Forgotten Chambers

My life feels perfect in every way. I have a great career, a nice house, good health, and best of all my smoking hot Heather to share it all with. I never understood why she decided to drop law and instead work with inner-city youth, who the system gave up on long ago, but it was her passion. Those kids need a good influence like her around. Hell, I need a good influence even more.

A rolling fog of steam creeps from under the door as she showers. Heather is so full of grace and beauty, I will never understand why she has chosen to live a life trapped with a taste designer. Heather doesn’t finish in the shower until I’m preparing to walk out the door. My throat was still burning from drinking coffee before it had a chance to cool down. “Hey, Mark?” She leans out of the bathroom door just enough to tease me. “Have you seen my locket? The one you gave me for my birthday last year.” I half-heartedly did a little once over before saying, “Can’t find it baby, love you.” I closed the door before I could hear her response.

I couldn’t be late for the meeting today. Finally, we get to push out the seventeenth iteration of FOODSTUFFS. This project has been my baby for the past nine months. I open the door to my REDCAR brand vehicle. Such a dependable brand for important men REDCAR is, I think as I put it in G for go. I had left the radio on from the day before, and it was still on one two three point four the GOODMUSIC station. The pleasing soft pop-rock begins to play just before I pull out of the neighborhood of SEVERAL HOUSES gated community.

On the drive to work, I noticed some of our handiwork on the passing billboards. CHOCOLATE RECTANGLE- “your children will beg for it”. I had helped Doug with the tagline of the new candy bar, and Management seemed to respond well to my directness. This is no doubt why the council has appointed me to be the project manager of the new FOODSTUFFS release. The sky is pale grey with only a sliver of the sun's rays able to break through the smog. Wish the Management would get a committee together to come up with an action plan to fix that. Up ahead I see a dirty young girl standing on the side of the road with a sign which read, Hungry needs food, God bless you. I didn’t make eye contact with the vagrant. Exactly the way Management trained us not to. The system would take care of her. I gave one more glance at her through my rearview and noticed she had flipped the cardboard around. The sign now read, Fuck the Management! Written in big bold font. That was a brave statement indeed. A stupid one that would get her in trouble. A van with SYSTEM painted across the side, stopped beside the woman. They must have seen her sign too. They flipped on green and purple emergency lights as uniformed soldiers in full gas masks armed with rifles piled out. I watched them dragging her into the side alley. “Eyes forward Mark.” “It isn’t your problem. See, the system took care of it.” I glance down at my TIMEKEEPER watch and see I have exactly enough time to make it upstairs to prep my graphic illustrations and charts for the sales meeting. “This is my chance to be somebody.”

The elevator up to the highest floor was massive. Easily could fit 30 or so people. This made my solitary ride to the top just a little unnerving. I was letting stress get to me. It's right then I remembered I forgot to bring my BEATITUDE tablet dispenser with me. This would not be good if I seemed nervous in front of the Management. I sit down in the middle of the floor. I lower my head in reverence as I pray to Management that its earthly avatar may show mercy on me. I finish the fifty-second line of the workplace-approved prayer when the elevator door chimes that I have reached my destination.

The door opens with a loud whining sound like two balloons being rubbed together. The front desk woman stares at me wordlessly as I approach. She is massive. Much larger than any human female. Her yellowing skin is lumpy and shifts under her clothing like melting ice cream. She takes a rather large file to the wicked talons at the end of her short stubby hands. “Name.” Her speech loud and sudden causes me to jump. “Oh. Ugh. I have an appointment.” I say with what remaining dignity I could summon. She lets out a rolling laugh which causes convulsions throughout her massive frame. “ WELL GOOD FOR YOU!” Her sarcasm though warranted came off blunt and a bit aggressive for the situation but I was used to her people’s way of speaking. All Management are rude and self-centered but they now rule the world using a web of complex bureaucracy that the untrained and undereducated people of the world only understand enough to utilize but not enough to stand against it. Just as the front desk thing was preparing to give me a good tongue lashing for my slight, the door opened and three abominations seated atop stone altars of eldritch design which defy all known geometry cast their horrid gazes down upon me. They collectively are known as the Upper Management.

The one sitting furthest to left looked like a massive female with a muscular build until you reached her neck. She possessed the head of a giant ant, which stared lifelessly forward at me. Roach size ants crawled all over her and around her feet, a carpet of bugs moved like waves on a beach. The one closest to me on the right side of the great table looked like a bipedal humanoid but his entire body was made of arms. Hands interlock with each other to make joints, while others act as the eyes, nose, mouth, and teeth.” The final and most intimidating was the one and only Management Prime. His form is not unlike a giant grub worm with arms and legs. The Prime spoke first. “Mark, we are ready to be wowed. Begin!” It takes five and half minutes of uncomfortable silence for me to get ready for the presentation. The three monstrous overlords are completely silent throughout the meeting. As I finish the presentation, the Ant Queen stands clicking her mandibles. Mr. Arms open like a flower of movement as his many, many sets of hands begin to clap with thunderous applause. The Prime shows no emotion as he says, “Yes this is exemplary work Mark.” We need this kind of can-do attitude in middle management.” I let out an involuntary sigh of relief and wipe the sweat from my brow. The Prime stiffens for a moment. “Mark, are you alright?” I loosen the tie around my throat just a little bit before speaking. “No sir, I’m doing just fine. Just a little hot in here is all.” This answer seemed to satisfy the Prime. “MARK, we have one more thing to discuss.” He lifted my body as if it was nothing. I wasn’t afraid because the MANAGEMENT didn't hurt anyone. “We have decided that you have what it takes and will be giving you the promotion. Humans need leaders who understand the cycle. Produce, consume, and then do it all again. You seem to have a firm grasp of human obedience, which our firm belief is a basic necessity for a functioning society. But for you to truly appreciate this role we have decided a single male would be more productive and have fewer distractions so we will be removing your mate from you.” I didn’t think I heard what he said correctly. “I’m sorry what?” The words slip out with much more anger than I had intended. The three creatures exchanged worried looks for just a moment. “Mark, have you had your workplace approved BEATITUDE tablet today?” My face twisted in terror. He knew. “Umm well you see I forgot it in the car and”, I didn’t have a chance to say another word before Mr. Arm clamped a massive hand around my cheeks while his other arms restrained me like some giant octopus with too many limbs. The Ant Queen came over in an exaggerated runway model walk before producing a tablet dispenser. CLICK. The Prime leered down at me as it spoke. “Today will be a distant memory son. Human minds are so soft and delicate things. All you people need is to produce and consume. We are here to facilitate that end.” Mr. Arm squeezed my jaw till my cheeks puckered allowing the ant-faced vixen to place the tablet in my mouth. Mr. Arms made sure to massage my throat to make it go down. The effect was immediate as felt the flood of dopamine numb my brain into a pleasant state of imperturbation. The upper management talked amongst themselves after Mr. Arms finished rubbing my belly and placing me upright before them. Something about some girl. Heather something I think. Something about FOODSTUFFS needing more full-body ingredients. Oh well, that kind of stuff is above my pay grade and boy do I sure feel tired after this long day of work.

My life feels perfect in every way. I have a great career, a nice house, good health, and best of all I’m the only hot bachelor in my neighborhood. I never understood why some people lock away their potential by getting married. I’ll wait and marry some playboy bunny who likes to spend my money for me. This thought makes me laugh jua little bit as I start my morning workout; burpees then planks. I was in minute three of planks when something gold and shiny caught my eye. I had to slide halfway under my dresser to reach it. The metal was cold in my hand. It was covered in dust, but it looked like it was made of gold. It was a little heart-shaped locket. I opened it up to reveal a small picture of my face. Well, it looked like my face but something was different. I looked happy. And who was the brunette in the picture with me? An inscription on the opposite face read, To my beautiful Heather, My forever and ever. I don’t like the way this is making me feel. Started walking into my bathroom and reached for the EXTRA STRENGTH BEATITUDE tablet dispenser. As I stare in the mirror pill in hand I can hear her voice in my head. I love you, Mark. Promise we will be together forever baby. “Forever and ever” I mouth in response to the memory as it all starts to come back to me. I think about the first time we met. Our first dance. Our first kiss where I was feeling too shy but she pulled me into the best kiss I had in my whole life up to that point. I think about the upper management meeting before my promotion. How long ago had that been. I need to find Heather where was my wife. The memory hits me like ton of bricks. My ne product line. HEATHER BAR; “The taste that lasts forever and ever.” CLICK, the dispenser drops a single pill into my hand which I gulp down quickly. Well, off I go don’t want to be late for my first day working in the SYSTEM division.