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She was minding her own business when it started, but she ignored it. She continued her task, focusing all of her attention on perfection—any error would result in having to begin again, which woul donly delay her further.

Behind her, the noise escalated.

She tried not to let it invade her thoughts. It was just a small scraping noise and nothing more. It wasn't the end of the world, but it would be if she didn't finish her job.

The scraping continued. Her anxiety was rising, and soon she wouldn't be able to keep it concealed. She risked a glance, but she say nothing until her eyes returned to her hands.

Almost done, she thought, as she increased her speed to match her heart-rate. So close. She could feel the end. She was almost free. Just... a... little... more...

The scraping increased as she worked. It only stopped when she did, and then it was all over.