BELLRAM V01 - Ambivalence of Light and Shadow I

BP001-P26 - Pralines 08

Back on the ground floor, they continued to wander through the house.

At one point Lijeux wanted to open another door. But it was locked. A little further on, she tried yet another door. To her delight, it opened.

Loud clattering of kitchen utensils echoed into the hallway. The smell of food hit Meia like a wall. Conversations and instructions from many people could be heard.

"This way.", Lijeux waved her over and disappeared into the room before Meia had taken another step.

When Meia herself reached the door, she saw, as expected, a kitchen. Dozens of cooks were hurriedly preparing various dishes on dozens of cookers. This must have been where all the staff was hiding. After all, there was seemingly no one anywhere else in the house except the butler and the other maid.

Lijeux must have wanted to go through the kitchen. This was now the second time she had wanted to leave the corridors. Meia would rather stay in the corridor. The kitchen was just three rows of kitchenettes and two narrow corridors in between. Meia really did not feel like bothering the cooks as they worked.

"Now come on." Lijeux waved again.

Demotivated, Meia trudged off, while Lijeux already pushed past the cooks as if she owned the house. She skillfully shoved everyone aside and squeezed through. She did not care if anyone was carrying anything. Nothing could stop her. She even turned one of the men back to the worktop herself with both hands on the basin before he could block her. He let her do it to him. The two seemed to know each other and exchanged a few words on the side. However, he did not know her as well as she knew him, because in passing she stole a piece of fish from his plate and he did not even notice. In general, the cooks seemed rather divided about her presence. A few snorted at her. Lijeux ignored such reactions and continued to scurry through the kitchen.

Things went less well for Meia than. Already the first cook stood in her way because he was busy shouting his complaint at Lijeux.

"Excuse me?" said Meia quietly, tapping him gently on the arm.

AS the cook turned around, Meia saw that he was about to get angry that someone else wanted to get through, but then when he saw Meia, he at first just stared at her in irritation. He then probably worked out that she was a guest and with an apology he pressed himself as close to his cooker as was humanly possible to let her through.

It did not get better from then on. Every cook who noticed her in advance squeezed himself into every tiny corner of his own accord so as not to obstruct her. Every cook to whom she had to first draw attention did the same, but at the same time apologised to her. It was very unpleasant. Although everyone continued to work, Meia noticed that everyone was staring at her. Everyone was confused that she was here. Lijeux was acting like she was the owner, but Meia felt like she really was.

The kitchen equipment was with gas, as were most of the lamps in the house. Light, cooking and heating, everything worked with gas. That was normal. At Meia's house there were more oil lamps, but otherwise it was the same.

After an exhausting struggle, Meia finally arrived at the end of the kitchen. Lijeux was waiting for her for some time. To her right was a door without a handle.

Meia was relieved that they could finally leave the kitchen.

When Lijeux pushed the door open and walked happily through, the relief turned unfortunately into bitter disappointment.

The kitchen was not really over. Beyond the door was another kitchen.

~Is this intentional torture?~

At this point Meia would normally say something if not for all the cooks waiting for them to finally leave.