Untitled Episode5
1271 Words
Chapter 5
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Sarah woke before the bucket arrived. That alone felt like progress. She sat up slowly, scanning the room like it might ambush her again.There was Nothing.
No water, no footsteps, no drama.
She narrowed her eyes in silence.
“…That’s suspicious.”
A small bucket sat quietly near the door. Untouched and waiting.
Sarah pointed at it.“You stay there.”
The bucket did not respond. She still didn’t trust it.
Outside, the Lower East Wing had already started moving.Always moving and never speaking. Sarah joined the flow of servants in the corridor, adjusting her sleeves as she walked.
She was beginning to notice a pattern. People here didn’t greet, don't pause and definitely didn't connect. They only functioned.
And then—
“You look like you’re thinking too hard.”
Sarah stopped and slowly turned.
Mira was leaning against a wall, holding a basket of folded cloth like she had been born there.
“I’m not thinking,” Sarah said.
Mira nodded.
“That’s worse.”
Sarah sighed.
“Why do you always appear like this?”
“Like what?”
“Like a problem I didn’t ask for.”
Mira smiled.
“I’ve been told I’m consistent.”
They walked together which already felt unusual in this wing. People usually avoided walking together like closeness itself was dangerous.
“You survived day one,” Mira said.
“I didn’t die,” Sarah corrected.
“Same thing here.”
“That’s depressing.”
Mira shrugged.
“Truth usually is.”
They turned a corner. A group of maids stood ahead.The moment they saw Sarah, their voices lowered.Not fully stopping. Just enough for her to notice.
Sarah exhaled.
“Here we go again.”
Mira tilted her head.
“You’re popular.”
“I don’t want to be.”
“Too late.”
One of the maids stepped forward.
“You,”she said pointing towards Sarah.
Sarah already disliked the tone.
“Yes?”
“You’re late.”
Sarah blinked.
“I’m not assigned to anything yet.”
The maid frowned.
“That’s not what we were told.”
Mira muttered beside her.
“Oh no.”
Sarah turned slightly.
“What does that mean?”
The maid smiled.
“Water duty.”
Mira closed her eyes slowly and uttered,
“Not again.”
Sarah frowned.
“Water duty?”
“Yes.”
The maid handed her a bucket.
“Carry it. Fill it. Distribute it and be quick.”
Sarah looked at the bucket.Then at Mira.
“This seems repetitive.”
Mira nodded.
“It is.”
“Is there a reason?”
Mira leaned closer.
“Because they want you tired enough not to ask questions.”
Sarah stared at her.
“That’s actually very honest.”
“I will try.”
So she walked. Again buckets, distance and repetition. Work designed to drain thought. Not just energy, Hours passed also.
By the fourth trip, her arms were heavy. By the sixth, she stopped complaining. By the eighth, she stopped counting.
“This place hates efficiency,” she muttered.
A passing servant replied casually:
“It hates people more.”
Sarah paused.
“…That was unnecessarily deep.”
The servant kept walking. When she returned again, Mira was sitting on a step watching her like entertainment.
“You look like you’re reconsidering life choices.”
“I am.”
“Good. That means you’re adjusting.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It’s accurate.”
Sarah dropped the bucket beside her.
“I think I’ve been punished enough for existing today.”
Mira tilted her head.
“You’re not punished.”
“Then what is this?”
Mira smiled slightly.
“Welcome.”
Before Sarah could respond—a voice interrupted.
“Clumsy.”
Both turned. A maid stood nearby, smirking.
Sarah immediately felt it. That tone, it sounded like a setup.
“What now?” Sarah asked.
The maid gestured behind her.
“You dropped something.”
Sarah frowned.
“I didn’t.”
Mira looked immediately alert.
“Oh no.”
Sarah turned. Her eyes widened slightly. A small bundle of folded linens lay on the ground. It looked too perfect like it had been dropped for her to find.
Sarah slowly bent down and picked it up.
“These aren’t mine.”
The maid shrugged.
“They were beside your bucket.”
Mira whispered:
“This is getting creative.”
Sarah stood.
“So let me understand,” she said calmly.“These appeared near me… therefore they’re mine?”
The maid smiled.
“Yes.”
Sarah nodded slowly.
“I see.”
She looked around. People were already watching and waiting.Then she did something unexpected. She handed the linens back.
“Then I think you should return them.”
The maid blinked.
“What?”
“You found them.”
Mira covered her mouth quickly trying not to laugh. The maid frowned.
“You’re refusing?”
“No,” Sarah said calmly.“I’m correcting the situation.”
Then Sarah added:
“I don’t collect things I didn’t lose.”
That hit differently. People started whispering.Not loudly but enough. The maid’s expression tightened.
“You think you’re smart.”
Sarah shrugged.
“I think I’m tired.”
That got a few quiet laughs from nearby servants.
The maid stepped forward.
“Be careful how you speak.”
Sarah met her gaze.
“Be careful how you set people up.”
Mira shifted slightly.
“Okay… this is escalating.”
Before anything else could happen—footsteps approached. It was controlled, measured and familiar.
Mira sighed immediately.
“Oh perfect.”
Sarah didn’t even look yet.
“I already know who that is.”
Adrian appeared at the end of the corridor.
Of course,Adrian.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Arguments paused, people straightened and everything reset. He looked at the linens then at Sarah and the maid.
“What is this?”
No one answered immediately.
The maid quickly said:
“She dropped them, sir.”
Adrian looked at Sarah. Silence stretched.
Sarah exhaled softly.
“I didn’t.”
That was all she said. Adrian studied her for a moment longer than necessary. Then he turned towards the maid and then the linen.
Something in his expression shifted slightly. Not belief, nor disbelief.
Like assessment.
Finally—
“All these should stop,” he said.“You all return to work.”
The maid opened her mouth but stopped and left quickly and muttering curseful words under her breath.
Mira leaned closer to Sarah.
“You really attract timing disasters.”
“I notice.”
Adrian turned towards Sarah, his eyes staying on her.
“You’re becoming a problem.”
Sarah raised a brow.
“I’m just existing.”
“That’s the issue.”
Then he added quietly:
“People are watching you too closely.”
Sarah frowned.
“That sounds like a them problem, not mine.”
“It will become yours,” he said.
Then he turned and walked away. Silence returned but not the normal kind.This one felt tighter like something had shifted.
Mira exhaled.
“You’re going to be very famous here.”
“I don’t want that.”
“Too late,” Mira said again, smirking.“Welcome to the Lower East Wing.”
Sarah looked at the corridor ahead. At the people still watching.At the places where whispers didn’t fully stop. At
the feeling that something was being arranged around her.
And for the first time, she wondered not just why they disliked her but why someone was trying so hard to make sure she didn’t belong.
- Writer
