Tasya

Gallo Vincent

Hugh expected to hear some fanciful annoying music that those on hold are typically treated to. Instead, he heard the receptionist clunk the phone down on the table and pound away on the cardboard with what sounded like mallet sized fingers.

“So, I checked the schedule,” the lumberjack said after a minute more of pulverizing the keyboard, “tell me which time is good for you.”

“Well, you've just checked Masha's schedule.” Hugh said. “Maybe you can tell me which times she has free?”

“Did you not hear what I have just said?” The lumberjack asked. “Tell me when you are free.”

Hugh was becoming flustered. The lumberjack had made it clear that he was busy, but he seemed quite proficient at wasting time. Hugh took a deep breath and bottled up his brewing irritation.

“I can do tomorrow at two in the afternoon.” Hugh said.

“No. She's not available then.” The lumberjack responded curtly.

“I see… How about at a quarter past twelve?” Hugh asked.

“No. Also not free.” The lumberjack's response curter than his last.

“Look, you asked me when I am free.” Hugh said, no longer restraining his ire with a growl that rivaled the lumberjack's own. “If your Masha is so busy, and doesn't have a free appointment, why did you ask me about my preference? I feel like you asked me about my preference just so you could reject it. Please tell me when she is free, that will make everyone's life easier.”

“No need to be aggressive. Let me see…” The lumberjack said in a relaxed tone and smacked his lips together in thought. “Masha is free tomorrow at… twelve thirty and two thirty. Do either of these times work for you?”

Hugh was dumbstruck at the receptionist's response.

“Are you serious?” Hugh asked. “You could have just told me that before, when I told you that I'm free at around twelve and —"

“Sir, please calm down.” The receptionist said, proving to be not only a master of wasting time but also a master of cutting people off. “Just answer the question. Do either of these times work for you?”

“Let's make this easy.” Hugh said and let out a sigh of relief that he was inching closer to making an appointment. “I can come in at twelve thirty tomorrow. Is that good?” Hugh was expecting the receptionist to tell him that this time had already been booked within the last fifteen seconds.

“Excellent. I'll let Masha know that you are coming. Please find our address on the website. Can you also provide me with your name and phone number, just in case any changes happen between now and tomorrow?”

Hugh gave his full name and number.

“Thank you Hugh.” The lumberjack said. “See you tomorrow.”

“Hold on one second,” It had occurred that Hugh that he hadn't gotten the receptionist's name. “I'm sorry, but what's your name?”

The grunts and growls reverberated through the phone. “The name's Timmy.”

“Well, nice to meet you Timmy.” Hugh tried to sound cordial to make up for his earlier testiness. “I look forward to meeting—”

“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow.”

That was it. Timmy hung up the phone and left Hugh alone on the other end of the line.

Hugh tossed his phone to the side and rubbed his hands over his temples and eyes. He pulled himself from the sofa and moved to the balcony, the fresh air would help clear the tension behind his eyes that had built during the conversation with Timmy. Hugh hoped that the lumberjack was a bit more straightforward in person, if not, then Hugh wasn't sure he would have the tolerance to make it past Office M’s reception desk.

Hugh rested his elbows on the balcony's railing and inspected the courtyard below. People were hurrying back from work with shopping bags of food, couples were rushing out for an evening meal, pet owners walked their dogs, and other were just out for a stroll. The playground had been vacated, and its surrounding fence had been locked.

All of this was normal for life within the fortress, but Hugh saw an odd sight that caused him to pause and ponder.

The black-haired girl was still at work in the flowerbed.

She was still digging and cleaning, digging and cleaning, digging and cleaning.

Chapter 2. Elevator to Masha

Millions went up and millions went down. Some of them ventured at a slow pace and others in a rush. They walked, bumped, pushed, and, on the rare occasion, even excused themselves. Many ran to catch closing doors but then were forced to wait. Seats were occupied and seats were given up. Everyone traveled together in the metro.

Hugh exited the metro station and opened the map on his phone. A red line highlighted the route to Office M. He tried not to get his hopes up about Masha. Perhaps his visit would be a waste of time and she would only offer him a palm reading and cryptically whisper to him, amidst eye burning incense, that he would one day become rich, famous, and even the president.

Hugh shook these doubts from his mind, like how one would shake dust from an old carpet over a balcony. He needed to be optimistic and focus on getting to Masha's office.

Hugh followed the map and was led to the business region of the city. As Hugh walked along the path laid out by the map, shadows crept in around him and the sky disappeared. Tall towers of fifty floors high surrounded him on all sides. Hugh found their height to be impressive and their design equally so. One was a double helix of what looked like some titan's DNA. Another looked like the lighter a titan would use to ignite a gigantic cigar. A third tower gave the impression that a titan's tiny toddler had unevenly stacked building blocks one atop another, and that this uneven structure was on the verge of toppling over.