The pact

Chapter 5

Lucy cradles the small bag in her hand as she hurries along the street. She won't disappoint Milady, she won't let her down! She'll show her she can do it! Her new friend! A car honks and, oh, she didn't look before stepping out on the street. She backs onto the pavement as the car speeds past her. She needs to be more attentive.

She carefully checks both directions before crossing this time. As she walks, the breeze finds its way through her frayed jeans. The new clothes feel so different! She touches her short hair. At least no one will recognize her now. She liked her long hair. But you can't expect to be the same when you live on the street. And Milady's right, she would have been recognized. She's clever, Milady. She knows how to survive on the street.

She looks at the small package in her hand. It will be delivered to...? Oh no, she forgot to ask for directions! She doesn't know where the address is! She looks down the street. Should she ask someone? No, maybe they will remember her. There's a small shop in the corner, perhaps she can find a map there. She walks over to it, and maybe she should alter her voice too, but no, she's not a very good actress. She keeps her gaze down as she points at a map in the corner. The shop owner fetches it for her without a word, and she throws the coins on the counter and hurries out. Did he recognize her? No, she's just a street kid now. And she's called Anabee, she needs to remember that.

She opens the map. The address really is on the other side of town. It will take her most of the day to walk there. She could get a taxi, but maybe the driver will remember her? No, there must be buses. And oh, there's a bus stop just over there. She skips over to it and looks at the route map. It looks like you can get closer to the place at least. She'll do it, she'll take the bus! Then she'll be home faster too and can help Milady with another task!

It's a long journey, but she makes it in the end. The instructions on the small bag say to simply leave it in the mailbox, and after checking three times to make sure it's the right one, she drops it into the green box.

The journey home is uneventful, but she's done her first job successfully! Milady can count on her, they can be real friends now! She dashes home from the bus stop, climbs through the window, and lands again with a thump on the sofa. She needs to see how Milady does that.

"I'm home! I delivered it!"

Milady looks up from the book she's reading on the sofa.

"Good. "

Lucy waits for her to say something more, but she just closes the book and says,

"I need to go out, I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Shall I come? I can help you."

"No."

She takes her backpack without another word, climbs out the window and disappears. Lucy looks around the dirty basement. Maybe she can clean now when they both live here! She can make it nice and homey.

She drags the sofa to the side, oh it's so heavy!, and rolls up the moth-eaten carpet. There's only a threadbare broom in the corner, but it will do. The air is all dusty once she's swept the floor, and she opens the windows to air it. And oh, the cupboards! They don't seem to have been cleaned since Milady moved in, but there's a bucket with a broken handle under the sink she can use. She fills it with water and pours what she hopes is washing liquid into it. The shelves are hard to clean, but once she's done, she can see the yellow colour that was beneath all the grease. She looks around. Perhaps she could even rearrange the furniture. That will make it even more cosy! And the mattress can be put along the wall, it will be nicer to sleep for them both. It takes her most of an hour, but once she's done, she looks out over the small room. It's much cosier! Maybe she can even buy some textiles and put them up on the wall, to cover the pipes that run along it.

She hears a creak and Milady climbs through the window. Lucy patiently waits until she's stood up from the sofa before announcing,

"Welcome home! I made it nice for us!"

Milady brushes off her dress and stares at the room.

"What have you done?"

"I've cleaned it! I thought I would make it nice now when we both live here. I've swept the floor, and I was thinking of getting some flowers next.."

Milady holds up a hand in the air.

"No."

"No?"

"No. You don't live here."

"But..."

"No, you don't live here. I live here. You stay here."

"But I just want to make it nice for us.."

"There is no us, okay? You're staying here. You're working for me. This is not your basement. This is my basement. And I keep it in whatever order I want. Okay?"

"Okay...Maybe I can put it back..."

She takes hold of the chair next to her.

"No. Just leave it."

"Okay..."

Milady hurls her backpack in the corner and sits down on the newly moved sofa. Lucy hesitantly takes the seat of the chair. What did she do wrong? She just wanted to make it nice for them, and now Milady is all angry. What if she won't give her more tasks? What if she will throw her out, and she needs to live on the street? There is nothing like that in any of the films she's watched. She glances at Milady. She's opened another book and is taking notes from it. Lucy doesn't dare to move, and doesn't make another sound for the rest of the day. As the evening comes, she lays down on the mattress and silently slips underneath the thin blanket. Milady is still up, reading a book, but eventually, she hears her lie down and turn off the light.