Scar Red

35: A Witch's Guise

"Tell her that I have someone new. She has the perfect physique and I think the customers will enjoy her."

There was a pause and I could barely make out some baritone voices.

"No, this one's very helpless. I have her under my clutches, she can't go anywhere."

There were more incoherent echoes.

"-she's a silly redhead who can't even discern her left from her right. If she goes missing, no one will look for her. None of her family lives here that's why she's the perfect target. I too have some of my very own customers who can't wait to have her."

I was giving Harriet the benefit of doubt all this time but then I knew the truth. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was talking about me, and the way she demeaned my personality was impressive. Now, I was going to prove her wrong.

It was more than shocking to see that she had something to do with all the missing girls in that café and apparently I was the next target.

Turning the burnished knob, I stepped into the room.

"Hello Carina," the chubby woman acknowledged. I wanted to strangle her—she was such a bad person. Heaven knew what had become of all those poor girls. Why did I even agree to stay with her in the first place? And Ezra...or Matthew probably didn't know that this was the kind of person she was.

"I just wanted to ask if you're staying over," I said monotonously.

She had a personal room in that building and it was kind of adjoining mine. She also had her house somewhere around this vicinity so, sometimes she passed the night here.

"Oh no no. I'll be back at my house tonight." She clarified with a seemingly cordial smile on her face.

"Ok," I turned to go.

"And Carina, what about the scholarship? Have you had any breakthroughs?"

At the shake of my head, she said, "Well, I hope something turns up. I know it will be favourable."

Was it just me? Or was there some undertone of sarcasm to her words? She was probably thinking of how much of a twit I was and how much money she would probably get for turning me in on whatever evil plan that she talked of, over the phone which she didn't know I overheard. We'd see who would have the last laugh.

"You'll be going to the eatery to work tomorrow right?"

"Yes," I affirmed.

I was juggling two jobs that time around since I needed as much money as I could get my hands on before I finally left the city. The miserly amount she paid me for working in her café wasn't helping my cause at all since she deducted money for all the water I used, and the energy I consumed which she confidently asserted wasn't covered by the accommodation money.

That was why I was mostly inconsistent at the café, took breaks whenever I wanted, and purposely didn't show up at all sometimes.

"You work too hard, you should take a break, sleep in-"

I walked out on her while she talked so I could get to my escape plan.

On getting to my room, I pried out my phone to give my brother a call to break the news to him. He was confused but I assured him that everything would be explained in due time.

I would be going back battered, broken, a mere shadow of the person I used to be and essentially worse than I came but at that point in time I was willing to take that chance. The half loaf was always better than none.

When I first came in there, I used to have a roommate. Her name was Helen but apparently, she'd gone 'missing' too. I didn't really know what was happening and I wouldn't lie that I wasn't scared out of my mind.