WIP Wednesday - Clan Beginnings: Clan and Conscience

              As they entered Ospar’s workspace after the director offered warm greetings to the polite Emano, the Dramok eyed the desk and chair that had been installed for Jol’s use. “Well. That was a waste of time and effort, wasn’t it?” He chuckled and gazed at Jol expectantly.

              Here it comes. I suppose I should be grateful he waited until he was secured in headquarters and could give me the ax privately. Jol stood and waited to be released.

              Ospar’s smile wavered. It gave way to the grumpier expression he usually gave Jol. “I’m not going to beg you to stay, if that’s what you’re waiting for.”

              Jol blinked. The situation just kept getting stranger. “Of course not. That’s the opposite of firing me.”

              Ospar stared at him as if he’d just grown a second head. The peevish tone that grated on Jol’s nerves the worst seeped into his tone. “I’m not firing you. You’re quitting. Right?”

              Jol glared. Surely the man wasn’t calling him a coward. “I’m not quitting. I’ve never quit anything in my life.” Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but the one other time was a special situation. No one expected him to continue on after enduring what he had.

              Ospar looked disbelieving. “But after what you did last night—”

              What he’d done? “I reacted as any Nobek would to someone who attacked him and then ran. Last night was entirely your fault and you know it. You admitted as much yourself.”

              “Wedi sauce thrown in your face is hardly an attack,” the Dramok snorted, looking put out.

              “You were insulting and confrontational. You went out of your way to provoke a reaction, then you ran like the bully you are when you knew you’d gone too far.”

              “I panicked! I hadn’t intended to throw anything at you! It just happened. And look who’s calling who confrontational. I remember a lot of hurtful comments about me being indulged—”

              “You are. Insensitive, hateful—”

              Ospar sneered. “Oh, did I hurt your feelings, Nobek? Aw, poor little guy—”

              “Did I hurt your ass, boy? Seemed a little tight—”

              “You liked it well enough, judging from how fast you finished with—”

              “–like that of a man who no one fucks because no one wants—”

              “I bet you’d know a thing or two about not being wanted—”

              They yelled back and forth, their faces blistering red with fury as they shouted over each other’s arguments. Jol had never wanted to punch anyone so hard in his life. He wished Ospar would attack him and run away again so he’d have justification to kill the mouthy Dramok this time.

              Finally, he could take no more. “Just fire me!” Jol screamed, spittle flying at Ospar’s livid face.

              Ospar dodged and shrieked back, “Is that what you want? Then no! You can fucking quit!”

              “I refuse. You’ll have to drag me out of here yourself! Good luck with that, weak little brat.”

Releasing Winter 2017