Bottom of the ladder

The power dynamics in the room shift once more, but this time, it’s far more subtle, like a slow unraveling you can’t quite place until it’s too late. Eleanor’s dominance over Kelly and Emily is absolute—there’s no question about that. But what’s slowly becoming evident is the new food chain that’s emerging, and you, somehow, have landed at the very bottom.

At first, it’s small things. Emily and Kelly—both clearly humiliated by Eleanor’s display of power—start redirecting their anger and frustration at you whenever Eleanor isn’t around. It begins with teasing, almost playful at first, but you quickly notice a certain edge to their voices, a bitterness that wasn’t there before.

"Hey," Emily whispers sharply one afternoon when Eleanor steps away from her desk. "Pick up my shoes. They fell under the table." She crosses her arms, watching you with a smirk, her legs crossed casually as if this was just a natural order of things. You hesitate, glancing around to make sure Eleanor isn’t nearby, but Emily snaps her fingers. "Now."

You move to retrieve the shoes, your pride stinging at the humiliation. You’d expected this from Eleanor, but from Emily, it feels like a betrayal. She was supposed to be in the same position as you, but somehow, she’s turned her shame into power—over you.

Kelly isn’t much better. She’s been more quiet, more cautious after Eleanor’s public degradation of her, but when Eleanor’s back is turned, she follows Emily’s lead, exerting her own small dominance.

"Can you get me a coffee? I’m absolutely parched," Kelly says one morning, the words sugar-coated but with a sharp undertone. "Eleanor doesn’t need to know. I’m sure you’d be better at it than me."

You grit your teeth and do as you’re told, the humiliation of being bossed around by the woman who, just days ago, had her face pressed to the floor, almost too much to bear. But you endure, thinking that Eleanor would surely notice their behavior soon.

But she doesn’t.

In fact, when something inevitably goes wrong, Emily and Kelly are quick to place the blame squarely on your shoulders. Eleanor’s eyes darken as she listens to their stories of your "carelessness" or "disobedience," her fury focused entirely on you.

"Why do you always mess up?" Eleanor’s voice cuts through you like a whip. "I expected more from you."

You want to protest, to explain that it wasn’t your fault, but Kelly and Emily are standing there, smirking behind Eleanor’s back, daring you to speak out. And you know, deep down, that no matter what you say, Eleanor won’t believe you. She’ll always trust them over you now.

So, you stay silent, accepting the punishment—whatever it may be.

"On your knees," Eleanor snaps one afternoon, after another "mistake" that wasn’t yours. "Clearly, you need to be reminded of your place."

You kneel, heart pounding, as Eleanor watches you with a mix of disappointment and anger. Emily and Kelly exchange a glance, barely able to hide their glee as they watch you crumble beneath Eleanor’s gaze. It’s become a game to them, a way to elevate themselves by pushing you lower, knowing that they’re safe as long as they stay in Eleanor’s good graces.

Later, when Eleanor isn’t around, Emily saunters over to you, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Oops, looks like I dropped my pen again. Would you be a dear and fetch it for me?"

You grit your teeth, but you’re powerless to resist. You bend down to pick it up, and as you hand it to her, she gives you a mocking smile. "Good boy," she whispers, before turning away with a smug look of satisfaction.

Kelly, too, becomes bolder, taking advantage of your weakened position. "Didn’t Eleanor tell you to clean her desk? I think you missed a spot." She points to an invisible speck of dust, her tone filled with condescension.

The worst part is, they know exactly what they’re doing. They know that you can’t fight back, not without risking Eleanor’s wrath. And every time you try to stand up for yourself, every time you try to show some semblance of dignity, they find a way to twist it, to make it look like you’re the one messing up.

One day, they take it too far.

Emily and Kelly have been slacking off, leaving a mess in the office after a long meeting. Papers are scattered everywhere, coffee cups abandoned on desks, and Eleanor, when she returns, is not pleased.

Her eyes narrow as she takes in the chaos, her lips curling into a scowl. "Who did this?" she demands, her voice low and dangerous.

Emily and Kelly exchange a quick glance, and you can see it coming before they even speak.

"It was him," Kelly says, her voice steady, betraying none of the guilt she should be feeling. "We told him to clean up, but he didn’t listen."

Emily nods in agreement, her eyes wide and innocent. "Yeah, we were working hard, but he just sat there. We didn’t want to say anything, but..."

You feel the anger rising in your chest, the unfairness of it all, but before you can protest, Eleanor’s glare is on you.

"Is this true?" she demands, her voice cutting through the room like a knife.

You open your mouth to defend yourself, but the words die on your lips. What’s the point? Even if you tell the truth, even if you explain how Emily and Kelly have been tormenting you, you know Eleanor won’t believe you. You know she’ll always side with them.

So, you lower your head, swallowing your pride once again. "Yes," you whisper, the word tasting like defeat.

Eleanor shakes her head, her disappointment palpable. "I’m tired of your excuses," she says, her voice cold. "You’ll stay late tonight and clean every inch of this office until it’s spotless. Do you understand?"

You nod, barely able to keep the bitterness from your expression as you look down at the floor.

Emily and Kelly exchange smug glances behind Eleanor’s back, their victory complete. They’ve won, and they know it.

And as you kneel there, Eleanor’s punishment hanging over you, you can’t help but feel the weight of your new place in the food chain. Beneath them all, at the very bottom, with no way to climb back up.