The Cure

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Zara

I stand and watch as Zeno takes off, running fast across countless rows of pine trees in a vast forest. Today has been an eventful day. First I had to distract Tom by telling him that his business associates from the town on the north side called him for an agent meeting.

Poor Tom left in such a hurry that he even forgot to call the guy and confirm the meeting. Not only did I tell him about the fake meeting, but I also used a short moment of excitement to put a high dose of sleeping pills on his vodka.

Tom left the club two hours ago. Me being a good girl I have used these two hours to burn incense sticks with a sleeping potion I got from the witch doctor for two months. Yes, I have been plotting again my boss for a while if that is what you want to ask how I thought of getting a sleeping potion.

Now that Zeno has escaped the club safely, I have to put the final touches to my grand plan. I walk back calmly before coursing a big storm. I head straight to my room, behind the pillows on my neat bed I pick up a lighter and papers I had prepared to start the fire.

I will make sure to not exaggerate my task so that no one gets hurt. This mission still has a high chance of turning out wrong, I could get caught. The less damage my stunt courses the bearable the consequences.

I shove all the items in my bra. I walk down to the bar n serve a few drinks, buying Zeno some time to get far. One of the gentlemen buys me a few shorts. I drink them as fish does with water. The drinks give me a fighting spirit, now it’s time to finish what I started.

I slip through the crowd in the club, heading towards the East wing. The wing is occupied by rooms used to entertain clients. I pass all the doors and enter the last one near the corner. The restroom.

Upon reaching the bathroom I look around to see if l have company, well no l don’t. Good, now, I light my cigar and take three intense pulls. Seeing the smoke spread all over the place, blaring my sight. Not thinking much, I then throw the cigar out through the window and use the lighter to light the papers.

I stand on top of the toilet sit, cursing my short body while placing the burning papers under the fire-detecting system pipes. Soon I hear an alarm running off. The fire-detecting system releases water. Mission accomplished, I do a happy dance a little and then start running for the door. Not before cleaning off the toilet seat and flushing the remaining papers.

Reaching outside the bathroom doors I see everyone running for their nearest exit. I guess no one wants to be stacked in a burning building. I run back towards the south wing where my daughter is, I had to get her out to finish the act successfully. Emerging from the main door leading to the south wing I see her crying. Trying to find her way out of the building, fully in flight mode. Without saying a word I grab her hand and run for the exit.

“Is there anyone left inside?” I ask as we are about to reach the doors leading out of the building. She shakes her head no. I wonder what took her so long to decide to escape the danger, anyways I will ask her that later. I think she is too overwhelmed with emotions that she can’t even talk. Outside the security guards are still assisting the workers and clients to get out of the building safely. Some are ensuring that all the gates are locked. Ruthless people, all they care about is keeping us in this place. I am glad Zeno escaped.

Even after so many years of being with these people I still cannot believe their nerve of them to do by all means to keep us here despite our lives being in danger. Well, that is what they should be thinking even though it is not true.

We find a place to sit down while the security guards inspect the building, looking for a place that is burning and the course of fire. Like any other worker, I act frightened while comforting my daughter.

I know you are wondering how come a p********e has a child. The thing is, we sometimes entertain clients in private booths. There we get tested before entering, they do that for a client to decide if he or she wants to use protection or hit it raw. Well, I guess it was one of those days they hit it raw that I fell pregnant. It took me a while to get Tom to let me keep the baby. I desperately wanted to keep the baby. At the end of the day that was my only chance of being a mother, considering my profession.

After half an hour the dust settles down. One of the security guards who went to check up on the whole building come out and assures us that there is no fire. They will investigate the case further but for now, we have to get back to work. He then apologize to the clients for the inconvenience caused. We get back to work, first I take my daughter to my lovely quarters. My job on Zeno’s case is done, now I have to wait for Tom to return and play it by ear to hear his next move.

Time flies fast, before we even know it, it is already the middle of the night. Time for me to knock off.

“Belinda, where is the girl who is supposed to fill in my sport? I need to rest now.” I tell Belinda yawning. It has been a long day.

“Zeno is the one who is supposed to switch places with you. Keep working while waiting for him to show up.” Hearing that I felt a lump in my throat. My luck must be running low. Zeno has escaped, meaning I will work a double shift. No! It’s triple because I have another shift following this one. Yet looking at the bright side, this is good because having them expecting Zeno to show up for work means they are not aware that he escaped the club. I hope he is safe wherever he is.

Working three back-to-back shifts will be a challenge for my weak body but I can’t complain. I can’t risk them paying attention to Zeno, besides that, I have fallen from grace. Tom’s favorite is Belinda currently, and she makes it a point that I suffer in her hands. Poor me.

When recalling correctly I did not abuse her in any way while I was Tom’s favorite. Anyways, maybe it is the mere idea of me being higher than her in status before that bothers her. Things will get better in time that is what I tell myself whenever I suffer in Belinda’s harsh hands.

Belinda is very harsh, one day she told me to attend to three clients in a private booth without telling me that the clients pre-ordered drinks. That day the beer-bellied man smacked my face so hard and called me names. They accused me of being lazy and only wanting to stay in the men’s arms. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t stop crying. Tom was there too, he said nothing to protect me from the humiliation. Before I zone off remembering all my past troubles, I pick up the dishwashing cloth and head to the kitchen. I will be washing dishes until my last shift start.