# There's a Dragon in the Bathtub

# July Flash Challenge Post 6

I'm lying in the bath. It's been a long day and I need this.

Normally, I'm a shower guy. Go in dirty, come out clean. There are days, though, when I need to soak. Either the day has given me something to think about or the day was taxing, and my muscles are in a knot.

Or there are days like today where I can shut away the world as long as I'm in the bath, but as soon as I get out, I have to get back to it.

They came for my department today. The budget has been cut and goals scaled back. My team has always been pretty high-performing, but it isn't about that anymore, so my team got hit pretty hard. Now I have to tell my teammates - people who have worked their asses off - that their services are no longer required.

I thought about falling on my sword; cleaning out my desk and taking my talents somewhere else. In this economy, and in this political climate, that's a fool's decision. Maybe if I could convince my whole department to leave with me.

We could start our own firm; make a living contracting ourselves to the company that wants to break us apart.

That's a gamble, though. Johnson in acquisitions tried the same thing and it fell apart. They promoted the intern to take his place and all the rest of acquisitions came limping back through the door within the month.

No, I've got everyone's retirement and healthcare benefits to think of. Well, everyone's but two.

There's a dragon in the bathtub, and as soon as I get up and dry off, it'll strike. Sewell and Bellamy will be let go, and it'll be because of me. Because I couldn't come up with a better way for this to go.

For now, though, the water's still warm, my hands haven't wrinkled yet, and I can stew, trying very hard not to look that dragon in the eye.