The hours were beginning to bear their toll on her. January was always her busiest month and this one was the worst in her memory. Why can’t my clients plan at least a little ahead? Why do they have to give me all this crap three days before it’s due? Don’t they know it’s coming a month in advance?

The clock in the living room chimed more numbers than she had time to listen for. Gotta find this darned error! Of course, her computer would take this time to break down! For the fourth, or was it the fifth time, she added up the numbers on her adding machine.

Her husband said from the other room, “Honey, come on to bed. You can finish it tomorrow.”

Fatigue wore her patience down and made it harder to concentrate. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in bed. Was it yesterday or the day before? What day is it anyway? She returned to her work. Gotta find this error!

She muttered to herself to keep her mind focused. "Two hundred fifty seven dollars and twenty five cents." She punched the button. "Ninety nine dollars and fourteen cents." Another button. "Twenty four...."

She had switched from her electric calculator with the printer…what was it? Twelve hours ago? Two days ago? Naturally, she had not had enough time to go to the office supply store to get a new roll of paper. Who plans on running out of paper in the middle of the night anyway! So it was back to her solar powered paperless calculator. At least that was working properly.

Oh crap! All this thinking about her problems had distracted her. Did she enter that number already? She pressed the Equals key. Two million dollars! That can’t be right!

Back to the top of the list of invoices. Did she do the Delivery Services already? She looked at her check marks at the totals. It didn’t have a fourth mark like the others above it. So she probably was on that account number. The only trouble was the Delivery Services was one of the longest accounts. Damn!

She flipped the stapled pages back to the start. There was Federal Express under the name of Smith and Wesson. An image of a gun came to her. How I’d loved to take a gun and shoot the gal at Amberley and Clark Construction. She pictured taking careful aim, seeing the startled look in the woman’s eyes. “This is the last time you’ll give me your report so damned late!” She pulled her index finger in. “Bang! Bang!” Two quick ones were all it took.

From the doorway, her husband asked, “Whoa! Are you all right?”

A bit embarrassed, she didn’t try to reply. Instead she focused on her work. “Two hundred fifty seven dollars and twenty five cents." She punched the button.

“Honey, when did you eat last? You don’t look right.”

Food! Who the hell has time to eat? I’ve got three more clients with four companies each to get before I take a break. Gotta find this error! "Ninety nine dollars and fourteen cents." Another button.

She felt pressure on her shoulders and flinched. “Don’t interrupt me! I gotta find this error!” She glanced at the list as her nimble fingers raced over the keypad. “Twenty four dollars and seventy two cents.” She flipped the page over and continued entering the amounts. Her concentration was so strong, she barely heard a voice in the background.

“Yes, can I speak to the doctor please?”

“Sixteen dollars and twelve cents.” Button. “Two dollars and fourteen cents.” Button.

“Yes, doctor? She won’t quit. I did like you suggested but she didn’t pay any attention.”

“Two dollars and…wait a minute didn’t I just enter that? Damn it! I wished he’d stop talking while I’m working.”

“Ah, I think she’s been at it for four days straight now. I really don’t know if she took a nap while I was gone. Doctor, she doesn’t look right. I’m worried.”

“Thirty five dollars and two cents.” Button. Gotta concentrate more to drive out his talking. “Twenty dollars and fifty seven cents.” Button.

“Okay, I’ll let them in,” added her husband.

She lost track of the time. Once she got almost to the end of the list and she had to go to the bathroom. When she returned, she couldn’t remember where she left off so she started over at the top.

"Two hundred fifty seven dollars and twenty five cents." She punched the button. "Ninety nine dollars and fourteen cents." Another button. "Twenty four...."

Strong arms grabbed her from behind, but she feared losing her concentration again so she grabbed the calculator in her left hand and continued entering numbers from her foggy memory with her right. “Two hundred fifty seven dollars and twenty five cents." She punched the button.

She vaguely sensed she was in a car, or was it the back of a van? Frantically, she continued entering numbers. “Gotta find this error!”

It grew quieter, much to her relief, and she could concentrate better. With practiced speed, she started at the top again. "Two hundred fifty seven dollars and twenty five cents." She punched the button.

Lost in her concentration, she failed to hear the banging of the sanitarium cell door.