# Touch: Chapter 4



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

The whole week was extremely stressful for Nadia. Her lack of sleep made her a bit irritable at her work, and she began to loathe it all the more. She began to be more flippant in her speech to her superior to the point of offense on the Friday of the week.

"Do you think you run things around here, Nadia? You have no excuse for not making your quota," he boss told her sternly.

"I don't understand why you won't give me a break, this work is more than one can do in one day!" she said derisively.

"Nadia, you watch your tongue. Are you being ungrateful for your position here? Hundreds of ladies would love to work in your stead, and likely much more willing to accept this work than you. Unless you think you can't handle a man's job... Get back to work this minute."

Nadia seethed inside but said nothing. She despised it when he pulled the "Shame Card" on her, to put her in her place. It wasn't that she couldn't handle the job. It was just outrageously tedious, to the point of driving her mad.

Going to Gavrilov in the evenings her mood didn't improve. Sometimes in the middle of a dictation, her anger would return at her boss and distract her, and occasionally she would snap at Gavrilov too if he was being too demanding. He was quite sensitive to this himself.

"Miss Nikolova, this is pointless when you can't even remember sequences. I had worked out how to explain it to you and now you're rejecting it."

Nadia would sigh gloomily, and continue her work. It was Friday night, and she really wished to just go home. Too much writing, too much dictation, too much arguing.

"He ought to just get rid of me," she thought sullenly. "I'm no use to him. Why on earth is he torturing me here? But then why did I take this position? Wasn't it to get out of that... that dreadful place? I can't leave now, or I'll never--"

"Are you tired? You're panting."

Nadia was brought out of her thoughts, but didn't say anything. She hadn't realized she had started breathing so quickly, exasperated by her emotions. She looked up at the clock, and it was only half past 9.

"You don't want to complain now, do you?"

"...No."

He thought for a moment in silence.

"I will let you go now. Let me pay you for this week."

He signaled with his hand for the servant to come up, who he knew was watching. The servant handed her an envelope.

"I hope it will attest to my real... appreciation for your help this week. We got a lot done."

"Although I bet not enough."

Gavrilov grimaced behind his blindfold.

"You are right. Tomorrow, I want you here again. Come at 7."

Nadia nodded, but then she realized how pathetic that must have looked like again. She took in a deep breath of frustration with herself.

"Yes, sir," she said, icily adding the "sir." "Good bye."

Nadia had mixed emotions walking home. Nothing seemed to be working out now for her. She hated her federal copyist job which she had taken such pride in, and now the music copying was becoming too hard. It was like being caught between a rock and a hard place now, and she could turn down neither position out of fear and disgust.

Coming home, she put the envelope on her table.

"Perhaps it's something meager I can spend on tomorrow. Maybe a meal or 2," she thought bitterly. "He doesn't like me, and I'll never please him."

Opening the envelope, she found 1,000 rubles.


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

So, you're back to it again. Good.

I was wondering - are you deliberately setting your story in an unknown place and time, or do you have a particular time period and location in mind? Or did I miss it?


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah, I make it kinda obscure, perhaps for wider application? 

Something like early 1900s, but undisclosed (russian) city.

More typos...


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Also just to warn you, it's very long, 18 chapters total. Much more is to come, and I hope also its subject matter won't become offensive as I get into some very serious stuff.


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