'Overslept' (5 Minute Freewrite)

This post is a continuation of the story I wrote in a previous freewrite, which was called Storm Warning.

‘What sort of time do you call this?’ Alan Corcoran – CEO of the fledgling childrens’ charity Helpful Minds, Helpful Hearts – asks irritably as Lexi sheepishly trudges into the office.

‘Sorry, Alan,’ Lexi mutters. ‘I … um, I overslept.’

That’s a lie. She didn’t oversleep. Instead, she spent ages staring blankly at the phone after Tyra had hung up on her, followed by repeated attempts to call Colin. A frantic text to Tyra – Ty, please believe me: I am so, so sorry. I’ll explain everything as soon as you’re ready to talk to me. I hope with all my heart that Colin is found safe – has remained unanswered.

He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine. So will Tyra. She has to keep telling herself that. The alternative is too terrible to contemplate.

‘Well, get your ass over to your desk,’ Alan harrumphs. ‘We’re not running a charity for hopeless cases who can’t get their shit together.’ The glint of mischief that always comes into his eyes when he is about to make a particularly cringe-worthy joke. ‘Though we are running a charity, full stop. Hahahaha…’

Lexi groans. ‘You and your fucking jokes, Alan.’

‘You and your fucking tardiness,’ he fires back at her. ‘Set a goddamn alarm in future!’

‘Yeah yeah,’ she replies dully, taking a seat at her desk. She doesn’t want to say anything about Tyra’s phone call, or about Colin. She will sit here, she will get through her emails as planned this morning, and she will not think about it. Maybe then the whole nightmare will seem less real to her.

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This is a response to @mariannewest's most recent freewrite prompt, 'overslept'.

Image Source: Open Photo