Write the story you would not have invented by yourself.

Your brief

• Main character: A junior accountant who notices one absurd number nobody else questions.
• Setting: A nearly empty commuter train delayed between stations.
• Relationship: They met that morning and have already told each other one lie.
• Weather must change: A thunderstorm knocks out the power for exactly seven minutes.
• Amusing incident: Someone's ringtone perfectly answers a question asked in the room.
• Complication: An object works perfectly for the wrong purpose.
• Opening rule: Open with an ordinary action that becomes important later.
• Structure: Use a rule of three: two similar beats and a third that changes the pattern.
• Dialogue: Let one character misunderstand a perfectly clear sentence because of context.
• Ending rule: End with a callback to a phrase used earlier.
• Tone: Use a tone of polite irritation that gradually becomes affection.
• Wildcard: Include an animal without making it a pet.

Use all five words

Maximum length: 1,000 characters, including spaces.