Seeing with the Shadows

Chapter 38

Calista:

It was a humid day. There wasn’t much of anything going on aside from some flies buzzing around the empty room. Something did start happening when Calista and Decia appeared, however. They landed sprawled out on the stone floor. It was also warm, unfortunately.

Calista sat up and looked around. There wasn’t much in the room. A small bed with sheets that looked like they hadn’t been washed in a while, a dresser supported by a pile of stones on one end, and a bedside table with a mirror hung over it.

The door was closed, and Calista wasn’t really sure what would happen if she opened it. She didn’t have time to decide if she would risk opening the door, because it was opened for her.

“Oh!” A girl wearing a skirt with an apron over it clapped her hands over her mouth, “I didn’t know that there were two people in here, sorry! Do you not have a second bed and dresser? You should really ask. Anyways, you’re going to be late. Where’s your uniform?”

“Um… I’m new.” Calista mumbled.

“Well then, you should go speak to the Head Maid for your uniform. And quickly! I was supposed to be at my station a little while ago… I can show you where to go. Come on.”

Calista looked behind her for Decia, but didn’t see her, so she just hoped she would stay out of sight. The girl kept on talking, but Calista wasn’t really listening. She didn’t even know where she was. She hoped it was the right mansion, with Ellevet’s desendents in it.

“Here you go, this is where the Head Maid. See you later!” The girl ran off before Calista had a chance to catch her name.

“Hello, I’m Calista. I’m new, but I don’t have a uniform or anything, so that girl said I should come find you.”

“Alright. Come with me.” The Head Maid had whispy blonde hair that was put up in a messy bun. She was wearing what you see in movies with servants, the typical uniform with only white, gray, blue, and black.

Calista noticed that almost everyone was wearing that, running around dusting and setting up and bringing things to and from wherever they were needed. It was almost comical how close to a movie this seemed to be to her.

“Walk faster! You need to keep up!” The Head Maid snapped.

“Oh, right. Sorry!” Calista paid more attention to following her and less to all the busyness of the maids around her.

They got to a door, which she was ushered through. There were piles of neatly folded laundry, and some more maids washing some and hanging it up.

The Head Maid picked up a skirt, shirt, and apron from the pile and shoved them in Calista’s direction. “There’s a washroom just one door down. Change out of those hideous clothes, wash your face, and comb your hair. Be quick!”

Everything here had to be quick. Why? Calista walked out the door, one down, and was met with the sight of a food pantry. “Wrong direction…” She muttered to herself. She would have to get used to how big and busy this place was.

Calista changed into the maid’s clothes, scrubbed her face with cold water, and tried to sort out some of the tangles in her hair. She didn’t quite recognize the girl in the mirror, but she remembered that the Head Maid had said to be quick. She would have time to look at herself later, hopefully. Right now, she just had to focus on getting through this day and figuring out if she had even landed in the right place at the right point in time. It seemed to be right, but she wasn’t quite sure.

One thing she did know was that this was going to be a long day.

AUTHORS NOTE: ok im sorry this is incredibly short but I don’t have a lot of time ughhhhh but YAY 23k reads love you guys so much! tell me how you liked the first Calista POV chapter below? Love you! VOTE COMMENT  FAN

tova