I feel like I've woken up in the twighlight zone, or maybe that's where I've been all along and now I'm back.

I started this work week back in the file room, where I wrangled thousands of dusty files and tried to fight back the feeling that somehow I'd lost a major battle. I almost quit that day; I actually tried to call my person at the temp agency, but she was out for the day.

Compounding my frustration was the fact that the Crazy Bitch was in a worse mood than ever and was was not speaking to me---or maybe I wasn't speaking to her. Either way, the battle line was drawn. Her nasty, furtive glares didn't bother me nearly as much as the loud, pointed comments to others about how terrible things were while our coworker was on maternity leave. I just kept my head down, and in some ways the file room felt like a safe haven. But I missed my job.

Yesterday I emerged from the file room to help with document processing, which was even worse than filing but allowed me to work at my (new and very crappy) desk. That's what I was doing when one of my coworkers got fed up with the Crazy Bitch and called her on how hateful she was. It was an awesome moment, but I didn't realize at the time it was also a major turning point.

Since then, my boss has suddenly learned how awful this girl is to everyone else and has begun telling me how glad she is that I stuck around as long as I did. "We're not like that," she declared to me passionately, adding that we work together as a team, and that kind of bullying is not going to be tolerated.

I was a little surprised to learn she wasn't aware of the above-mentioned bullying before---I guess I thought any number of other people had cause to bring this to her attention long before I did. But she said she thought it was just a problem between her and the Crazy Bitch and talked about how she'd found herself becoming the kind of boss she doesn't want to be. I think I can understand where she's coming from, because people as manipulative and hateful as the Crazy Bitch can usually convince everyone else they're the crazy ones.

I certainly know the type!

Anyway, long story short: I'm staying on with the firm after this week. I think my boss totally loves me, and she's assured me things will be much better going forward. What this means specifically I can't quite say, but I think the writing is on the wall.

(I wonder if I can work in one more cliche before I finish this post...)

Crazy Bitch called out sick today, and I got to do my old work again. It was nice and peaceful, but I felt like a dog that's been kicked around so long it doesn't know how to do anything but flinch.

Is this what it feels like to be vindicated? I feel more disoriented than relieved or triumphant, but we'll see what the rest of the week brings and how I feel when it's over.