Scar Red

19: Of Lies And Deceit

So guys! This is the nineteenth chapter of SR and it heralds a big turning point in this story, I'm so happy that we've gotten this far, you know, on starting this story, I wasn't sure of what it would really mean, what it would stand for and I wasn't sure of what I was doing. But I pushed myself 'cause I knew who I was doing this for and I really wanted to see what would become of all this. I still do and I know that the results will be worth it. So buckle up and get ready for the turbulence!

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I fiddled with my medallion as I looked around the dining space. My food was half gone as well as my attention in the gossip Bambi was offloading, rapping the words out non-stop. It was something about Amber's debacle at seducing that new boy, Handro and for someone who recently got back from leave, she sure knew a lot.

My appetite had ceased to be when I looked over at the main cooking compartment and had my eyes focused on the flames licking at the pot's bottom. All the nightmares I'd had in two weeks replayed in my head.

With all the bad dreams that kept perpetuating, a trepidation feeling followed. I didn't know why I had that treacherous feeling that something heinous was about to ensue and this was like some kind of calm before the storm.

A hand landing on my shoulder almost startled me and I turned to face Lenny sitting opposite me.

"Are you okay?"

I blinked a few times, registering the question. "Of course, yes," I said, feigning a smile.

She scrutinized me for a while before she simply nodded, removing her attention from me and probably back to Bambi's gossip feed.

Sighing, I picked up my spoon and forced some food into my mouth in a bid to convince myself that everything would be fine.

As I walked over to my bed that night, clad in my shorts and warm sweater as usual, somehow I crossed paths with Anne, but instead of scowling, she did something that I least expected. She grinned at me like we were long-lost friends.

"What plan do they have up their sleeve this time?"

Even last week, she walked up to me, apologizing for what she'd done and that she wanted us to be friends.

I knew it was nothing but another elaborate scheme and they must have thought that I was that asinine. Brushing away some strands of my hair, I sidestepped her to continue on my course.

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It was my seventh month there and the third month since I started working as Ro's personal. Ro had fallen into a relapse; sometimes I would walk in on him crying or yanking on his hair and screaming. Sometimes, his eyes would be bloodshot. It was like mood swings, crazy, uninhibited mood swings.

Luckily Dr. Henrique dropped by today and had given him some injections as well as altered his prescriptions too.

We were now sitting before the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the sunset. It was a fascinating conflagration, ablaze with delightful hues. I breathed contently, however, little did I know that it might just be the last sunset I'd watch as an honourable employee of the Numman household.

Beside me, Ro seemed to grunt before he looked up. I imitated his actions and soon, I was wondering what it would feel like to stand on the second level of that massive room while overlooking the entire space. Too bad it was barricaded.

On returning my gaze to the view outside, a pitch-black crow had settled on one of the tree branches below us with its beady eyes regarding us. I didn't know why I stared back or why I was having a bad feeling all of a sudden. Goosebumps spread across my skin and I scratched the back of my neck.

Finally, when I tore my gaze away and back to Ro, those piercing silver-grey irises were already trained on me. Could he have sensed my disturbance?

"Don't worry, I'm ok." I smiled, reached out, and ruffled his hair.

That night, I retired late and while I was coming back to our quarters, I saw a sinister-looking Estefania lurking around the corners, and just like Anne, she smiled at me. The action caught me oddly and involuntarily, a grimace etched itself on my features.

"What exactly did Evelynn do to them?"

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I chuckled. "No! Ro, you don't do it like that," I was trying to show him how solving a puzzle worked, however, he seemed to like his way better.

Urgent knocking, no, pounding on the door resonated in the room, jolting me to my feet. After instructing Ro to stay put, I rushed to it.

On opening it, Bambi stood there looking weary. She practically dragged me out of Ro's room and the West wing entirely. She talked fast and I couldn't make out most of her utterances except; "...something from the museum was taken yesterday. The alarms were set off and it showed a female in the cameras—specifically some auburn strands when some hair slipped out from whatever covering she wore."

We rushed down to the heart of the havoc. Right there in our quarters, our properties and bags were being ransacked. Madam stood there looking like a tiger ready to pounce on someone and everyone was in a frenzy. It was the guys that were conducting this search, shocking.

Even though Bambi mentioned that it was a redhead—and there were several of us—that the cameras caught, they were still searching everyone's things.

Evelynn and Cassidy were involved in the search too. The place was turned upside down in the search for this priceless artifact.

I wondered who would be that fatuous to try to steal something like that knowing full well that she wouldn't succeed. My heart went out to that unlucky person. I crossed my arms and watched. "Who was that unfortunate ba-"

"-you!" Madam bellowed, pointing in our general direction. She trudged down to us holding the missing item—it appeared to be shaped like an egg. Some blokes followed behind her. In her hand, she held the bag belonging to the culprit. It was some duffel bag. Wait! I scrutinised it and to my greatest doom and dismay, it was the same faint brown hue that mine was.

Bambi gasped beside me and I felt my heart plummet.

"Who owns this?!" She hollered.

Fear clamped my jaws shut. "How could it be? No, no, no!"

Everyone stepped back one by one until I was the only one left. I watched as Madam's eyes widened in shock as well as Evelynn's and Cassidy's who were now beside her.

"N-" I tried to voice but the slap that I was met with rendered me speechless for the briefest of moments as I tried to explain myself again amidst tears.

"-you don't understand, I didn't take any-"

"-how could you? I doubled your pay! I trusted you but you went right ahead and used that against me!" She spat venomously.

"I-"

"-no, it's all on me! It's my fault! Curse all you rural scum!"

She turned to the boys. "Take her! Get her out of this place and it has to be done within the next thirty minutes unless your jobs will suffer too!"

She turned back, throwing my bag at me. "Maybe you do judge a book by its cover after all."

Impulsively, I threw myself in front of her, pleading and begging but when strong, calloused hands dragged me out of the way, I knew I was done for. Frantically, I looked around, the looks all my roommates were giving me left me devastated then I spotted Bambi. "Bambi, you know I didn't do anything! Tell them, please!"

But I knew that nothing she could say could alter that merciless verdict.