Tales of the Groundbound: Counting and Accounts, Chapter 8.5

[steuben]

Chapter 8.5

Linus walked down the hall past the accounting offices. He always found the floors that the offices were unsettling. The whole section was a stark matte white, straight lines, and right angles. He always felt that lines were too straight and the angles too right. A small part of him thought that something was wrong with geometry here. That, maybe, he could walk a circle here turning right only three times. Perhaps worse, walk the same loop backwards having to turn left five times.

He walked past jars, each hand labeled with numbers in a precise script. He knew from previous trips they were filled beans. Occasionally there was a full jar with a small number. These were full of corn, rice, marbles, or something else. He paused in front of a new jar. It had two numbers on it. It was filled with peas. He shuddered at the thought of that fight, and that it could still be going on. Sometimes Mortimer and his staff scared him more than Katherine and her computers.

He walked past one of Mortimer’s computer pools. The synchronized, metronomic sound of their adding machines furthered his unease. He felt his steps begin to match the pace of the calculations.

He walked into Mortimer’s office. Mortimer looked up from the spreadsheet he was working on.

“Good afternoon, Mortimer.”

Mortimer paused. “Good afternoon Linus. Those are Wernher’s budgets?”

“Yes.” Linus placed the folders on the desk. “Both actual and projected.” He paused. “I tried to clean them up. But, I don’t know how much it helped.”

Mortimer opened one of the folders. His brow furrowed as he looked at the first few sheets.

“Yes,” he put the folder back. “I would not fault your efforts, given the material you have to work with.” He sighed. “Your efforts are appreciated, even if for some they are unnoticed. If any clarifications are needed I will be in contact.”

“Thank-you.” Linus turned to leave.

 He rushed past the computer pool before his pace could match theirs. Not for the first time, he wondered how someone could work with this group and not be driven mad. He worried, next, they may already have.

Edited August 16, 2019 by steuben