'Hive Mind' by Fiona McKay

We’re abuzz, on the move, giving each other directions, communicating, working together as a unit. We’re relocating; first, the boss and her personal staff, then the rest of us, filing through the fissure into the storied space.

Some of us have never met the boss, but those that have are impressed by her work ethic, her level of command. We’d all love to meet her, of course, but it’s not an issue. Have you personally met your CEO? Didn’t think so. We all do what we need to do, what we have to do. At the end of the day, we’ve got to remember it’s just a job.

Soon, we can barely remember the last place. Work is going well, and the year-on-year output is up. There’s talk about expansion; teams formed to explore the possibilities in the surrounding areas; reports made to the expert group. At present there’s plenty of space to store our supplies, though there’s concern in some sectors about alleged losses through the walls. What some departments need to realise is that a level of loss is always built into the business plan.

Plans are at an advanced stage when the crisis comes. Our neighbours feel the sticky patches on their walls, and again, there’s no negotiation: just the screaming again, and the shrieking again, and the smoke again.

And now we’re looking for new premises, all our product left behind. We’ll regroup, rebuild. It’s what we always do. Strong leader, strong team, we can do it. It’s a tough climate; we all know that.