Chapter 4:The first time I served the master.

Ezra's POV:

Gloria taught me how to clean the mansion,and how to act in the mansion and in the evening I went to see Gina and the rest of the slaves they were happy for me that I was no longer a slave and after spending a lot of time with them I retired to bed,I was so tired but I was happy as well I hope things get better for me,I want a bright future one that is full of happiness and no pain or sadness or death ,I just wanted to be happy ,I guess this is a good start.

For two weeks Gloria taught me how to clean the mansion. I was a quick learner and so I got better at it that I didn't need assistance anymore and I did it alone.I was proud of myself for being this quick in grasping all she taught me.

Gloria has been so helpful to me since I met her. She is also sweet and kind, unlike some people I have had an encounter with. She doesn't judge and treats me with respect.

She taught me so well that I learned everything fast,she paid attention to every detail and corrected me nicely if I did anything wrong. I guess that's why Ma Nora handed me over to her. She's good at being patient and a good teacher as we are.

Ma Nora was happy that I learned so fast and I was agile and fast in cleaning .

The maids still made fun of the way I look its not a new thing,they made fun of my appearance,they said I looked like a zombie I wonder if they had seen one before,its only known in myths and stories to scare kids,they called me dirty,I was dirty after all so it didn't bother me I was used to such words ,I have being hearing it for so long that it just didn't bother me anymore,it was hard on me at first when my family died I felt lost and I couldn't believe it but one day a man told me.

"The world is beautiful only if you think it is". He said to me,

He was an elderly man so I am sure he must have seen a lot of the word.

I didn't understand his words back then but always talked to me and cheered me up.

He was the one that made me want to live.

"Life is meaningful only when you stop looking at the bad things and focus on the good," he said.

I know he was only trying to cheer me up because there was no good thing in my life,I was just a slave waiting to be sold.

"Being alive is a gift," he said.

That was the last words he said to me,he was old and it was raining so heavily ,we couldn't find a good shelter.

He caught a cold and he needed a healer's attention ,but a sick slave is as good as dead. He died after two days and that was the first time I cried after his death. If my parents hurt so much that the only one who comforted me was gone.

"Shut your damn mouth" the slave master said as he whipped me.

I shut my mouth. I didn't want to get sick ,I didn't want to die ,because life is really a precious gift.

I went over to see Gina and the slaves regularly. I missed them dearly. They were the first to welcome me with open arms and I still felt closer to slaves since I still felt like one of them. We had a connection and it can't be destroyed that easily.

The maids always criticized me when I went there as If it was their business,they didn't want to associate with me but they cared that I went to meet slaves who liked me. They are just so unbelievably stupid and insensitive.

"You are tarnishing the maids' reputation by going there,"Naomi said harshly.

I wanted to tell her she had an ugly face but I knew she would counterattack me so I chose to ignore her words since they were meaningless to me,I do want I want to and when I want to do it despite anybody's opinion.

***

Gloria and I became good friends and she asked me to ignore them as best as I could,she didn't care how I looked and I liked her for that, they talked behind her back for interacting with me when I looked so disgusting,she honestly didn't care and she advised me to do the same as her and not be affected, "everyone is beautiful in their unique way" she would always say.

I always wondered what she saw in me that made her like me so much,was she just kind or did she just like me.

I still didn't use the washroom with the others but Gloria wasn't bothered but encouraged me to continue with what I was doing before but she told me to spray my perfume when coming out,so as to smell nice and rid myself of any horrible smell,when I did that the maids insulted the perfume and said that it shouldn't be used on some like me ,I was to smelly and the perfume covered nothing,Gloria defended me when they all ganged up against me and I smiled to myself.

Ma'am Nora would scold them and ask them to leave me alone,but when she left they continued.

I am getting used to the mansion,I can walk around and not get lost,the guards gave me strange looks when they saw me guessing they are used to seeing pretty maids and not dirty and disgusting looking ones, they never said anything to me but am sure they will be thinking

"How did she get into the mansion".

All was going well in the mansion until a maid spilled the Masters tea mistakenly on his book,I don't know what made her do that ,even after apologizing and pleading with the master to spare her,she was still whipped 20 times and thrown into the dungeon for a week,she was so week after getting released and after she recovered she left for her home.

" i....i...I'd rather stay hungry than die here " was her remark before she left. She was crying so much her body hurt her friends were trying to console her but she didn't want to be consoled ,she left so angry and depressed it made everyone afraid.

After that everyone was scared of serving the master,no one agreed to go near him,the maids would argue on who would serve the master next no one wanted to get punished, but they admired him and even wished to be his mistress but the master never showed any interest,Ma Nora served the master herself sometimes and she got fed up with it and decided to take action.

A roaster was written by Ma Nora of how to serve the master,the maids disagreed with it but they couldn't change it since she is the boss so they went along with it carefully and no one fell victim of any punishment,I still haven't finished my training so I wasn't included yet and I was glad,I didn't want to get on the masters nerves.

***

It's been two months already so the next thing I was to be taught was how the kitchen works,they didn't let me come to the kitchen much saying that I would add dirt into the food,how will I add dirt in the food ?

Will I take sand from outside and pour it into the master's food just so as to make him punish them?

That's really a good idea.

I don't know if I should call it my bad luck or bad timing but it had to be when another master offended the Lord that I had to come to the kitchen.

The last maid was tied and laid in the sun all day because the master didn't like the food she prepared,nothing was wrong with the food ,but I guess he has the finally say and no one can correct him or question his authority, she was crying and begging to be let go but her mouth was tied with a cloth ,so she laid there whimpering until her punishment was over ,she refused to go near the master ,her family's condition wasn't favorable so she couldn't leave as she wanted to.

It was my turn and Gloria's next to serve him. Gloria has been teaching me on how to set the table and act in front of the master.

"No eye contact," she said to me.

I know I wasn't ready but no one listened to me. I guess they wanted me to fall and get punished so they had something to laugh about.

Gloria said she was by my side. I was happy to have her here ,I was happy that she was by my side. Her encouraging words made me feel at ease.

"I am here, don't worry about anything, just watch what I do," she said.

I hope I don't do anything wrong

I don't want to get her in trouble if I do anything wrong but I can't go alone as well,I just have to try my best and stay positive.

"No eye contact, don't speak unless asked a question,don't breathe as well" I said .

Gloria laughed at me .

" That's funny but no one asked you not to breathe " she said.

We were still in the kitchen preparing the master's food.

"But there are so many rules. Maybe if I breathe he will say I did wrong, " I said.

"Ezra stop saying that or if you get caught you will be punished " Gloria said.

"That's the only word I have been hearing since I came here," I replied.

"That's the only word that puts fear in people so.....masters punish a lot so it's expected and they use it alot as well." Gloria said.

"Stop gossiping." Ma Nora said as she came into the kitchen.

"Yes ma." we said in unison.

We have been caught but she won't do anything to us.