Chapter 4 — Blank stare

Louise

The incoming ray of sun was making the room a little too bright. The others were still asleep, except for Maria. I got up very cautiously so as not to make noise and wake the others, and went to the shared bathroom, where I also have a right now!

"What are you doing up so early? Do you know what time it is, girl?" Maria asked quietly so that no one could hear us.

"I felt thirsty and came to drink some water, I need to use the bathroom too. - I answered in a whisper."

"Then hurry up and go back to your room. Enjoy the few hours of sleep you still have, it's going to be a busy day today."

There was no more talking after she went to her room, I went to the bathroom where I spent more time than expected. I lost track of life when I found myself thinking about Parkinson's, my mind still hasn't caught up and I'm afraid to go to sleep and wake up here. A noise outside caught my attention, I looked curiously through the bathroom window that was in what we can call a "mausoleum," a place that was outside the house but still had a link to the land. And there he was! Mauricio parked the car always looking around the house, petted his dogs, and finally went inside. Why doesn't he seem to be as bad as he appears to be?

I couldn't sleep and ended up spending another night awake, I can already feel the weakness taking over my body little by little and the discouragement becoming greater and greater. When the sun finally came out completely I was completely sure that this is now my reality, Parkinson didn't come for me and I wasn't dreaming.

(...)

All of them talking at once was confusing me, they always changed the subject suddenly and I didn't know what they were talking about anymore.

"So how did you end up here? Were you the fruit of some night and Mauricio put you here out of pity?" - Maria had already told me that they would not be nice at all.

"And what does it matter? Do you by any chance interfere in anything around here? Well, I can see that you don't, you're just any girl, just like all the others here." - Don't ask me how I had the courage to say this to someone I've never seen in my life. But if we are all the same, let us all be the same.

I raised my hand to bring a piece of bread to my mouth and had a glass of water thrown in my face. The shards of glass that fell on the floor caused some pieces of glass to get into my feet, as I came here barefoot the same way I still was.

"I'm the boss here. If you want to do well in here you have to follow my rules, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what? - I dared to face her again and this time it was worse. I had tears in my eyes, tears not of fear, but of rage."

"You'll see for yourself, you ridiculous little thing. If I were you, I'd be ashamed to even get out of bed, ridiculous."

After they all left, I moved carefully so as not to scatter the glass any further. Maria stood beside me willing to help me, but I don't want to make trouble for her in here either, and the farther away she is from me the better it is for her.

"I don't want her to get hurt because of me. You can go with them, let me clean it up. You've helped me enough, now get out of here and leave me alone." - It was impossible to hold back the tears that escaped and ran down my face.

A shrill voice penetrated my ears and made me afraid. Maria stood up quickly, slapping her hands on her apron, and stood in front of the man who looked like a sculpture, so intact.

"Good morning Mr. Monroeli, was there a problem?" - Maria asked, but there was no answer from him.

"Excuse us, Maria! - What do I expect now? To be thrown out or to be punished for it?" - Get up!

As I braced my feet on the ground to get up, I felt some more pieces of shrapnel coming in, and I controlled myself so as not to show any pain reaction. I held the larger pieces I had picked up with my hands and kept my head down, my feet now showing a few threads of blood staining the floor.

"Yes, what do you want with me?" - I asked with a low look.

"I always welcome new employees and I came to tell you that your father proposed a deal, but I didn't accept because it wasn't fair and it wasn't worth it."

My gaze was directed at my trembling hands. The threads of blood were expanding more and more.

"Should I thank you for this?" - The silence was disturbing and only then did I realize that this was a yes. - Thank you sir.

"You're welcome! Now clean this up and put your feet on, glass is a hazard and be more careful when maneuvering any part of the house."

I thanked him internally after he left. Finally I was able to sit up and remove the shrapnel, but just as I was on all fours cleaning up the blood and picking up the little dust that remained, he came in again, this time I stood up quickly, slapped my hands on the clothes I was wearing and let some residual blood escape and get on my pants.

"There's a party tonight and I need you to behave like all the others, I don't want to hear a noise coming out of here while everything is going on in the main hall, do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir!" - Fear overcame me as he put his hand over mine and held it, pulling the cans close to his face and watching them as if he were after something.

"Be more careful with the things you touch, or you'll end up getting your blood all over them. Change your clothes and throw them away, I don't want any traces of blood inside my house."

"But, sir! I don't have any other pieces!"

"Get it as soon as you can. Those who don't work don't eat here, and as far as I know, you eat with all the others, don't you? Do everything as I order and you'll be fine, just like the others."

"Ok..." - I tried to retreat, but I had my bravo pulled towards me and the bastard speaks perfect Spanish, has a hoarse and fucking hot voice and I don't know what I'm thinking anymore.

"Sir!"

"Okay... Mr. Monroeli. Is that good?"

"Fine. I'll be up in 15 minutes, I want a scotch on the rocks in my room."

The look he gave me was very frightening, and I went to find another outfit to get ready as soon as possible. If I only have to win I will do everything as he asks, and at best I will kill him, would that be a good idea? Or another crazy and very random idea of mine? Whatever ...

Maurício

I barely arrived in the room and Catarina was already on my bed totally naked, without any clothes and all delivered.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had disappeared! - She looked at me with a certain disdain, but her gaze was directed at the buttons of my shirt." - Today I just want to relax. My life has been very hectic and if I'm going to have stress you better not be one of them, I'm not in the mood for a headache today. I'm not in the mood to fuck anyone today either, so you'd better get dressed at home.

"I am pregnant by you Mauricio, are you really going to treat me like this?" - Once again the same conversation...

"Fuck you with these two meaningless conversations, it seems you have no sense! Learn to be a woman Catarina, learn to know the difference between things. Now please..." - I stretched my arm towards the door. She picked up her clothes, put them on, and slammed the door.

Now I'm going to take a cold shower to see if this dick goes down, after that brief encounter with Louise I'm feeling weird, I'm feeling weird!

I thought she would take longer, but she was already knocking on the door.

"You may come in!" - Then the door was opened and she entered holding a tray with a bottle of whisky on the rocks.

"Here you are, sir, as you requested!" - Like a wise person, she placed the tray on the table next to the door, where there are some bottles of gin and was leaving when I called her.

"Where are you going? Serve me, and don't get out of my sight. You are more agile than the others who have worked here for years."

"Yes, sir." - The low look on her face and her shyness, along with her embarrassment, left her feeling how unresponsive she is to everything that is happening.

"What are you looking at, Catarina?" - I asked her as she stood in the hallway with her arms crossed and leaning against a pillar.

I just drank the dose she served me and went to meet Juliana, she has to have a good solution so that everything will be perfect later.

I don't know what it is about that girl that is driving me crazy, it is a strangely overwhelming feeling that is making me doubt about my thoughts.

Active Connection

"This is Mauricio, I have good news for us today." - She was excited on the other end of the line.

"I hope it's something that really interests me, lately you only bring me meaningless and bad news."

"Parkinson came here earlier offering a certain amount of money to get his daughter back. I hope you don't..."

"And what did you tell him?" - I asked, somewhat fearfully.

"That this was not my business, that if he wanted an answer he should contact you directly. Am I wrong?"

"I'm not going to do business with him, if you don't know, he still owed me a lot of money. It's not a girl who's going to put an end to his doubts about me, she's too obedient and I hope she stays that way. Now what's the good thing you say you have to tell me?"

"Norely has offered Louise more than 200,000 euros. So what? I thought it was good money for her, you know she's not very valuable, right?"

"So what? I told you she's not going anywhere, Roberto. Now forget all this talk and go find Juliana, I want everything to go perfectly tonight. Matheus is coming with your son, Joel. It's his birthday and the goods for today will only be those that are here of their own free will, do you understand?"

"Understood. I see you're not in a good mood today, I'll call you later then."

Inactive Connection

Louise

With nightfall everything gets worse. Here we have only the work uniforms and nothing more than that. One blanket for each person and the shower is communal, every moment it gets worse and worse and I don't know how much longer I will have the strength to endure it all.

I went into the dorm to get dressed and the others were already there. They all looked at me as if I were from another world, whispering and laughing among themselves, making my shame even greater.

"Hey, are you going to stand there or are you going to hurry?" - Maria throws in the towel and I snap out of my trance. - You have to be ready as soon as possible.

"Why?" - I ask in a low voice while everyone is putting on make-up and wearing very different clothes than the one the woman gave me earlier.

"Today is a party day for the boss and we have to be as presentable as possible to serve his guests."

I didn't really understand what she meant since I wasn't given anything different.

"It's obvious that this freak is not going to come, it seems that Mauricio will want to scare away his rich guests with the presence of this." - One of them retorted, which made me even more discouraged with this new life.

"Shut up Geovana, you're ridiculous." - Maria debated as if she wanted to defend me, but I stopped her from doing so in order not to get into trouble with the others later.

I continued to put on my uniform. I thought this party idea was great, this way I won't have to leave and I can even think of a way to get out of here or maybe my soul can get out of my body...

"Good evening girls, I hope you are ready now. Today you will do the same things as always, but I ask you to be more careful with the glass or it will be deducted from your salary later." - The girl who speaks is the one who brought me here, from what I can see she is very "powerful" here.

"And she? Is she going to stay here alone?" - Maria asks and she quickly speaks again.

"Mauricio's orders. Come on girls ... dear, if you need anything please do not leave here, I hope someone comes here."

"Yes, ma'am."

After they all left I leaned my forehead against the door and allowed the tears to roll down my face, as if this would diminish everything I am feeling. A feeling of peace and nervousness, as the thoughts don't let me be still and the voices insist on asking me all the time.