Vows of Silence

13

I was holding the black trash bag with my hurt hand while I picked up the trash from last night's party. There were brown glass bottles, silver and gold cans that were crushed into pieces with sharp edges, more cans of all sorts of colors were still on top of tables or turned over on their sides and the stuff inside had left a sticky drippy trail leading to the floor. Bits of food were bitten and left behind or smashed into pieces as flat as a pancake. Some of the sandwiches had been crushed into balls and were now mushy piles of ingredients sitting in a cup with a foul, vinegary smell. I stood up and peeled a strip of pizza off of a glass picture frame. Everything smelled gross. There was so much food and I didn't want to eat any of it. Rebecca walked over to me with the dustpan. I held the bag open as she dumped the contents into it.

''Hurry up, we still have a lot to do to get ready. Everything must be perfect.'' Rebecca was oddly kind while she picked up the trash off the floor,

''Don't we have to make dinner too?'' I don't know we'd get everything done if dinner takes almost three hours. Rebecca shook her head,''Alpha's ordering pizza for everyone.'' Pizza! I've never had pizza before. I hurried up and packed more bottles and plates and junk into the bag. All the tables were finally cleared. This was the third bag of trash and it was almost full. I set it down and picked up the paper towels and the spray. Normally, we use cleaning rags, but Rebecca said this mess was too gross, and it would be better to just toss everything into the trash together. I was happy because that meant I had less stuff to wash later. I sprayed all the tables and scrubbed them down with paper towels and then did it all over again. There was nothing wrong with a party. I've never been to one before, but I think everyone deserves to have fun. I did have a problem with people being nasty and not using trash cans or napkins. I guess they're like this because no one had ever told them they had to do these things. Someone else had always picked up after them. I can't imagine being that useless. I heard the loud hum of the vacuum just as Rebecca pushed the handle into my hand. I picked up the crumbs while she dusted the sofa and chairs.

Once we finished cleaning that space, the rest of the house was left. I don't think I've ever cleaned the entire house in one day before. It was always broken up into sections. Monday and Thursday were the bathrooms, Tuesdays and Fridays the house was swept and mopped. Wednesday was for dusting. Every day there was cooking, cleaning the kitchen, the front room, the living room, the dining room. Rebecca cleaned Alpha's office and I did laundry every day. And every single day, there was barely enough time to make sure everything was cleaned up to Rebecca's standards. I finished dusting and wiping the stairs, the pictures, the hallway corners and the boards that decorated the wall by the floor. They always got dirty, no matter how many times I cleaned them. I was wiping the windows and watching the sunset when Rebecca found me. I was sweaty and dusty and my black pants were basically gray from everything they picked up.

''You're a mess! The pizza's here so I'm going to eat. Finish these windows and wipe down the guest rooms. Find me when you're finished.'' Her hands were on her hips and a piece of fabric was tied around her head and making a pizza slice shape that covered the fact that her hair was fading into a lighter color.

''I already aired out the rooms, dusted and wiped down everything. I also sprayed the beds with the bed cleaner spray and vacuumed the floor. '' I wiped my forehead with my arm as I put the cleaning rag down onto the window sill. Maybe I'll get a little break while we talk. I already finished this window anyway. Rebecca was wide-eyed as she stared at me.

''Then clean the bathrooms, the stair wells of each floor and vacuum the rugs and wipe the floorboards, and clean all the shelves and everything on them.'' Rebecca nodded to herself as she checked things off of a list she had made in her mind.

''I already did that,'' I nodded my head with each order she gave out.

Rebecca stuttered. I don't think I've ever seen her like this before. "Then wash the bedding and get it dry before it's too late. Dust the living room, the entry-way, the front door, the back door, and all the floorboards in those areas. Rebecca almost seemed angry now. I don't know why. I was just doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Besides, once I pay off my debt, I'm supposed to receive a small pay for my work.

''I already washed and folded the bedding. I left it on each bed after cleaning, I dusted the doors and wiped the floorboards, the TV, the windows, the TV stand, the tables and I refreshed the curtains with the spray.'' I was out of breath as I listed everything I had done today. I know there was more, but at least I could remember the main rooms I had finished. Rebecca had disappeared throughout the day. She had left and came back and had kept a steady stream of supplies coming.

''Well, pack all of this up, and I'll make the beds after dinner. You'll just get everything dirty again." Rebecca shook her head at my dusty clothes and walked away. Does this mean I get pizza? This might be the most food I've ever eaten in a week! If I get the pizza that is. My heart was beating in my throat as I picked everything up and carried it back downstairs to the laundry room. It took three trips up three flights of stairs, but I did it. I even put everything back in its correct spot. I washed my hands in the laundry room sink with one of the soap bar scraps I was told to throw away from the bathroom. It was dark outside, like pitch black kind of dark. The moon wasn't out today. I shook my hands so that they'd dry a bit and slowly made my way up the stairs. Rebecca didn't say I wasn't allowed a bite of pizza. So maybe, after all my work today, I'd get one. My stomach grumbled as I held the door knob in my hand. I hadn't realized how much my head hurt until now. It was like my body pushed past all the pain so that it wouldn't hurt when I was working.

I made my way into the kitchen and took a deep breath before I walked into the dining room. I know I wasn't typically allowed, but maybe this one time, they wouldn't be mad about it. I stepped into the room. The only ones left were Alpha Damian, Rebecca, Beta Micheal, and that girl who had the messy party.

''Oh good! You're here!'' Rebecca waved me over while she laughed at something Beta Micheal said. This is it. She isn't angry or upset. Maybe I'll get food today. She grabbed two boxes of pizza and handed them to me. They felt heavy.

''Thank you.'' I was quiet when I spoke. I can't believe how much she gave me! I've never had pizza before but everyone always goes crazy when they order it.

''What are you thankful for?'' Rebecca scrunched her eyebrows as she looked at me.

''For the food. For thinking of me.'' A small part of me wanted to cry. Rebecca had almost never remembered that I hadn't eaten when she threw out the food. She started laughing. Beta Micheal started laughing along with her. The girl with the party looked over at them and then back at me before she spoke. I barely heard her ask what had happened when Rebecca started trying to talk while she laughed.

''She...she...she thinks...there's food in the box...for her! She laughed in-between each word as she spoke. I felt fire burn my cheeks. Then what was in the box? The girl started laughing with them.

''Why would we save you food? You don't deserve to eat anything!'' She laughed along with them. It was hard to breathe as I stood there with the boxes in my hand.

"Ms. Crust-dust thinks she's allowed to eat!'' I didn't think they were funny.

''Throw those boxes in the trash bin outside, make yourself useful, Crust-dust!'' Beta Micheal yelled out from his spot on the table. He bumped the girl's fist just as I turned around and walked out of the dining room. I never realized just how far the door was from the dining room. Every one watched as I walked out of the door. Why was everyone inside anyway? I finally walked outside and found the trash cans on the side of the house. It's like I was cursed to listen to what everyone said. I opened the box and found dirty paper plates, used napkins, and small empty cups that had some sort of red sauce.