They Kept Killing Hannah

 

A "Crowd Hoot" story

 

By Thelma Mary Caroline

 

 

 

 

"That is it, Hannah!" L J screamed.  "I am sick and tired of your %$#@!  Don't *&^%$ bother coming in tomorrow."

 

The captain slammed her office door behind her.  It seemed to resonate throughout the Condo.

 

"Whoa," Charley said.  "Someone's cranky today."

 

"How is that a punishment?" Cassandra commented, with fake empathy for Hannah.  "I'd love to have a day off.  It's not like it's going to affect your pay."

 

"Well ..." Kyle spoke up, albeit softly.  "I'd be upset, if L J didn't want me here."

 

Hannah didn't move.  She stared at her computer screen.

 

"Don't worry, Hannah," Charley said.  "It wasn't you.  It's definitly L J.  She's in a bad mood, is all."

 

Kyle stayed silent.  Otto had mentioned last night, that Hannah wouldn't be on L J's team anymore.  He hadn't said why, just that her team would be getting a new team member soon."

 

But her explosion, her implied termenation of employment ... that couldn't have been planned.

 

The woman stood up.  The others didn't even notice as the started bickering about the punishment.

 

She climbed the stairs as quietly as she could.  Creaks still happened occasionally.  Maybe L J just knew exactly where to step to avoid making noise.

 

Kyle placed her ear gently against L J's office door.  It was an old habit, one she'd never been able to drop.  Her parents had always argued horribly through her childhood.  She had always placed her ear against the door to see if she could hear them fighting, so she could mentally prepare for the worst if the need was there.

 

And it was a good thing she did.  L J was screaming horribly on the other side.

 

At first Kyle thought it was just as stress relief, but a half second later, she realized L J was screaming at someone.

 

"I told you already!  I don't want it to be Hannah!  She isn't ready!"

 

There was a long pause.  "I don't care what you think!  I must do a hell of a job, they've kept me so long.  Obviously you don't agree!"

 

Again she paused.  "It has nothing to do with Charlie.  Charlie is ready -- she has been for ... No, it's ... Well, fuck you!"

 

She slammed down the phone.

 

Kyle could hear her pacing back and forth.  But then suddenly the footsteps came towards the door.

 

Her eyes went wide and she scrambled down the stairs, barely slipping into her chair before the door came open with a bang.

 

L J stamped down the stairs, and headed towards the workstations.  Kyle was scared.  She had seen the captain upset before, she'd seen her pissed off.  But L J was genuinly angry.

 

The woman grabbed Hannah by the neck of her shirt and began walking towards the door.  Charley stood up and got in the captain's way.

 

"L J, you need to chill out!"

 

The captain of the team backhanded her so hard that her head jerked sideways.  The sound echoed throughout the entire buliding.

 

Charley's body size seemed to double, and she quickly blocked L J's path again.

 

"You did not just do that."

 

"Oh, didn't I?" the captain snarled.  "Get the Hell out of my way."

 

When Charley didn't budge, L J lifted her fist, ramming into the short haired woman's face.

 

Charley's hands flew to her face, and L J pulled Hannah out the front door, still by the cuff of her shirt.

 

It was as the door slammed behind them that Kyle realized Otto was standing at the corner of the balacony, head in his hand.