Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Concluded Leisure Unsure Sauce

So today I have no good blog ideas, so I will be writing a short story based off of randomly generated phrases using this:
http://watchout4snakes.com/creativitytools/randomword/randomphrase.aspx
The way this works is I'll take the first pair of words as the prompt, and the second two will be used somewhere in the story. This should be fun. 

"concluded leisure unsure sauce"

Worker 2984 sat in the bleak center of the break room watching television.   2984 was told that enjoyment should be derived from the leisure time; so 2984 allowed himself to feel pleasure from watching the television..  2984 turned his head mechanically towards the clock as he heard the sound of the characteristic click that came before the announcements.
Click. "Leisure time will conclude in five minutes and 39 seconds," a female voice sang out.  Her voice had been perfected to sound emotionless while still being a pleasure to listen to.  Only if one listened closely could they tell that the voice had a slight change in the fluidity of it's pitch, signifying that the voice was indeed a robot.   Computer or not, Worker 2984 was in love.  Everyday the voice would sing out, reminding workers when to wake up, get dressed, eat, work, leisure, eat, work, go home, eat, sleep.  2984's one happiness was to wake up in the morning to the sound of her voice.  He named her 5. It was a pretty name, he thought, so exotic and unique.  That morning he had stayed in bed just to hear her say,
Click.  "Worker 2984, wake up! Wake up! Time for work! Wake up! Do not be late, Worker 2984!"
It was so unlike him, to sleep in late.  But, it was then that he had realized that he loved her, in that moment when she had said his name.

Click. "Leisure time has now concluded.  Please return to your work, workers."

The rest of the workers filed out obediently to return to their jobs making sauce, but 2984 lingered behind, unsure.  One minute passed. Then two.

Click. "Leisure time has now concluded.  Please return to your work, Worker 2984."

Five minutes passed. Then ten.  Then twenty.  Every two minutes, 5's heavenly voice would sing down.

Click. "Leisure time has now concluded.  Please return to your work, Worker 2984."

2984 waited for one of the bosses, probably Boss 34, to come in and drag him back to the sauce factory floor, but no one came. 2984 didn't know why he stayed.  Something kept him glued to the spot as he gazed up at the intercom.  Perhaps it was in the way she said his name, but 2984 was unsure.  He knew one thing, however.  He knew that no force in the world could drag him away from here in that moment. 

Click. "Leisure time has now concluded.  Please return to your work, Worker 2984."

Suddenly an idea struck him.  It was an innocent idea, a harmless one.  But no one had ever done it.  He stood up suddenly.  But in that moment his confidence abandoned him and he was left feeling unsure.

"5?"  He whispered hesitantly, saying her name aloud for the first time.  He liked the way her name tasted on his lips, how smooth and easy it was to say.  She did not respond.

"5?" He tried again, a little louder, his voice suddenly hoarse.  There was the usual click before the voice, but there was a long pause of silence.

"Worker 2984." 5 suddenly said, her sweet voice somehow different than before, but still the same.  2984 was suddenly struck with panic. What should he say now?

Suddenly he could hear the sound of footsteps down the hall, heavy, heavy, footsteps.

"5!" He cried out. The boss entered the room, "5!" He cried out again as he was dragged out of the break room.  He knew the punishment would be severe.

"5!" He was sobbing now, he had never sobbed.   He struggled against the ginormous man that was Boss 34, trying to get back to the intercom. He had never struggled.  He just wanted to hear her voice.
The door began to close.  Faintly, as if in a dream, a sweet mechanical voice floated through the crack of the closing door.

"Goodbye Worker 2984."

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