Calm and Calamity

Chapter 14

Day: 300

Days Left: 5180

Lives Saved: 1

After the hour celebration of Corinna's birthday, everyone funnelled out of the Red Lounge and into the Blue Lounge where Julia Earl's birthday party was being held. Even after an hour, the atmosphere was sombre and quiet, the reality of Corinna's fate still weighing down on people's minds. The children, naive as they were, played games and danced to the upbeat music while the adults either spoke short conversations to one another or sat absentmindedly, glancing over at the clock on the wall and working out what was the earliest time they could leave while still being polite.

Rhea scanned the room, every inch and corner, but there was no sign of the birthday girl. She asked around if anyone had seen her but she was answered with shrugs and unhelpful guesses. About to give up, Rhea heard muffled crying coming from outside in one of the small patio gardens. Opening up the conservatory door, Rhea spotted Julia. The young woman was lying on the stone floor, leaning against a hedge while drinking an entire pitcher of woo-woo cocktail through multiple straws.

"Julia!" Rhea gasped. "What are you- what's wrong, my sweet?"

"Grandma..." Julia blubbered, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "You come to wish the birthday girl a 'happy birthday'?" Before even finishing that sentence, Julia burst into more sobs, and then sucked on the straws, gulping down more of the red cocktail.

"Julia! Julia, stop!" Rhea snatched the pitcher away from her granddaughter and set it down on the ground, the ice inside clattering against the glass. "Why are you crying?" She sat down beside Julia and placed a hand around her shoulders.

"Well..." Julia began between splutters. "The mood in there was so... so horrible I thought I'd go outside." She motioned to the pitcher of woo-woo. "And I needed something to help me feel better." Swallowing, Julia bit down on her bottom lip. "This was supposed to be my day! My day! Even with Corinna imprisoned and everyone hating the queen, I still have to share it! They still get all the attention!"

"Julia, that's-"

"No! It's true!" Julia took in a deep breath. "You know, I always bitched about having to share my birthday with Corinna and the queen. I wished that they didn't exist and I would have the day all to myself like it's supposed to be. And now that Corinna is really gone-"

"She isn't gone, Julia. Corinna is-"

"No, but she is gone, isn't she?" Julia spat. "Don't lie to yourself, Grandma. You really think she's going to complete the full fifteen years! Don't be stupid! She's going to die down there and we'll die because of it." A twisted smile spread across her lips. "Well... you won't I suppose."

Rhea swallowed. "Right. That's enough. I think you've had enough of that cocktail. Why don't we go back inside to the party after you've-" She reached out to the pitcher but Julia managed to yank it out of her reach just in time.

"You know..." Julia twirled the red alcoholic mixture with the numerous straws, her eyes dazed and mesmerised by the colours. "I think everyone in that room would prefer it if I was the one imprisoned in the Eternal Abyss instead. Bet they wouldn't be so miserable if Corinna was here and I was there. Even though everyone complained and moaned about how annoying Corinna was. How she wouldn't shut up, how she would always pry into other people's business and get involved in all of the drama, how she would try to control and boss everyone around. But she was still helpful to the family." Julia sniffed. "And what have I done, huh? Nothing! I'm just some maid working for a Lord. A Lord! Everyone else is working for counts and duchesses but all I could get is a Lord! You all go on about how great a job Henry has. Director Head of Section Blah Blah of the Eternal Abyss. I'm only a couple years younger than him and I've made no progress!"