Scar Red

Para Bellum

"I mean, that was insane," Bambi screamed.

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time that day. That was all she'd been talking about and it happened a week ago.

"I talked to Ned and Douglas about him," she continued.

"Wait, those two huge guys who were pulling him in?" She had to be joking 'cause those guys were intimidating and just huge. "How do you even know them?"

"I just know people OK? They're not as bad as they look. I did it by just walking up and starting a conversation. Douglas likes cats and Ned has a farm back at his home.

So as I was saying, I talked to them and even though they wouldn't let out any information, they did tell me that sometimes his condition got so bad that it takes tranquilizers to get him to rest." She spilled as she dusted the seats.

That made sense 'cause there was this one time when his nightly shrieks disturbed everyone. No one slept till twelve that night 'cause that was when it abruptly stopped. My heart went out to Madam though, seeing her only son in such a condition...that was why she was always that way.

But did they really just tell her that or did she pester them to the point that they just had to tell her something? She was so full of that.

I wiped the window of the music room in one downward movement of my hand after having applied the magic cleansing liquid to it, only catching a glimpse of myself before quickly looking away.

"Hey, why are you so quiet all of a sud-" My stomach chose that time to rumble again and I pressed a hand onto it.

"This is the second time I'm hearing that and I'm not choosing to ignore it anymore—just go use the bathroom, sheesh!" She said, sizing me up.

"It's not that. Lordys was on duty today and if you saw the meagre amount of food she gave me, you'd literally cry. It was so small and I'm starving." I whined.

It's true but what could I do? Report or ask for more food? I'm pretty sure my portion would've been reduced if I said a thing. Let's not leave out the fact that Susan and her g**g, which included Lordys, were now out for me, as it turned out they didn't take my rejection too lightly.

Bambi walked over, leaving what she was doing, and patted my back.

"Sorry about that but that's what you get when you turn Susan down and she takes it up. I told you, didn't I? This is just the beginning, Scarina, the worst is yet to come." She quipped.

"So, what are you saying? I should've accepted to be one of her toys?"

"No, but let's be honest; the moment she asked you, that became inevitable." She elucidated, maintaining eye contact just to make sure the words registered.

"Offending Susan is one thing, her taking it up is another," she spoke again, now moving to stand by the piano.

I had a feeling that there was more to her words.

"I made a mistake by ratting Susan out on something that happened. I didn't know that she found out it was me but remained adamant about it until that day you saw me dripping wet.

That was why I acted the way I did towards you and if there's anything that I've learnt about her is that she's ruthless when she decides to take up your case and will strike when you least expect it."

A chill ran down my spine at those words. Bambi was never this serious and now she was, I had better take into consideration what I had just heard. I went to stand in front of her before asking. "Why? I mean with the teasing, the advice, the stories...it's almost like you care. Why are you always hanging out with me, Denise?"

Right now, she was even helping me out with my chores when every other person that was to do it with me, abandoned the work. She was always reminding me of how we could never be close and then she was always hanging out with me. Now I thought about it, it could've been out of pity and I sure wouldn't take that.

If she even related with Ned and Douglas, I was sure she had quite a handful of other people she befriended.

She looked as if she was going to laugh about it however she didn't.

"You know, I don't owe you an explanation, right?" She mused. "But I'll tell you, I hang out with whoever I wish to, I lose interest in people easily, and even if I've been around this long that doesn't imply anything so stop taking it so personally, Scarina."

She laughed. "There's this crazy thing though; ever since you came here, there's never been a dull moment with you—literally and it's been more than entertaining and even though sticking around has been messing up my reputation, I'm attracted to the action." She said, punching my arm lightly.

She found everything that was happening to me entertaining. OK, that was just s******c yet honest—something Delilah never showed.

I shook my head nevertheless.

After all the energy I exerted that day, I was exhausted. The incredibly small amount of food I received for dinner courtesy of Lordys didn't help matters at all. I just wanted to get a few minutes of shut-eye before I had to shower. My back was killing me and I longed to rest it on something soft.

Regardless, the moment I reached my corner and was about to lie on my bed, without bothering to change out of my uniform, something caught my eye;

A wrinkled piece of paper and a piece of undeniably familiar green fabric pinned to it. After cautiously looking around, I reached towards it and grasped it. I let my curious eyes rove over the letters scrawled onto it whilst stroking the cloth that was once part of a nice dress. My brows knitted in confusion at what I saw and failed to comprehend:

Si vis pacem, para bellum

S. S

"S. S stands for Silent Susan," I whispered to myself. My blood froze over, even though I didn't know what the words meant. I knew it was not a friendly message and also knew that I had to find out what exactly it meant.

It took that letter to jolt my tired senses awake again. Even after taking a shower, sleep eluded me, condemning me to hours of restlessness, fear, and nerve-wracking scenarios of what lay ahead.

The next day, I all but rushed to see Mr. Manuel. I stumbled into his office while he was savouring a steaming cup of coffee. He raised his brows at the mode of my entrance and they raised a tad bit higher at my appearance.

I was already sweating and had run my hands through my hair one too many times, not only loosening the braids they were in but also disheveling it. It was too late to try to find any composure for I lost that the moment I saw that paper the day before.

"What happened to you?" He spoke first, setting down his coffee.

"Mr. M I need your help please." I cut straight to the chase. I was too distressed to be subtle about this as I pulled the paper out.

"What is it?"

Wordlessly, I let him take the paper from my hands, he gave the piece of fabric a nonchalant look before focusing his eyes on the words.

I watched as he slid in front of his computer, typing away.

"It's Latin," he voiced after a few minutes.

Having no idea what this meant, I asked, "What's Latin?"

"It's a language," he replied, muttering a few things under his breath.

"Oh ok," I breathed. "What do they mean? The words, what do they mean?"

I was pacing the length of the room now.

"Would you calm down?" He voiced placidly.

Heeding his request, I took a seat across from him and proceeded to drum my fingers on his desk but stopped instantly when his warning gaze met mine.

"These words..." He started off, steepling his fingers as he directed his gaze at me. "Talk to me, what is this about?"

I contemplated baring some truth to him as my hand had formed a fist around my medallion.

"I had a fallout with some of my coworkers last week and yesterday I saw that paper on my bed, I didn't know what it meant but it was from them, I'm really scared and just wanted to know what it meant."

I felt relieved when I wasn't questioned further.

"Si vis Pacem, para Bellum," He pronounced in a strange accent. "If you want peace then prepare for war."

Oh my God! Is that what it has come to? Maybe I shouldn't have pissed her off like that. Also remembering what Bambi told me yesterday, I was this close to panicking again.

"Why don't you report this to her?" He suggested.

"No!" I hollered almost immediately. "I'm sorry for shouting but you cannot tell Mrs. Evelynn, any of this. I can handle this on my own. Please promise me you won't tell her?"

"I never pinned you as one who would dive head first into trouble but it's also not my right to judge you. I am trusting you to handle whatever this is properly."

"Thank you so much," I said sincerely, retrieving the paper from him. That was the first time I'd ever been on the receiving end of his firm and controlling demeanour. Knowing that I could trust him, I just had to keep to my part...

Reinforcing my avoidance tactics was the first thing that came to mind yet that wouldn't do anything to stop her from coming for me. Telling Evelynn about it sounded all sorts of wrong in my ears and if anything, that would make matters worse. I just had to pray I would be ready when the worst comes.

With the laundry basket in hand, I headed for a room a few feet away, when voices from an adjoining hall caught my attention. I looked around, and having confirmed its vacuity, I snuck in.

Trying not to make a sound, I knew quite well I shouldn't be doing that but I was too curious for my own good, and eavesdropping on conversations was just something that no one could desist from. I stopped short not too far from the door where the voices were coming from while keeping reasonable proximity from it just in case.

"This is the fifth one, the fifth," A baritone voice spoke. "In all my years of experience, I've never encountered a case like this."

"But isn't there anything else that can be done? Please doctor, please help him." A rather feminine begged, the emotion behind it couldn't be mistaken. It was the voice of someone so desperate, so heartbroken...

"I'm sorry, Madam but there is absolutely nothing that can be done to bring him back to sanity," The alleged doctor said. "At this point, he is simply a waste of time, energy, and space and there's only one way to take care of such..." The rest of his words were said in a tone too low for ears to catch yet whatever it was, was enough to release the hollering beast that I never knew was in her.

Before I would be caught, I let my legs lead me back the way I came, back to my previous course.

What lingered on my mind was nothing short of what I'd just heard, it was quite pitiable for the doctor's words were anything but encouraging, and despite all the affluence, there were things money couldn't buy and problems money couldn't solve…