The Ambitious Maid

Irene is running. It appears like this is all that I do. The sound of my shoes' soles hitting against the wet pavement, the scorching ache in my legs with each step forward, and the strange looks from those around me. Everything was usual for me. I hear their evil chuckles as they sprint ahead of me, tossing my rucksack about like a toy. "Come and get it," He exclaims, excitement coursing through his raspy voice from all the cigarettes he smokes. That was Rex Henry. He's been smoking since he was six years old and takes pleasure in my anguish.

His other minions, Jacob Landors, Emma Rems, and James Vlad, all shared the same purpose. Make my life miserable. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I'm not sure how long I've been running, but I couldn't let them take my backpack, the one thing I valued the most. It was the final piece of my father I had with me, the last present he gave me before his death. I was just nine years old and didn't grasp that my dad would never return. Until my mother. She'd been so miserable; I don't think I'd ever seen somebody as distraught as she was, owing to her use of narcotics. We couldn't afford to buy these drugs. And when she overdosed, I was left with all of her debt. I feel the anguish in my throat, just before I can't stop crying. My hair was drenched from the rain, my clothing was soaking, and my voice was practically gone as I yelled and begged them to return it. They would not. This was just the beginning, after all. They turn into an alleyway, cackling like a pack of hyenas, and I, like the idiot I am, follow them inside. I was struggling to catch my breath as my wet hair stuck to my face and the rain continued to fall. They gaze at me, hold the backpack out for me, and laugh as I approach, believing I can just grab it and escape. "Go on, don't be so scared." James Vlad utters this, bringing the backpack closer to my reach. As I place my hand on the old bag that has been with me since elementary school, I look around at everyone standing in a circle around me. I attempt to grab it, but Peter has a firm grasp on it, a nasty sneer on his face as he glances at his friends. Don't you want the backpack?" Take it. He yells in my face, and I stagger back, feeling my throat close and my heart race as I know what is going to happen. I hear their camera switch on, and Emma lets out a giggle before Sydney's punch hits directly on my face. I couldn't feel anything as I was thrown into a muddy pool, and their words became mumbles. It sounded like hell. I get kicked in the ribs, legs, and head. A cry of anguish reverberates through my body as they deliver one final kick to my stomach before fleeing triumphantly. I stayed out till I felt like I was choking. My body lifts instinctively as I try to choke out the water in the puddle.My body was vigilant, warning me not to move from the discomfort, but I had no option. I slowly crawled to my backpack, which had been flung into another puddle.I take it up and cry as I watch the unclean water trickle down the edges. I cry as I put on the backpack as if nothing had happened, as I wipe the filth and muck off my face, and the entire way to Francina's, where I had been working for three years. And right before stepping in, I wipe my eyes, grin, and open the door. Ms. Tilsky's fixation with incense obscured the place's constant odour of oil and perspiration. She never liked me, and no one else did, so coming in late would just exacerbate her disdain for me. I know her aged face, large spectacles, bright makeup, and hair pushed back into a whirl of blonde strands as she runs around, doing the job of two people. The task I was meant to do. If Sydney hadn't taken my backpack at school, this would never have happened, but here I was, attempting to speak with Ms Tilsky, who refused to recognise my existence. "Ms. Tilsky, sorry I'm late. I had to stay after school a bit for a test." I say this as she walks to the rear of the little diner. She sits down in a chair, heaving a huge breath and wiping the perspiration from her brow from the rush."You're fired." She spits, and my world freezes with those words."No, Ms. Tilsky, you don't understand! I need this job. Please do not do this to me. I don't finish as she angrily waves her finger towards the door, her forehead wrinkles tightening in wrath. "Please." I beg once again, but she ignores me and moves on to another customer. I feel the hot tears fall again, and I walk miserably out of the restaurant, my soaking garments pulling me down and my head down to the ground.It's OK; I could simply get a new job and save and save and save until all of my obligations were paid off, Chris wouldn't bother me again, and I'd graduate from high school and live a regular life.All my expectations faded as I received a horrific SMS on my ancient phone, which had nearly shattered. "I'm giving you three weeks, and if I don't have the money by then, I'm going to fuck you and pull you apart limb by limb," Chris said.Mother's dealer. He found me after she died and told me he'd give me a few weeks to find work and pay off the remainder of the loan. $25,000 Now I was unemployed, and he would find out. He always discovers everything. If I didn't get a job right now, my life would be gone before it ever began. Despite the painful anguish, my legs gradually led me to the spot I called home. It was a one-bedroom apartment that appeared to be in disarray rather than functional. When it rained, the ceilings would drip with water, the flooring would split, the walls were dusty, and the bed was almost shattered. I take off my damp clothes and place them in my tiny wash basket before entering the shower. The hot water lasts 4 minutes and 32 seconds, so as soon as it starts, I get in and attempt to complete it as quickly as possible. My skin burns as the hot water penetrates my cuts, but I ignore it as I do with almost everything. My body hurts as I change into my only pyjamas, my head hammering and my legs sore from all the jogging earlier.It was silent, empty, and lonely when I walked out of the restroom. The room was dark, and the only sounds I could hear were the couple upstairs shouting again and the heavy rain outside.I grab a bowl of dry cereal and eat it carefully while scrolling through my phone, seeking work opportunities.

What are your opinions on the book thus far?

Irene: I want to think I'm strong.

Through everything, every difficult period in my life, I found an escape in schooling. Whenever I wasn't working or being pushed around by Sydney and his group, I was studying, which was the one thing I was really good at.

I had the greatest GPA in my high school, which I never believed mattered much because we lived in the poorest section of town, where no kid cared and spent their time on drugs and drinking.

However, after Rex Henry learned about my accomplishments, I was forced to do all of his assignments, including Peter's, Jacob's, and Emma's.

"Good job, Hart; my parents truly think I can go to Harvard with this shit." Jacob laughs hysterically, pressing me hard on the back while shovelling the paper I had written in front of my face.

"How about we play a little game after school today?" Huh?" Sydney replies as they follow me down the deserted school corridors.

"No, I'm okay," I respond gently, my mouth trembling as he slams me against a locker. I stare down, my hair concealing my face, too afraid to speak another word.

"Stuttering bitch." He spits, grabs my hair, and pulls my head up.

"Sydney, we should go now," Peter replies uneasily as the sound of a teacher's keys echoes down the corridor.

"Don't think I'm done with you." He scowls before pushing my head back into the locker and leaving with Peter.

My head hurts from the intensity as I go to my first lesson of the day, holding back tears.

As soon as the bell sounds for my final class, I stand up, my legs pulling me towards the exit. Maybe if I was faster, they wouldn't catch me today.

I open the heavy door, showing the blinding light on my face and the heat on my skin. My eyes anxiously scan for the bus, and I feel a sense of relief in the pit of my stomach as I watch it drive up.

I ran faster than ever and hid in the back seat, hoping they didn't see me come in.

My gaze is drawn to the glass as Sydney and his group search for me, shoving aside the other students in their path. I could feel my heart in the pit of my stomach. If they found me, I'd die.

The bus door closes, and relief sweeps over me. I was secure for now.

Last night, I determined that getting a job in the poorest area of town wasn't the best option. With Sydney and Chris living in the same neighbourhood, things would only become worse.

So I ride the bus to the end of the route, where anyone would dream of residing.

The bustling city life, the pristine streets and expensive residences that lined every street, and the residents dressed from head to toe in clothes were worth more than my monthly rent.

Rupert City

I step off the bus and immediately breathe in the fresh air.

As I strolled down the street, I received an unimaginable number of glances, as if I were an alien or not even human.

They were all raised on money, never going a day without thinking about how they would eat the following week.

I envied them, but I knew it was a future that I could never have.

A gentle wind sweeps through my hair as I open the entrance of a pleasant-looking cafe, the bell above me ringing to notify the workers of a client.

A girl working there who appeared to be around 24 and was clothed in a pink apron with the store's name printed in cursive on it.

Caffè di Amore

"I'm sorry, miss, but I don't think this place is right for you." She speaks gently as I stand in front of the cashier.

"I. I apologize. I was just looking for a job if you had any openings." I say, attempting to ignore the scorching glare of an elderly guy seated at one of the tables.

"You don't fit our employee description; I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A man says this, stepping in front of the girl and taking control.

He was, presumably, the manager.

I simply nodded my head and looked over to the scary old man who was still staring at me before swiftly walking away.

I let out a breath as I walked slowly along the street. I'm not sure why I had any chance of landing a job around here; I was pitiful.

As I go to the bus station, I feel a hard hand grip my arm and spin me around. My eyes widen as I come face-to-face with the old man at the cafe.

He had creases on almost every part of his face and a short frame, holding out a little golden business card with unsteady hands.

"You looking for a job, kid?" He inquires, his voice dry.

I swallow the knot in my throat and carefully take the golden card while looking down at it.

"Yeah," I reply, stroking my arm as he releases go. My gaze moves to the little lettering, which just had a phone number and the words Agosti Estate inscribed in the middle.

"I can get you a job as a maid there, good pay, and housing for free." He moves his palm to mine, and I close my fingers securely around the card. I'm confused by his polite gesture. Why would he offer me this job? I was unsure whether this was reliable or not.

At the same time, I felt awful about labelling the man creepy; he was only trying to assist, after all.

"You don't give this card to anyone. Getting a job at the Agosti Estate is exceedingly hard, and this card is your only route in." He instructs.

It seemed more like a one-way trip to hell than anything else. This guy was suspect, but I couldn't help but take a chance.

Good wages and housing? I could live there and pay off all of my debts without having to worry every night about Sydney knowing where I resided.

"But why me?" "I am nothing special." My words barely come out as I glance at the old guy, who merely responds with sympathy in his gentle eyes.

"I can tell you have a pure heart; you deserve this job more than anyone else in this city." He smiles before turning around to stroll down the sidewalk.

My attention returns to the card in my fingers, and my brows furrow as I consider the option.

Before any more ideas enter my mind, I turn around and search for the old guy to thank him. I hadn't even learned his name.

My eyes darted across the crowded streets, seeking the elderly guy who had recently been my rescuer, but he was nowhere to be seen.

How far could he have travelled?

My quest for the man stops abruptly when I notice Sydney and his gang coming off a bus and gazing around the streets.

My body fills with shivers, panic pounding my body as I turn away from them and hurry quickly to a dumpster on the corner.

I hide behind the bins, practically puking up at the disgusting odour of the rubbish around me.

My hands move to my lips, preventing any sound from escaping when I hear their voices approaching me.

"I'm going to kill that bitch when I find her." Sydney spits, his last words dripping with anger.

My card suddenly drops from my palm, falling exactly next to Jacob's foot, and my entire body stops as I glance up, his eyes connecting with mine.

"Found her." He says this with a scary sneer on his face.

Irene freezes in amazement as shadows of Peter, Emma, Sydney, and Jacob encircle her hunched form.

My body shivers in terror as I push myself up against the brick wall as hard as I can, shaking my head no.

Sydney kneels, his hand roughly grasping my jaw, pushing my gaze to his own.

"You shouldn't have done that." He says quietly, studying my face.

For some reason, I had a glimmer of optimism that he'd let me go this time, but it vanished as he pushed his fist directly towards my face, landing on my lip.

I scream in anguish, my hand quivering as I touch my now-bloody mouth. After years of anguish from Sydney, the taste of my blood had only been etched in my mind.

"You're lucky I'm in the mood for something else today." He snickers, and I keep shaking my head no when he starts removing his belt.

"N..no..no..please..stop." I stumble, my voice too unsteady to produce the proper words.

It seemed as if my brain had frozen; I couldn't talk, could hardly move, and felt hopeless. My own body was failing me; the one part of me on which I relied the most seemed as if it had just stopped.

I look to them for assistance, any of them; they could not let this happen.

Sydney's hands freeze as he looks down at the golden card next to Jacob's foot, his eyes straining as he considers for a while before carefully stooping down.

I swallow the knot in my throat, feeling as if my body has just come back to life, as he takes up my golden card, the one item that can lead to my liberation from Chris and Sydney.

"Agosti estate?" He mumbles to himself, staring at me with a puzzled expression.

"How the fuck did you get this, you can't do shit." He spits and grabs my collar.

I struggle to regain my breath from the unexpected impact, hoping to say anything before he hits me again.

"I. I don't know I was looking for jobs and j..just came across it." I lie through my teeth. I didn't want them to locate the old guy; he'd been so polite to me, and it was just proper to do.

Sydney throws me back onto the concrete floor, my back scrapping into the brick wall behind me. I could feel the bruises and wounds cutting into my flesh.

He glances at the card again before approaching eye level with me, a sick expression in his eyes as he waves the golden card in front of my face with two fingers.

"I'm going to say this once and only once." He begins, sliding the card to touch my cheek.

I nodded quickly, attempting to control my quivering hands as I tried to look away from him.

Sydney quickly pushes the corner of the golden card against my smooth skin, droplets of blood flowing down my face from the searing cut he'd just made.

"As soon as you get your big paycheck from those rich motherfuckers, you're going to come to this exact spot and give me the money." He snickers. Jacob, Peter, and Emma all smile in agreement with his comments.

"I...I can't my mother's d..dealer will kill..me if I d.. don't pay him first." I hiccup from all the sobbing, and my tears fall in heavy drips.

He rolls his eyes in anger before throwing the card at me.

"Then you give me half." He sneers. His hand pulls my hair, bringing me up to meet his gaze.

"And if you don't, I'll make sure that sweet little heart of yours stops beating before you can take another step on this earth," Sydney warns, releasing his tight grasp on my hair.

I collapse with a yell as their silhouettes vanish from the now-dark alleyway, their laughter resonating in my ears.

My hands go shakily up to my face, fiercely brushing away the tears in my eyes.

How could I be so foolish, and how could I let them know?

The tears I had brushed away were replaced with new ones that flowed uncontrollably. I fight to rise, my legs failing me as I slump back, my hands resting on the pavement to break my fall.

I'm not sure how long I'd been sobbing pathetically in quiet, but it seemed like forever.

When I hear voices in the alleyway, my tears stop and I pause in place, listening to a discussion I probably shouldn't be hearing.

I couldn't hear their voices well, but it had to be a shady drug transaction. I gently moved ahead, pulling myself away from whatever was going on.

"Do you think I'm fucking playing with you?" A deep voice threatens. I could hear another voice, but it simply seemed like mumbles until I heard many blows and shouts not far away.

My body flies into panic mode as I almost make it out, only to hear police sirens. My body is pushed forward, and a scream escapes my lips as something slams into me from behind, and I'm instantly beneath some man who has fallen with me.

I couldn't make out his features-only the large cut on his face, his black hair, and the fragrance of expensive cologne.

The man looked down at my beaten-up face strangely before checking behind him to see if anyone was there.

"What the fuck did you see?" He growls as he turns his head back to me, gripping my collar in the weird position we were in.

" I..I.." That's all I can say as my gaze falls on the revolver in his right hand.

Luckily for me, the police sirens are just getting closer. The man mumbles insults under his breath before forcibly releasing me and hastily leaving my body.

When the police car races down the alleyway, its lights bouncing off the dark walls and sirens blaring in my ears, my legs immediately shift towards the wall. Before they could get near, the guy had already jumped on a motorcycle and raced away.

Was he any kind of criminal? Are you part of a gang?

I get chills on my skin just thinking about it. I had already dealt with enough wicked individuals.

It was late, and I'd had enough near-death experiences for the day, so I walked rapidly to the bus, feeling goosebumps on my skin from the frigid air as I clutched the golden card firmly.

Tomorrow, I'd head to the Agosti Estate for the job.

I simply wanted to get rid of all my agony, halt my suffering, and get Sydney and Chris off my radar for good.

I'd pay off the loan, give Sydney half of my paycheck, and then flee, far away from the misery I was reared in and everyone who has ever mistreated me.