Hamlin Inc.

CHAPTER 1 - 2

Chapter 1 - 2

11.17.2015

13:49

Tom Hamlin

"Ladies and gentlemen," Its going to be okay. "I have some bad news today on this cloudy day." It isn't going to be okay. There is no way out. I just can't do it. "I have been reported to, that two of my employees were accidentally caught in one of the heating units. They were reportedly cleaning the units when my assistant pressed a button that would start them. He figured they were both probably out by then." I wonder how he is doing awaiting fake trial? He can't possibly attend a real one. He doesn't exist. "Their names were Joshua Swirl and Quinton Shire." Ah, Joshua Swirl and Quinton Shire. Those were some nights in the making. I had to think of those names for a total of three full nights before I came up with those names. If I didn't my life was in stake and I would die alone. At least this way I can finally rename my factory and still live to see it succeed. "Can we please take a moment of silence for Joshua and Quinton?" I lower my head to face my shoes. My light gray suit doesn't look very pleasant since I couldn't get it ironed in time for the public announcement. Who forgets to iron their suit?

Are people actually mourning them? I look around as far as I can without raising my head and being considered disrespectful. Everyone I can see looks to be lowering their heads without question. Yes! Perfect, just what I intended for them to do. I raise my head, I feel the wind breeze through my short, curly hair. I stumble backwards for a moment. I guess I raised up to quickly for my body to adjust to the different stance. "Alright. Time for the big announcement. So you all know that this company has been named Hamlin Incorporated since I first opened it right?" I can't turn back now. I have already set the puzzle piece in its place. There is no way I can change my mind and turn back now. "Up until now, I have been waiting for the perfect time to change the name. It just didn't fit very well anymore since I became bigger in this town. Now that I have made my mark here, I thought I needed a bigger name to hold a bigger company." The time is now, spring the announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, Swirl and Shire incorporated." The green tarp I had set up earlier today is dragged off the new sign. Light blue and yellow stripes run through each and every letter. And a square lies below, in the same style as the letters. That is the new logo. Why not have your logo as well as you name on a factory? I am not going to put it anywhere else besides on my boxes of chocolate, and the wrappers of the chocolate bars.

"Impressive isn't it? I just wanted to say that-" Suddenly screaming erupts from the back of the crowd. I look over at the madness unfolding. A man in a tiger mask stands beside her, mostly out of view from me. The girl falls to the ground with a knife sticking out of her green, blood covered t-shirt. I now realize what is going on. The man continually kicks her with his boots. She screams horrifically until she stops with silence. I recognize she quit screaming through the other hundreds of screams taking place in the crowd. People scatter across the street, trying to escape a dozen other attackers. No one is fighting back, I guess they are in fight or flight mode. They all chose flight. Bullets begin flying across the crowd as innocent people drop dead to the ground. My mind goes blank. No possible outs are available in this situation. I haft to do something before any more innocent people die.

Hands grab my shoulders and begin dragging me across the empty space behind my podium. I struggle to escape, I haft to save them. Somehow. I can't let them suffer any longer without them all dying with me watching them. If I let them die, it is as if I killed them. Four more hands reach from my arms and pull me backwards. I begin yelling for them to stop. "Stop it! I haft to save them!" None of them listen to me. I swing my leg backwards, hoping to connect with someones crotch. No luck. The hands hold on fiercely as I try to swing my arms now. Not a single hand is loose enough to let go.

Sirens go off in the distance, coming closer and closer with every second I try to escape. "Hamlin! Stop it!" One of my workers yell. I ignore them and pull my arms with all my strength. No one is budging, its as if they had giant metal clamps around my arms and legs.

The Police officers arrive as soon as I am drug into my building and let go. The doors of opportunity to save the remaining few is low. I rub my arms where hands had been. They are raw and painful to touch. The factory workers reach for the door handles and pull them closed. Before the doors completely shut closed, I scream with the last of my strength. "Let me save them!"