March 21-27

[Melody]

Your challenge for this week:

You’re late for work because you overslept, but your boss hates over-sleepers. He does love entertaining stories, so create the most outlandish excuse as to why you were late. Have fun!

-Mel

[Melody]

My name is Trevor Clark. This is the story of how I died.

I run my hands back and forth nervously across the think arms of the office chair. It's solid oak—expensive. The winter sunlight, filtered by thick curtains, feels cold and uninviting. Why did it have to be so cold this morning? Why didn't I make sure my car battery was charged?
Mr. Wilder, my boss, is new at the law firm. But his reputation has proceeded itself. He abhors late employees—I heard that he fired three guys for being tardy at his last office. Maybe those stories are horribly blown out of proportion, I think. Maybe he isn't so bad.
Yeah, and maybe the Canucks will win the Stanley cup next year, too.
I sink lower into the chair, feeling even more hopeless.
“Mr. Clark, would you care to explain your tardiness?”
Mr. Wilder is sitting at his desk, less than five feet away from me. His eyes are scrutinizing. They make me want to run and hide. Or scream. Or both.
I remember another rumor I've heard about him. He loves a good story, if told properly.
“Well, you see, it went this way, sir.” My mind races. I must have a good story! “I was on my way to work this morning, at about 5:30am as usual. Then this heard of cows ran across the road.”
“Cows? In New York?” he asks.
“Yes, sir. They caused an awful lot of accidents. I parked my car on the side of the road, and began walking. I hoped I could catch a bus, and still make it to work on time—I hate being late, you know. I cut across the park, hopping to make better time.
“Suddenly, a bight light appeared. It hung in the sky, hovering about twenty yards away. Then it began to get closer. And closer. Then suddenly, it landed! It made no sound; there was something unnatural about it.” I can see I have his attention. I continue:
“Three creatures got out. They were short, and blue. They had four legs and four—no, six—arms. Their heads were huge in proportion to their bodies, and they had two long antenna's.” I pause. How should I continue? I remember a scene from Lilo & Stitch.
“I tried to run, but these creatures were using some kind of a ray gun. I couldn't move. They grabbed me, and put me in their ship. Then they injected me with something—I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was in a small, glass ball. There were creatures all around me, of all colors and shapes.
“They seemed to be holding some sort of court session. I think they were arguing over what to do with me. After what seemed like hours, they finally made a decision. A couple brutish looking chaps got me, and dragged me to this laboratory type thing. It was a large room, filled with many strange instruments.” At this point, even I'm getting enthralled in the story. It dawns on me that I may be over doing it, but against my better judgment, I continue:
“They forced me into a large chair, and strapped me into it. The next  thing I knew, they were poking and prodding me with strange instruments. This lasted for several minutes. Then, the room emptied as each creature rushed off to do tests on their samples.
“I managed to break free of the chair. Somehow, I found my way out of the building. I put on a sort of plastic suit as a disguise, and also as a precaution—I doubted I would be able to breath the atmospheric outside. I dashed across the barren rocky surface, and made my way into the launch bay area. There was an unattended saucer.
“There were so many buttons I doubted I could start it, but somehow, I got everything fired up and working. I gently eased it out off the ground. The moment I gave it thrust, an alarm went off. Giving it more speed, I headed in what I guessed the direction of Earth to be.
“In my peripheral vision, I saw spaceships coming at me from either side. They fired. I tried to out maneuver the missiles, but I didn't have enough working knowledge of the saucer. The hit me head on, bursting into a bright array of orange and red. Sadly, I died.”
I bit my tongue the moment the words left my mouth. I glance fearfully towards Mr. Wilder. His face his hard to discern; he'd be an ace at poker.
“Mr. Clark,” he begins slowly. “You must think I'm a fool, if you expect me to believe that tale.”
That's it. I'm over, I'm through, I'm dead. For real, this time.
“However,” he adds, “with an imagination like that, you're invaluable to this firm. That was some good story telling, son.”
“Thank you, sir,” I say, relief spreading through me like warm rays of sunlight.
“Just don't let it happen again,” he says with a wink, turning back to his paper work.
“No, sir. I won't.”

[Natarsha]

This rushed and it probably doesn't flow but I have a lot on my plate and I really wanted to get my story done so here ^-^

I rushed into the building at a fast pace “I’M HERE!” I shouted just as the clock ticked to 9:01 AM. “Mr Jones. In my office, NOW!” I gulp and catch my breath wearing my nicest suit and blue tie, freshly polished shoes I took a step into the office,

“I can expla-“I get cut off by the booming voice of my boss “Close the door, Jones. And take a seat” I close the door and take a seat on the leather chair, “Would you like to explain why you are late?” I sink into the chair Oh dear someone shoot me... “Well you see it’s quite a story” I say worryingly “Oh how I love stories, please tell me” I gulp and begin my hands shaking,

“So I was at Starbucks getting your coffee as per usual eight on the dot , and then out of nowhere these big talons came crashing through the roof of the building and gripped me by my shoulders, I looked up to what seem to be an bald eagle,” he looked at me bewildered                                            
“A bald eagle? In New Zealand?” I nod
“Yes sir, it swooped down picked me up and took me to Mount Everest where it then placed me in its nest, now here I was surrounded by this huge eagle that’s wing span was the length of the sky tower and I was surrounded by what seemed to be eggs, and I thought to myself this is it, I’m bird food.” He had this sort of outlandish look on his face as inhaled and took a deep breath and continued

“So here I was about to die, and bam these pirates who were on holiday came down, and saved me from this eagle but then they captured me!, so I was tied up put into a potato sack and was carried down the mountain and thrown in a truck, I don’t know where we were going but I assumed it was to their boat. Then when the sack was lifted I was in a dark room, and they seemed to be deciding whether or not to kill me so I was sitting there scared out of my boots, so as they were deciding the huddled in a circle so I ran out of there as fast as one can with a chair tied to them, but there was no time to lose because I could not be late for work, I have never been late, it will say right there in my records.” He looks at me rather smug and motions for me to continue,

“Anyway here I am running through the country side, a chair tied to my back what a sight that must have been. But here I am running past farmers, and cattle to the direction which I assumed was the city, after I thought I had ran fast enough I broke the chair and cut the ropes, I then took a bus into the city which was four blocks away from the office so I ran I got the elevator at 8:49AM but then get this the elevator was broken so I had to run about the stairs, to which I found a lady fighting for her life so I stayed with her and gave her CPR till the ambulance came, the time was 8:55AM I knew I could make it but the last flight of stairs within those five minutes, so after the ambulance took her away I ran as fast as I could up the stairs and burst into the office, but it was the wrong door and level I checked my watch and it was 8:58AM I had one more flight to run up so I did, I ran as fast as I could, but my legs were too tired and I feel so I crawled up the stairs, I got to the door and stood up, but the door was locked so I fumbled with my keys and just as I got in the clock ticked to 9:01AM, and that sir is why I am late” the look my boss gave me was a sense of disbelief and amusement,
“Well you know I do not tolerate lateness, but I do tolerate good stories and that was top notch, you have a wild imagination my friend” He says standing up, and I get out of my seat
“Thank you sir” I smile with delight “Now get back to work Jones!” I speed out of the office and to my desk, to start the day of journalism.

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