Chronicles of the Unseen: Unveiling the Extraordinary

By Rafael Lima

Chronicles of the Unseen is a captivating collection of short stories and flash fiction exploring the depths of human experience. From the trials and tribulations of the overworked to the mysteries that lurk in the shadows, this anthology shows the lives of ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations.

 

In "I Have Too Much Work," a woman grapples with the consequences of an endless workload, while "Journey Without a Script" follows two drug dealers on an unexpected quest with the help of unsuspecting police officers. "From the Internet to Reality" chronicles a young man's transformation as he applies online advice to his life, and "The Game of Life" tells the heart-wrenching story of a teenager torn between his dreams and family obligations. "The Mysterious House" generates amazement and admiration in two friends.

 

The anthology also features intriguing flash fiction pieces, such as "The Old Woman and the Bird," where a bird daily visits an old woman and suddenly disappears, and "The City of Factories," which examines the impact of industrialization on a community. "Sacred Saturday" reveals a boy's unwavering dedication to his prized possession, while "The Briefcase" and "The E-mail" explore the secrets and surprises hidden within seemingly ordinary objects.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rafael Lima
• Release date: Apr 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224857654

Rafael Lima

Brasil, 1989 Graduado em Processos Gerenciais e M.B.A. em Gestão Estratégica de Projetos pelo Centro Universitário UNA. Cristão pela Graça de Deus. Apaixonado pela escrita (português, espanhol e inglês), poeta e romancista. Um poeta e escritor, que compartilha seus pensamentos através dos versos dos poemas e dos capítulos dos romances. Também escrevo em inglês e espanhol para alcançar mais pessoas em mais lugares. No tempo livre, gosto de videogames, filmes e séries. Fico pensando no dia em que um de meus livros será a base para uma destas produções…

Book preview

I Have Too Much Work

M arina, a man said , please, in my office.

Yes, boss, she sighed.

Marina left her desk and went to her boss’s office. He seemed a little agitated and nervous. She showed a tired expression because she had been doing the same tedious task for many hours: filling out spreadsheets and preparing sales reports.

Sit down, he said.

She sat down, and he continued, Marina, as you know and have noticed, the company is going through a restructuring process. And with that, some people have been laid off, and those we consider the best, like you, have been kept.

What a blah blah blah. Marina thought. I only stayed in the company because I can perform many tasks and rarely complain about anything.

I’m very grateful for the recognition, she responded.

And once again, we’ll recognize your work. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be in charge of a small team.

Finally, a promotion! she thought and smiled.

However...

There’s always a however.

There will be no salary increase. You’ll be in a trial period, and then we’ll analyze what has been done and discuss the salary. Is that all right?

Everything is great! she replied with feigned enthusiasm.

Marina knew the promise of a salary increase was a lie, just like many other promises she had heard in that company. A few months ago, the layoffs began and affected all departments. The dismissals were daily, always at the end of the workday; on some days, more than ten employees were fired.

And those who remained, like Marina, had to take on all the tasks of those who left. At first, management said it would be temporary and last until the hiring of new employees. However, no one was hired, and the temporary became permanent. Marina was performing her previous tasks and the tasks of two other people. Most days, she could not even take her lunch break; she had to eat quickly and return to work. In addition, overtime had already become part of her standard workday; she arrived at the company at eight in the morning and left around eight or nine at night. And not to mention the work done on Saturdays, and during periods of high demand, not even Sunday was free. This endless routine led Marina to exhaustion and burnout.

Marina returned to her boring routine and thought about what she would face when taking on a team.

The next day, Marina was introduced to the team. She already knew all the people and knew that everyone was in the same situation as her: overloaded and exhausted. She talked to them in a meeting room.

Everyone here already knows each other and knows how to work. And most importantly, everyone knows what others are going through in the same situation. So, to simplify things, let’s continue with our work, and I ask that you keep me informed about what you are doing. Let’s try to have some level of team management, she said, disheartened.

We are a great team, responded a woman. The five of us do the work of almost twenty people.

Everyone laughed at the joke, but inside, they were desperate about that situation.

Marina and her team continued their routines as if there had been no change, all working exhaustively.

After a few weeks, Marina’s boss requested detailed information about the work done by the team, as well as individual performance indicators and details about her management. She felt uncomfortable with that request, as she could only provide information about the work done. It was virtually impossible to obtain the other information because it was related to effective team management, which was impossible to achieve with that accelerated and disorganized work pace. Marina did her best to meet the request. And this costs her more working hours and fatigue. She was working from seven in the morning until ten at night.

Months passed, and nothing changed in Marina’s career; she continued to receive the same salary, the workload remained high, and she continued to be tired.

One day, she was working and suddenly felt the office light flicker. She looked around and waited a few seconds to return to work. She continued what she was doing and noticed another flicker in the light. This time, everything went dark, and then the light returned.

Did the light flicker? Marina asked her colleagues.

No, they answered.

I thought I saw...

Marina fainted at her desk. Her colleagues helped her and took her to the hospital. She woke up a few hours later, not knowing what had happened.

A doctor went to her room and talked to her.

Marina, is this the first time this has happened?

The first time?