The Tragic Death
of Corporate Man
a hero for capitalism;
champion of the working class
by Tom Landaluce
Section 8:
Office of the
Pyramid.
8.a.
“What the hell
is this?” said Franklin Buck gesturing to a pool of water where the elevator
should have been. Nothing about the
elevator shaft seemed quite right now that he looked at it closely. It was too well lit and gleaming white. Small circular lights squatted against the
sidewalls and dashed an intermittent line all the way up the shaft and down below
the water’s surface. The water was a
questionable glowing blue and smelled like lemons with only the faintest trace
of chlorine.
“Looks like
water,” said Business Woman.
“I can see
that,” said Franklin Buck.
“There’s a
cabinet full of inflatable inner tubes out here in the hall,” said Senior
Executive as he joined them in the peculiar shaft.
“So…
what? We’re supposed to relax? Take a cigarette break? Go for a dip?” Franklin Buck said, his hand
gestures becoming a little more pronounced.
“Don’t know
about you, but I could use a soak,” said Business Woman.
“Are you
serious?”
She said
nothing and walked out into the hall to fetch an inner tube. When she returned she pressed a button on the
side of the device, and it self inflated.
She tossed it into the water, jumped in, and then pulled herself up onto
it and floated. A large grin spread
across her face and a dark red stain spread across the water.
“This is
crazy,” said Franklin Buck.
“Ah. See now that there is what I missed you
Franklin. You were the voice of… well
not reason, but whatever. I don’t care
why this pool is here, but here it is and I got blood, and who knows what else,
all over me and I’d just as soon have it washed off since a good deal of it
belonged to a colleague of mine.”
Franklin Buck
bit his lip and looked down. Then he
walked out of the elevator room, retrieved an inner tube from the conveniently
placed cabinet, and joined Business Woman in the pool.
Corporate Man,
Senior Executive, and a wobbly Commander Credit did the same.
They floated
in the blood darkened pool, each pretending not to notice the fabric scraps and
fleshy bits that sank slowly and disappeared into the depths. A gentle tone sounded and a pleasant robotic
voice said, “Contaminants detected.
Please pardon the audio inconvenience as the water is refreshed.”
A low whir,
apparently the extent of the audio inconvenience, preceded a slight agitation
in the pool. After a minute or so the
water was a sparkling blue once more.
“So,
Franklin,” said Business Woman. “Where the
hell did you go anyway?”
Franklin Buck
rolled his eyes and said, “Down.”
“Down? Would you care to elaborate?”
“Maybe this is
an elevator after all. Push it,” said Corporate
Man.
Franklin Buck
pressed the button. There was a hissing thunk as the elevator doors closed and
a stampede of bubbles floated up from the depths. Then the water level began to rise.
