposed to know how serious it could be,” one of the techs said as he stood reading the notice from one of the overnight staff.
“Use your head, this project is very secretive and potentially very dangerous, your all scientists of some description, you know what is down there, any what would happen if it gets out. Next time there’s a problem, you call me immediately!” the woman explained. She took a look around the room once more, pale green on concrete blocks. She slowly left, her face flushed, she sighed again and slowly walked off down another corridor.
It seemed endless, the same old same old. She stopped at a large black metal double door and hefted it open. It creaked awkwardly.
Inside a small army of people in bulky yellow airtight suits moved around intensely, a sign had ‘Power grid’ written in big bold black letters. The place was huge, two large domes sat on the left of the room and they hummed quietly, and Elizabeth slowly walked across to a console with a few people gathered round it.
“Everything all right?” she asked cautiously as she peered through the blockade of bodies.
“Yes ma’am!” one of them replied, his eyes glued to the screen, and his fingers to the keyboard. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn’t seem to really notice who she was or get scared.
“Good, keep it that way,” she said, a deep cruelness hidden in her voice. She carried on towards another door, as she opened it, a vent discharged a sea of steam on the wall behind her, in that instant she looked like a super hero in a tacky film, silhouetted against the white steam.
As she strolled off down another hallway back to the operations room a horrible screech pierced the air. It wasn’t very loud, but she heard it. She looked down a corridor, almost pitch black, she knew where it went. Through some double doors, to a block of stairs 32 steps exactly though another door and down some more stairs, 32 of them, down a dark hallway and another at the third right. Down another level in a large lift. The cages, where they were kept. In the dark. A secret. Suddenly she carried on, ignoring what she just heard, it was a secret, and it was best to pretend she didn’t know the truth. Thinking about it to much made it real, she hated that, the reality of what was really going on, what she was doing, what she was a part of. It came again after only a few seconds, she stopped on the spot, looking round slowly. The guards that were patrolling the hallway had just come round the corner and didn’t even flinch.
She went back to investigate, carefully making her way down the dark creepy corridor. At the door, there were no guards, there should be four, two on each side, her nerves started to rocket. Where were they?
“Ma’am?” a voice said behind her. The voice had made her jump so she spun round hastily.
“What are you doing away from your posts?” she asked menacingly. In response two of the guards held up coffee cups, the two behind them just stood there like dummies. “ All four of you, to get four cups of coffee, I suggest you use your brains in the future, this isn’t Starbucks, your supposed working” she sneered, annoyed at how stupid people where in this place. She eyed each one with hawk eyes “Oh and thanks” she said as she neared them.
“For what?” one of them asked uneasily.
“Coffee! Though I prefer it black,” she said as she snatched a cup and turned on her heal. She knew she was feared by most of the staff, the director, the evil bitch, a heart of ice people said she had. In some ways it was fun. In other ways serious, to leave this job you had to be respected and trusted, the risk of exposure was just to high, to get ‘the sack’ was a very bad thing indeed, the only way out was when you were allowed to retire.
Her shoes echoed in the stairwell as she quickly descended, into the other corridor, it was dim, like when an energy saving light bulb just comes to life.
For some reason she always became cold when she went down into restricted areas, only authorised personnel were aloud to venture here. It was probably because she knew what was down there, like when you’re looking over your shoulder after watching a horror movie. She descended the second set of stairs, one of many, she hated the décor, big grey concrete blocks, it would at least be better if they tried to not make it so dark and gloomy. She went past four more guards stationed by a lift. She got into the caged lift, it seemed frail and pointless, but it would be a godsend if they got out, if any of them got out. The lift squeaked and whirred, as it’s motor burst into life, soon she was a level lower and continued onward.
Then a scientist in a white overcoat came out of a room, his front drenched in blood, he turned off somewhere as he whistled a happy tune. The cheery tune caused her to smile, but soon the whistling died away along with her smile.
One thing that annoyed her was how stupid people were, couldn’t they think for themselves? ‘Miss Director, please sign this so I can fix the toilets’ or ‘my tiny hands can’t carry four cups’. She sighed
****. She stumbled a little as the screech came again, it sounded quite close by, it wasn’t so loud, it just filled the emptiness of the whole complex. After checking her shoe she carried on, like someone regaining their dignity after falling when on stage, but luckily no-one saw her stumble.
Round the corner stood two guards, their eyes focused on the cage. Walking over to them she examined the cage. It had a structure made from thick metal, bullet proof glass in between sections with a sturdy door as well. It also had a kind of inner cage, like chicken wire, but it covered the whole cage except the floor, however the wire was thicker and definitely stronger than chicken wire. It was also electrified, she knew that much, and so did the thing inside it. It was dull in the cage, one small light was on, plus there was a small shelter, made from concrete blocks like everything else. The thing hid in the shadows.
By now the guards noticed the Directors presence, but they didn’t look at her, neither did she. She just stared at the cage and didn’t flinch, even when the thing screeched, she wasn’t going to be thought a coward just because she was a woman.
I might post the second half of the paragraph tomorrow.
Project: Indigo - Working title
The Worst Job in the World (Part A - 1800 words approx)
A tall blonde woman marched down the hallway, she wore an expensive black jacket as well as a black knee-length skirt that flowed as she walked. She was in her late forties and walked with purpose, under her left arm she carried a large black briefcase which was clamped in an iron grip. Her hair was short, white and spiked a tiny bit, the bright lights struck her eyes but they didn’t faze her. She wore black high-healed boots, they hammered on the floor as she moved, announcing her presence. It seemed deafening in the silent hallway. A pair of black leather gloves pocked out her pocket, small diamond earrings swung gently, she wore no rings on her fingers.
The hallway was simple; creamy colours with a hint of green, the woman began to approach two guards stationed at a door. They were clad in a traditional camouflage pattern, except it was deep red, dark blue and black instead of the usual range of greens. They also carried an assault rifle on their shoulders, as she neared they saluted, she didn’t reciprocate. She simply took a key card out of her jacket pocket and swiped herself in.
The walls were as plain as the ones outside, except this room was bustling, rows of desks with computers, and loads of people buzzed around. A short smartly dressed woman handed her a file, she took it, almost snatching it. Scanning it quickly she placed it down, a look of relief spread across her features but it was barely noticeable. A second woman approached, she also had a file with her.
“This is from the Safety Officer on Level -4,” said the woman as she placed it neatly on the desk.
“Thank you Kiera” she replied, she sat down slowly, whipped open the file and examined it. Apparently there were electrical faults in three of the cages on level –4, suddenly the woman’s face grew irritated.
“Kiera, when did this come in?” she asked as she got to her feet.
“About 2 hours ago ma’am when Mr Bashmer left” she replied, looking up curious.
“Didn’t anybody read it or get this fixed,” she hissed as she waved the file.
“No ma’am, it was addressed to you, but you-” Kiera stopped mid sentence as the other woman rushed out of the room.
She almost charged down the hallway, her boots louder than ever, she passed door after door, each one made from thick dull metal. She turned off down another hallway, the lights dimmer in this one, two more guards saluted as she passed but she ignored them. She stopped short in front of a door, her figure reflected on it, she admired it gently checking her hair and pushing at her wrinkles with disgust. As she put her key card in the slot it slipped from her grip, she sighed as she bent to pick it up, it read ‘Elizabeth Mercy Kraig’ After smoothing her skirt down she entered the room, a couple of people wearing white lab coats bustled round the cluttered room that was filled with hi-tech and expensive equipment.
“Right!” Elizabeth yelled louder than necessary, causing some of the other’s to jump in shock.
“Ma’am, a problem?” one of them stammered as he stood tensely.
“I want to know why I received a letter just now telling me about some electrical faults, why didn’t I get phoned, why wasn’t anything done about this, you know how serious any problem could be I hope, no matter how small,” she said firmly, she seemed to calmer than she first had been.
‘W…well, the usual protocol-” But she cut him off.
“Protocol, since when has protocol done anything for anyone? Think for yourself, this is serious, not some stupid leak in the girls locker room!” She retorted. She waved the file in the air “This says Elizabeth M Kraig on it, not ‘No one look at it and let all the freaking anomalies escape and maim us horribly’!” She snatched a pen from her pocket, signed the file and handed it to a gormless technician on the sidelines. “Get this fixed, NOW” she ordered.
“Ma’am, with all due respect, this is the first time a fault of this sort happened, how were we supposed to know how serious it could be,” one of the techs said as he stood reading the notice from one of the overnight staff.
“Use your head, this project is very secretive and potentially very dangerous, your all scientists of some description, you know what is down there, any what would happen if it gets out. Next time there’s a problem, you call me immediately!” the woman explained. She took a look around the room once more, pale green on concrete blocks. She slowly left, her face flushed, she sighed again and slowly walked off down another corridor.
It seemed endless, the same old same old. She stopped at a large black metal double door and hefted it open. It creaked awkwardly.
Inside a small army of people in bulky yellow airtight suits moved around intensely, a sign had ‘Power grid’ written in big bold black letters. The place was huge, two large domes sat on the left of the room and they hummed quietly, and Elizabeth slowly walked across to a console with a few people gathered round it.
“Everything all right?” she asked cautiously as she peered through the blockade of bodies.
“Yes ma’am!” one of them replied, his eyes glued to the screen, and his fingers to the keyboard. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn’t seem to really notice who she was or get scared.
“Good, keep it that way,” she said, a deep cruelness hidden in her voice. She carried on towards another door, as she opened it, a vent discharged a sea of steam on the wall behind her, in that instant she looked like a super hero in a tacky film, silhouetted against the white steam.
As she strolled off down another hallway back to the operations room a horrible screech pierced the air. It wasn’t very loud, but she heard it. She looked down a corridor, almost pitch black, she knew where it went. Through some double doors, to a block of stairs 32 steps exactly though another door and down some more stairs, 32 of them, down a dark hallway and another at the third right. Down another level in a large lift. The cages, where they were kept. In the dark. A secret. Suddenly she carried on, ignoring what she just heard, it was a secret, and it was best to pretend she didn’t know the truth. Thinking about it to much made it real, she hated that, the reality of what was really going on, what she was doing, what she was a part of. It came again after only a few seconds, she stopped on the spot, looking round slowly. The guards that were patrolling the hallway had just come round the corner and didn’t even flinch.
She went back to investigate, carefully making her way down the dark creepy corridor. At the door, there were no guards, there should be four, two on each side, her nerves started to rocket. Where were they?
“Ma’am?” a voice said behind her. The voice had made her jump so she spun round hastily.
“What are you doing away from your posts?” she asked menacingly. In response two of the guards held up coffee cups, the two behind them just stood there like dummies. “ All four of you, to get four cups of coffee, I suggest you use your brains in the future, this isn’t Starbucks, your supposed working” she sneered, annoyed at how stupid people where in this place. She eyed each one with hawk eyes “Oh and thanks” she said as she neared them.
“For what?” one of them asked uneasily.
“Coffee! Though I prefer it black,” she said as she snatched a cup and turned on her heal. She knew she was feared by most of the staff, the director, the evil bitch, a heart of ice people said she had. In some ways it was fun. In other ways serious, to leave this job you had to be respected and trusted, the risk of exposure was just to high, to get ‘the sack’ was a very bad thing indeed, the only way out was when you were allowed to retire.
Her shoes echoed in the stairwell as she quickly descended, into the other corridor, it was dim, like when an energy saving light bulb just comes to life.
For some reason she always became cold when she went down into restricted areas, only authorised personnel were aloud to venture here. It was probably because she knew what was down there, like when you’re looking over your shoulder after watching a horror movie. She descended the second set of stairs, one of many, she hated the décor, big grey concrete blocks, it would at least be better if they tried to not make it so dark and gloomy. She went past four more guards stationed by a lift. She got into the caged lift, it seemed frail and pointless, but it would be a godsend if they got out, if any of them got out. The lift squeaked and whirred, as it’s motor burst into life, soon she was a level lower and continued onward.
Then a scientist in a white overcoat came out of a room, his front drenched in blood, he turned off somewhere as he whistled a happy tune. The cheery tune caused her to smile, but soon the whistling died away along with her smile.
One thing that annoyed her was how stupid people were, couldn’t they think for themselves? ‘Miss Director, please sign this so I can fix the toilets’ or ‘my tiny hands can’t carry four cups’. She sighed
****. She stumbled a little as the screech came again, it sounded quite close by, it wasn’t so loud, it just filled the emptiness of the whole complex. After checking her shoe she carried on, like someone regaining their dignity after falling when on stage, but luckily no-one saw her stumble.
Round the corner stood two guards, their eyes focused on the cage. Walking over to them she examined the cage. It had a structure made from thick metal, bullet proof glass in between sections with a sturdy door as well. It also had a kind of inner cage, like chicken wire, but it covered the whole cage except the floor, however the wire was thicker and definitely stronger than chicken wire. It was also electrified, she knew that much, and so did the thing inside it. It was dull in the cage, one small light was on, plus there was a small shelter, made from concrete blocks like everything else. The thing hid in the shadows.
By now the guards noticed the Directors presence, but they didn’t look at her, neither did she. She just stared at the cage and didn’t flinch, even when the thing screeched, she wasn’t going to be thought a coward just because she was a woman.
