The Pit
Every damn day, Mike would drag himself out of bed hoping today might be different. But it never is. They're always there waiting to change your energy to theirs miserable.
"Still chasing that dream, huh?" Mike pays them no attention as he walks into the office. "When are you gonna face reality it’s not working?"
Mike hears the noise and keeps moving. He learned not to engage. But their words were like a sharp swords piercing in his back.
At lunch, Mike tries to share his latest idea with Stephanie. She cut him off before he could finish the first sentence. "That's nice," she said already scrolling through her phone.
Nice. Always "nice." Never "brilliant" or "you should go for it!" Just... nice. The polite brush-off.
Mike spotted Tim across the room. They had made eye contact but Tim quickly looks away. Mike remember when they work on projects together, bouncing ideas off each other for hours. Now Tim avoids Mike like he’s contagious. Like wanting to do better is a disease he might catch.
By the end of the day, Mike could feel his dreams slipping away railroaded by constant negativity.
As Mike clocks out for the day, he overhear Lisa whispering: "Poor thing. When will they realize no one cares?"
Mike wanted to punch something. He wanted to prove them wrong. But he know it wouldn't matter. They've made up their minds. To them, I'm just a fool their eyes.
Mike was driving home feeling the weight of their judgment on my shoulders. Maybe they're right. Maybe he should give up. It would be easier to join the misery crew.
But there was something Mike that refuses to break. Tomorrow, I'll get up and try again. Because the alternative to become one of them is more like failure.