Sabotage For Snoopy

It was a cold Thanksgiving morning, and the Macy's Day Parade preparations were in full swing. The streets were bustling with excitement, but for three employees—Lily, Victor, and Rachel- there were much more sinister thoughts and feelings at play. Behind the scenes, three Macy's employees—Lily, a seasoned balloon handler; Victor, a conniving newcomer; and Rachel, an introverted yet cunning costume designer—navigate a web of twisted aspirations, each working to undermine the others for the chance to hold the rope of the beloved Snoopy balloon.

As the city bustles with anticipation, the backstage drama takes a dark turn, revealing the sinister depths of the trio's desires. From subtle manipulations to elaborate schemes, the once-festive atmosphere transforms into a nightmarish landscape where paranoia, revenge, and malevolence reign. 

LILY

Lily, the seasoned balloon handler, strode through the bustling backstage area with an air of authority. Her fingers traced the familiar contours of the ropes that would soon be entrusted to her capable hands, she was sure of it. The Snoopy balloon, a symbol of joy to millions, represented power and prestige in Lily's eyes. But this year, a seed of paranoia had taken root within her.

As Lily observed the preparations, she couldn't shake the feeling that whispers of her imminent downfall circulated among the parade staff. The source of these rumors became clear when she overheard Victor, her protege, conspiring with others in hushed tones. His eyes gleamed with ambition, and Lily felt a shiver crawling down her spine. This was her time to shine, and she wasn’t about to let some newbie steal it away from her. Oh no, she was going to make sure she maintained her rightful position, rope in hand. 

Determined to keep her grip on the coveted position, Lily decided to delve into Victor's world, exploiting her knowledge of his aspirations. She discreetly gathered information on his personal life, going so far as to visiting Victor's apartment on the eve of Thanksgiving under the guise of camaraderie. As they chatted about the upcoming parade, Lily skillfully steered the conversation toward his fears. Victor, unsuspecting, shared his vulnerability, unaware that Lily was crafting a sinister trap. When Victor was a child, no older than ten, he had climbed a tree as he had seen his older brother do so many times. Though, when Victor climbed that tree, he found himself terrified upon reaching the top, gripping the tree so hard that splinters wove so deep it took days to get them out. Maybe this could have been something Victor would have grown up to overcome… had the branch he was clinging to not snapped beneath him, leaving him with a broken arm, leg, and an everlasting fear of heights. The revelation fueled Lily’s dark plan to exploit this weakness during the parade.

Thanksgiving morning arrived, and Lily's eyes gleamed with anticipation. As the parade commenced, she orchestrated a series of subtle mishaps during the balloon inflation. The ropes, normally taut and secure, were now perilously loose. Lily strategically placed Victor in a position where he would need to climb to adjust a critical knot. As Victor ascended, Lily observed from the shadows, a twisted smile playing on her lips. The whispers of his fear of heights reached the ears of other handlers, casting doubt on his suitability for the role. Lily reveled in the growing tension, confident that her machinations were driving a wedge between Victor and the coveted position.

VICTOR

Victor, fueled by ambition and resentment, had no intention of being a mere pawn in Lily's game. Behind his charming facade, a cunning mind devised a Machiavellian plot to not only secure the Snoopy balloon position but to ruin Lily in the process.

Aware of Lily's meticulous nature, Victor planted false evidence, making it appear as though she had been intentionally sabotaging the parade preparations. He knew Lily had been becoming more and more paranoid as the parade came closer, as he’d been ensuring that she overheard him talking, knowing she would take matters into her own hands in an effort to expose him. He discreetly manipulated colleagues into questioning Lily's competence, creating an atmosphere of distrust around the veteran balloon handler.

To further tarnish Lily's reputation, Victor enlisted the help of Rachel, a rather introverted costume designer. Rachel, seeking recognition in the shadows, eagerly joined Victor's scheme. Together, they fabricated an anonymous letter, accusing Lily of embezzling funds allocated for the parade.

On Thanksgiving morning, as Lily reveled in the chaos she had orchestrated, Victor discreetly slipped the anonymous letter into the hands of a higher-up. The accusations of financial misconduct spread like wildfire, overshadowing the parade itself. Lily found herself facing an internal investigation, her years of dedication tainted by baseless accusations. She found her uniform betrayed her as she pleaded to her bosses. She’d been a dedicated employee, always on time and always in perfect uniform. However, as she threw her fingers in the direction of her co-workers, accusing them of sabotage, the seams of her uniform came undone even further. She looked like nothing more than a paranoid and disheveled mess on the brink of insanity. 

Victor, cunning and charismatic, used the chaos to position himself as the voice of reason. He offered assistance in managing the fallout, portraying himself as a loyal employee dedicated to Macy's integrity. The higher-ups, swayed by his manipulative charm, began to consider Victor as a potential replacement for Lily.

As the parade continued, Victor's plan reached its climax. Lily, now entangled in a web of suspicion, watched helplessly as the Snoopy balloon floated overhead, ropes dangling as if to taunt her from afar. The sinister smile on Victor's face revealed the depth of his betrayal. 

RACHEL

Rachel, the introverted costume designer, observed the chaos she had become a part of. In the dimly lit costume department, Rachel had meticulously crafted sinister alterations to Lily's uniform. Tiny, almost imperceptible threads were added to the seams, ensuring that, over time, the costume would unravel. The plan was subtle but effective – a slow degradation of Lily's appearance that would undermine her authority and further isolate her from the parade staff. It had been Rachel’s idea, though she was happy to let Victor feel as though he was the brains behind it. 

As Rachel worked, there was no guilt gnawing at her conscience. Instead, a cold determination fueled her actions. She saw the chaos around her as an opportunity, not a burden. Rachel had always been underestimated, her skills and ambitions overshadowed by the louder personalities around her.

On Thanksgiving morning, Rachel observed from the sidelines as Lily, unknowingly wearing the compromised costume, faced the escalating accusations. The threads, carefully woven into the fabric, began to betray their host. Lily's appearance became increasingly disheveled, eroding the confidence and authority she had once exuded.

As the parade reached its climax, Rachel's silent triumph reached its peak. She discreetly cut the final thread, ensuring Lily's costume unraveled in full view of the parade spectators. Gasps of shock and murmurs of disapproval rippled through the crowd, and their bosses removed her. Not an ounce of remorse graced Rachel’s mind even as she knew she had not only destroyed Lily’s chance for the coveted position, but had potentially stripped her of her entire career. She turned instead to Victor, so smug with how everything had turned out. Rachel only had to sit back and let Lily’s plan unfold. Sure, Victor would make himself the voice of reason and temporarily be placed right where Lily had made sure to loosen the ropes. See, Rachel knew she would never have been considered competition with her quiet and friendly demeanor. She had befriended Lily long before this day arrived, not once letting the facade of friendship falter. So when Lily came to Rachel, asking for advice, Rachel had told her to visit Victor’s apartment and gather intelligence. Rachel didn’t have to lift a finger to find Victor’s weakness, she only had to sit back and let them destroy each other whilst she waited patiently in the shadows as she always did. 

Rachel watched as Victor stepped up to the rope, and smiled as her other fallen comrades' plan came into play. Rachel could see Victor’s hands trembling as he was instructed to climb the ladder and tighten the rope, a gleam of sweat appearing on his once victorious face. Now, perhaps Victor could have pushed through his fears and made it to the knot and back. Lily hadn’t accounted for that, but Rachel’s smile only grew wider as Victor ascended higher on the ladder. She watched as the ladder wobbled beneath Victor’s weight before collapsing completely. The same night she had altered Lily’s seams, she loosened the screws of the ladder she knew she'd hand Victor to climb. 

He was rushed away on a gurney, but not before Rachel winked at him as the bosses called for someone to hold the coveted rope. 

“I can!” Rachel called, her wicked voice confident and brimming with glee.