The team decided the new game could possibly take place in a Highlands-like setting, and after a little more research, I’ve created a land of tall cliffs bordered by infinite bodies of water, the grass green and the sky stormy. The sketches on my tablet almost look lifelike. That’s not me showing off. I’m not good at a lot of stuff, but that’s my gift.

The pen in my left hand glides against the screen as I touch up the gray in one of the rocks. I hope Craig’s happy with my work. If he’s not, with the time I’m spending away from the office, he’d have a reason to fire me. That would probably be useful, considering it’d save me from having to resign, but I wouldn’t want to leave like that.

The simple thought of not doing this ever again makes me drop my pen and lean my head between my shoulders. Here goes the momentum I’d built. I need to get a grip. Soon. Just not yet.

As if on cue, my phone rings next to my hand. It’s Craig.

After clearing my throat of the emotion that might still be there, I answer and say, “Hey, boss.”

“Aaron! My man,” he shouts through the phone. I can almost see him leaned back in his plush office chair, throwing his stress ball in the air as he holds his phone with the other hand. “How’s that design going?”

Thank God I started working on it today. I’d have looked like a real asshole if I still hadn’t sketched anything three weeks after he sent me the ideas I needed to work with.

“Good, good.” I look back down at my drawing. It’s nowhere near perfect, but at least if he wants to see it, I’ll have something pretty good to show him.

“Ah, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that, because guess what?”

Oh fuck. I’m pretty sure I don’t want to hear what’s about to come.

“What?” I get out, semi-cringing.

“We have new investors coming to the office in two months, and if they like the game, we might get an even bigger financing than we expected! Which would be huge for us before a new release.”

And there goes all the calm I built during my drafting session.