Exhausted

"Sir, I think we have a problem."

"Oh yes? With what?"

"With Rachel Deeming, sir."

"Remind me - who is she?"

"She's a writer, sir. Not famous, sir but she is one of our most prolific."

"Mmmm, her name doesn't ring a bell. Should it?"

"Well, she's been responsible for quite a few creations, sir: assassins, wizards, psychopaths, mothers as well as some animal characters to name just a few, and as I said, sir, she has been prolific, writing 366 words and more a day for many days."

"Mmm, sounds hard-working and driven. Wish we had more like them!"

"Well, yes, sir, it would help with our fictional population targets, for sure."

"Sterling work then. Good on this Rebecca for her determination. Thanks for letting me know."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"There's a problem?"

"With what?"

"With Rachel?"

"Rachel?"

"Rachel Deeming, sir. The writer we were just talking about."

"Wasn't she called Rebecca a minute ago?"

"No, sir."

"Ah."

"She's floundering, sir."

"Floundering?"

"Floundering."

"Floundering? Like the fish? Ah, forgive me, but could you explain?"

"I think that something may have blown inside her, sir. Something significant and important and integral, sir."

"Like what?"

"Her brain, sir."

"Oh, yes, that would be significant."

"Yes."

"And is it the writing that has done this, we think?"

"Yes, sir. It is believed so."

"Were there signs to indicate she was struggling?"

"Well, yes, sir. There were signs of weaker plots and less rounded characters; repeated themes and the same words being used. Motifs of dubious significance. I understand too that there were some outside factors that have had a bearing on her performance."

"Such as?"

"Interrupted work time; extra demands made on her; a nasty paper cut on her index finger which made typing tricky; trying to be healthier by sitting less."

"I see. So, where does this leave us?"

"She's committed to produce for another 65880 words."

"Mmm. So, can we get someone else in?"

"No."

"Support her?"

"In what way?"

"Financial rewards? Spa days? Gin box?"

"Er, no, sir."

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to monitor her and see how she goes."

"Yes, sir. I'll set up a live feed."

"Very good."

"Right-o, sir."

***

366 words

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