Mental burnout, leave note at door
{"The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results" - Han Fei... Today a coprompt by Team Galluna-CRB (which is not to be confused by the Iron Valluna/Falluna team which was only a few weeks back), or @calluna and @gaby-crb, dares strikes the ground hard. For whom? The @bananafish's own Finish the Story contest of every dæmon, angel and human realm. The emphasis? Legalism, the most dangerous drug known to all three and those beyond the three. Is this enough for an intro blurb? It was specified in my contract- ... Today's music-aide: Halcyon [1.] by NyxTheShield for Underverse+X!Tale.}
Banners by @f3nix
- Mental burnout -
The familiar ping jerked through my morning haze, the signal of a new email arriving in my inbox, blared from my laptop. I hastily tapped at the volume. My fingers circled around the warm mug in my hand, the hot brush of steam warning me not to take a sip yet. I checked the screen, 16 new emails already this morning. Working from home had seemed so much easier, I never liked the office, or being out on the road, at least at home I had my own brand of coffee, and my cat Neelix, but the emails never stopped.
I cleared through the top 10 as spam, another 5 were easily filed, the last however caught my attention. My eyes focused on the sender name, I hastily placed my mug on the table and clicked the email. The sound of the news playing on the TV melted into the background, even the smell of my burning toast didn't interrupt my focus.
Good day,
My name is Michael Kent, I am the personal attorney and sole executor to my late client, Mr Ian Dankworth, who shares the same surname with you.
After the death of my client, in an automobile incident, in the year 2007, the bank contacted me to provide his next of kin to inherit his fortune, totaling Thirty Seven Million Bruvna ($37,000,000.00) according to the existing bank records.
I have written several letters to his country embassy with the intent of locating any of his immediate or extended family who will stand as the next of kin and all my efforts has been to no avail.
I have received official letters from the board of directors of the holding bank in the last few weeks suggesting a likely precedent for confiscation of his abandoned personal assets in line with existing laws, therefore I have been issued a 30 working days ultimatum to provide his next of kin or forfeit the deposit.
From my professional experience I can use any and all legal means available to re-profile and present you as the next of kin to my deceased client since you share his surname, this would enable you put a claim to the funds on our behalf.
Please kindly indicate your interest by responding to this email so we can discuss further.
Yours sincerely,
Barr. Michael Kent
I glanced at the scuffed bag by the door, I had known Mr Kent would contact me eventually. I was the last person in the country with the surname Dankworth. As my eyes read over the email again, I laughed to myself, this had been easier than I initially thought.
Neelix stalked past the black bag, rubbing up against it, he then stopped and pulled out his claws, pulling at the plastic material.
I stood up fast in an attempt to scare him, knocking my coffee over my laptop in the process. I swore and grabbed at some tissues, watching as the black liquid slowly absorbed. I would forever be cleaning up my own mess.
leave note at door
- Ending by @theironfelix -
And so the computer screen played the "email sent" gif, yet my fingers twitched uncontrollably that not even morphine could quell the spasms. But Ms. Dankworth, of wherever that blerrie peckneck lives, shall receive the email. My papers on her haven't a clue if it really was a she, yet my mind prays that I even got that detail down right. Even then, Dankworth will probably even think the game set up is an actual reclamation case; just like how American pie is American.
My ears hear the knock bursting through the door, then the quiet rifle of the paper flying from under. Cane in hand, the wood floor felt my strength as my ears heard the sweet wooden screams. Five more strikes to the door would my ears relish in such, and six more back to the spinny chair. Swinging around before the octet of legs rolled me into the desk, my reading glasses faithfully landed down and helped me see the doctor-esque handwriting of this letter.
To our faithful Ms. Michæl Kent
Blimey, did I use Mr?- Wait, I didn't even use that pronoun... But that kerel will probably think me a he; heh, wait until that bugger sees me and cries that she got jinxed by a female scammer alright! Ha! But moving on.
It is within our attention to inform you about the last, possible, descendant of the Dankworth family:
Dankworth, unconfirmed on the actual gender and possibly in possession of weapons, has currently resided in a mansion located in Begriff, Val-Ignatius. Lives with a fellow animal mate that's a cat: gendered male and with the [expunged] name of Neelix. Other Dankworth personal has yet to be found, but the record shows that all other instances had died pre-Y2K.
Usually we don't seek to ask our fellow workers what to do when we send information, but for Fortuna's grace: figure out the gender of this last Dankworth. As such, this Dankworth shall be referred to as "they" and "their;" no other personal is involved so we shall not care for the willy-silly usage of "they" and "their" in future reference to Dankworth alone. Regarding that, we shall issue a nice stipend for every bit of information that can lead us to cracking their bank deposit - last counted at a hundred million bruvnas.
With gracious love and care,
[expunged]
Post scriptum: we didn't feel like telling this, but it might suit you to know this is your last assignment. Happy last assignment! Take care, Ms. Michæl Kent.
And so the fire at up the letter, like the hungry sons of a bee they were. If there was- well that thought shall wait as my thought must know who beckons for my attention.
Oh, they really did a number to respond now. Well, fingers, be steadfast! As now the night only becomes the young child it shall be when the sun dives below the horizon. Galluna of Cys-Ræl-Barn, I'm coming home soon! Just divine more patience now!
Two things: I shall be making a whisper, lest they got curie-upvoted, on the other entries, and I shall take a small break from the @bananafish except for Mizu No Oto and #tellastorytome!~
The former on Mizu No Oto is obvious, I am after a veteran there. #tellastorytome as hosted by @calluna finally returned and I so wanna enter into that so I can just tickle her- I mean finally enter into a long awaited contest. I developed some of my favorite independent stories there, only rivaled by @tygertyger's #electricdreams contest now. So yay!!!!~ *Makes Gay Happy noises as this post comes to a close~*
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I loved the change of pov and I've been intrigued by some of your figures of speech like the hyperbole "not even morphine could quell the spasms". Also, I liked this poetic fragment: "As now the night only becomes the young child it shall be when the sun dives below the horizon".
UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments!
You got some good eyes, me matey, to notice these details. I feel nice that you noticed those details in my writing! ~^^~
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One of the better stories you've written. Under the word count, yet still the subtle philosophical layers of meaning, with your signature quirky idioms. Well done.
UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments! And they only look better because I decided to be a jester and no more a sneerer and jeerer of the SHOW in “Show, don’t tell.” But yes, I do appreciate the comment all the more in my current mental stability~ c:
This is a story with an unmissable point, but there is a really good plot in here that shows consideration for and reflection on the first half.
The switch of perspectives feels almost like part of your signature style for FTS, jumping away from the character in the opening. You paint the scene here really well, there are some great bits of description, as always framed in the more external point of view of your style. I really enjoyed your more simplified descriptions, that still took some considering, but came together so very well. The way you describe the office chair <3
An interesting way to play on the first half, the person hoping to impersonate a family member of the deceased dankworth might actually be a family member! A fun way to twist this. There is the implication that the character in the first half was in some way expecting the email and may have taken steps, or done something, to get it. I really love how you have played that so whatever they did, it didn't matter, as the email about helping someone pose as a relative was a feign, and Ms Micheal has just been informed Ms Danksworth may actually be a descent of our dead man.
Had me very intrigued as to what information Ms Danksworth would provide that would help Ms Micheal crack the code to Ian Dankworth's bank deposit. This is only added to by the amount in the bank being considerably more than stated in the email. How deep does this scam run!? Very much enjoyed your picking up on the scam hints in the fist half, and how you worked with them.
Wonderfully done, working with elements in the first half to build a story with an unmissable message.
On a side note - 'kerel' was a bit of SA slang I didn't know, and very appropriate as it adds to the point you are making on gender and gender assumptions, using a word heavily associated as male, for a woman ;)
UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments and analysis and taking the time to read this and oh my God yay you read it!!!!~ :D :D :D :D
As long as people don't find trouble with it, gotta keep running it to give the (possible) information on the other side of a story. But yes, thanks for noticing my brush strokes and the style of the strokes now~ And yes, it was a pleasure to not sneer and jeer the SHOW in "Show, don't tell" and use both Show and Tell like a human being!~ And yes, very reminiscent of our fellow bardzopajak (veryspider) <3
Yes, very good explanation of what has happened here, and a better analysis of the farcical nature in the second half just so happening to work out here. And of course, life really does have a way with actions to do with what it wants to do but we all love life all the same with whatever it does with us~
Indeed, I am wondering myself what possible information good ole Ms Danksworth could provide to Ms Michael as to figure out the grand bank deposit. Feels like the story is shaping up to a pink panther like story or comedy heist story. But yes, I wonder even if the clientel of the scam know how deep it runs!!!! We can only tell maybe by [expunged]
Dziękuję for your comment once again, mój kochany.
Post scriptum: Proszę for the new word of "kerel" now~ (And good eye on noticing how that plays into the story!!!!~)
I'll be seeing you over at Tell a Story to Me. Glad to see that revived. Also in haiku land.
I like the way you defied expectation with pronouns here. Language matters. Language shapes thought and action. So, yes, always surprise.
What's the point of writing, or talking, if we deliver the expected That is something with which you will never be accused.
Peace, @theironfelix.
UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments!!!!~
Well, I shall see yah as well in there - especially #tellastorytome.
Just as language feeds into thought and action, the products feed back and reinforce what is what we call language. Always in flux as some who continue to reinforce and some others who will use to manipulate or fight against a current usage of particular aspects of language.
Interesting point to bring up a point OF writing/talking. But let's deceptive and let's not expand the conversation beyond what you have stated. Not out of some pseudo-ARG, but because I think you've down the topic justice enough.
<<<<3333!!!!~
Trademark Felix, happily swinging the story around to another perspective! You deliver up the point of the fallacy in gender assumption while crafting a well flowing story left open to possibility. 'Bugger' and 'kerel' (#moreinternetdictionaryloveforthisone), though heavily utilized in reference to males, aren't strictly confined to such defining.
Your descriptions provide the reader with a scope to the setting as the cane thumps to and from the door help one to visualize the room. Also to the point that the writer of the email uses a cane, one can speculate if it is due to a previous injury or an ailment.
Again, assumptions (those pesky things) of the email's contents legitimacy without the benefit of fact. (Side note, this line had me thinking of pie closets and how funny it would be if the secret to Dankworth's code was hidden within one owned by 'Ms. Dankworth'. See what you do to me? 😄)
Fun with names (ie: Galluna 😉), another trait to your writings, plays within your story as well. 'Begriff-Val-Ignatius' - 'Begriff' (d. an idea/concept) which is not only remembered from one of your earlier co-writes; Val (d. choice) from the Iron Valluna teaming; Ignatius (d. inferno/fired-up). This also allows more of a peak at the 'you' within the writing to come through as you are one who's brimming with ideas that you're fired up to express. 🤗
Kudos for the most affectionate tone in a letter of direction and notification of final assignment, by the way.
~Bris
UwU ~ Thanks for reading and thanks for the compliments! And I love swinging perspective like its candy, y'all!!!!~ And this time this was easy pickings to go all out on their identities with no fear for any action to be necessarily worried about. And yes, those two words are just lovely aren't they?~
Sounds are everything and can truly make and break entire entries, plus easy time to help establish an area with no worries of any meaningful shift in place. So had fun with developing the character as well to even include small details of Ms. Kent~
Assumptions the main game of the entry here! (Side note, gonna keep that a secret like how the krabby patty formula has been a secret for a while.)
Names! Names everywhere! Also word combos whenever I can slip are truly a treat for me and the reader as well. Good analysis as always~
(Kudos for having a good eye on details like that~)