Bruce Belanger

Prompt: Greatest Fear ‘Season’, Best Defence ‘Power’ - From Episode 06

I hate it when the seasons change. Spring, summer, fall, and winter would all be fine on their own, but the transition between them can be absolutely dreadful. Every single year pollen and other irritants rip my nostrils apart from the inside out. Today is no different as I enter the office with a plugged nose.

“Good morning, boss.” Linda greets me,  slightly concerned. “The allergies again?”

“Yeah, it’s just that time of year.” I grumble. “How’s the latest build of Project Delta? Has it complied yet?”

Linda shows me her computer. “I’m afraid not. Debugging the engine dragged on long into the night. They only started compiling when I arrived at seven.”

“Well, at least we’re back on track.” I’m manage to get these words out before releasing a hefty sneeze, covering Linda’s monitor in a green sticky fluid. Luckily, she isn’t in the way.

“Are you okay, sir?” She asked, examining my face. “Perhaps you should take a leave of absence. Go on a vacation.”

“But the Project--”

“We’re several months away from any public release. And we still need you to brainstorm a name.” She smugly reminded me. “No one’s here to stop you. You’re the one in power, remember?”

“True...” I concede. “But where should I go?”

“I’m not sure.” Linda admitted. “Maybe the high arctic? Barely anything grows there, so no pollen.”

“Hmmm... Good idea.” I think about it briefly. I remove my phone from my pocket and pull up a map of Canada’s three northern territories. One of their names suddenly captivates me.

“‘Yukon Engine’... That has a pretty nice ring to it.”

Bruce is a writer from Ontario, Canada and the writer of the audio drama ‘Susan’s Wish’ and the novel ‘The Power Of The Pen’, an urban fantasy story about a group of teenagers who stumble across a magical pen with the uncanny ability to write reality. His website is navalmaple.ca