WILL CALL

A Story by VERN NIVEN

Dot stepped off the elevator onto the third floor and started down the hall towards the Audit Department. she knew the girl was watching her and the uncomfortable prickling on the back of her neck began again. For the past two weeks that girl in Will Call had watched her closely, too closely. Dot had noticed the girl for the first time late me afternoon. She had stopped to talk with the elevator ope rator who was seated across the hall from Will Call, her gaze had wandered for a moment and her eyes suddenly met the steady gaze of the girl. The very naked curiosity in the look had caused her stomach to turn nervously. Flushing, she had looked back att the elevator operator, mumbled something about running on and hurriedly left the hall. Since then Dot had been painfully aware of the girl. She seemed to be everywhere and always watching her. At first Dot had tried laughing about it to herself but the feeling of fear and pressure that look brought weren't very funny.

Seated safely at her desk in Audit, alone for onco, Dot lit a di garette and started totaling some figues on the sheet in front of her. A slight step and a contrived nervous cough caused her to look up. "Are you Dot Gordon ?", the girl was standing there.

"Yes, yes I am," Dot stammered, "hat can I do for you ?"

"Nothing, I mean nothing important, I mean not tu cine co, I mean would you care to take your coffee break with me, if you're not going with someone else," the girl finished in a rush and then stood white and shaky in the doorway

Dot hesitated a moment and then gulping air and control into her lungs, answered her quietly. "Of course, I'd like to go with you, is 10:30 allright?"

The girl smiled, (for the first time Dot thought), and answered as if some fear had left her. "Oh that would be

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