Two Birds [ONC 2024]

Last Moments

"Did you like it?"

"I loved it," I replied.

It had been an intense moment of love and pleasure shared between Catherine and I. We had went on for quite sometime and by now were more than exhausted.

It was dark outside and we embraced each other as we slept, snuggling into one another.

When the dawn arrived, I was the one to wake up early. Looking around, I saw Catherine lying next to me, fast asleep. How beautiful she looked! Her appearance, her breath, the way her chest moved while breathing, everything about her was so divine. But suddenly a feeling of dread washed over me.

Why? I'll never understand. I felt fear, fear of losing Catherine. And it was not just any insecurity, it was an actual dread which I had felt before.

Recollecting the past, tears rolled down my eyes. No...it could not be happening. I could not lose Catherine, no way...

"Jess?"

My trail of thoughts was broken by her sudden husky voice. Her voice which was usually a melody to my ears was hoarse at the moment since she had woken from her sleep.

"Why are you crying?" she asked.

I did not respond and kept staring at her. What could I say? That I fear losing her? That I fear losing her like...like my mother?

"It's nothing," I lied wiping off my tears. "We better get to work or Lady Margaret will kick us out at the very first day of our work."

"True," she nodded, getting up. The two of us put on our previous day's clothes and exited the room.

"Morning Lady Margaret," Catherine greeted her upon entering her room.

"You're up on time," she commented. "Hope it continues for the days to come."

"Yes M'lady, it will," I assured. "Can we ask where can we bathe?"

"Bathe?" Margaret glared at me.

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you bathed?" she questioned.

"I believe yesterday?" I answered.

"So why do you need to bathe so quickly? You can bathe once or twice a week and if you're adamant, go and fetch water from the well on the outskirts of the town though it's filthy enough to make you much dirtier."

"But you do have a well, right?" Catherine asked.

"HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU CAN BATHE FROM THE WATER WE USE?" Margaret bellowed. "Now get out of here and start your work for the day! Rose will brief you about it."

The two of us left the room, consumed in fury. How could she behave like that with us? I could not imagine my life without cleaning myself on a daily basis, and here I was supposed to do the same only a couple times a week?

Sighing, we walked to the garden where we came across another servant, Rose.

Rose was a hunched old lady who managed whatever she could for the place. From laundry to gardening, from dusting to cooking, she did all the chores all by herself. It was all because of us that she was going to receive some relief.

"Ah my daughters, good morning!" she spoke with a smile.

"Good morning Rose," Catherine replied. "How're you doing?"

"Oh sweetheart, I'm doing well," she replied cheerfully. "Ah, as well as an old lady like me can do at this age. Well, I'm thankful that two young girls like you came over to help me out with the never ending works of this place."

"It's alright Rose, we understand," I spoke. And then Rose guided and mentioned us everything that we had to do. No sooner had she mentioned that we got to work.

Most of my time passed away in gardening. After which came the time to cook food. Catherine had mentioned that she would do the cooking but I knew I should not let her her get burdened with majority of the tasks. Hence, going into the kitchen, I watched as Catherine began preparing the lunch.

"Can I help you with something?"

"That won't be required," she smiled.

"But I want to help!"

She sighed. "Alright! Peel off the onions and chop them. Do same for the potatoes."

I gulped. Although I had never done any cooking, I wondered how hard would this be. It was only peeling and chopping after all!

"This is onion...and this is potato right?" I asked Catherine, displaying the vegetables. She giggled and nodded while I got to work.

"But how do we peel this thing?" I thought to myself. "Oh I remember! Mabel had shown me once."

Immediately I got to work. Oh that was such an easy task! I did not even require to chop the vegetables. All I had to do was peel them!

"Cat!" I yelled in excitement, showing the peeled vegetables. "I've done the work! Look, it did not even require to be chopped!"

She gasped in shock, her mouth hung open. "This is what you call peeling?" She indicated towards my peeled potato. "You've literally created infinite curls of this potato and left it as it is. And you've done the same for the onions!"

"Ummm...so?" I asked with doe eyes.

"Jane!" she sighed. "This is not the way vegetables are peeled. Here, let me show you."

Soon Catherine got to work, peeling and then chopping the vegetables. I was shocked. Oh, so that was the way it was supposed to be done!

"See?" she asked me to look at her handy work.

I clapped excitedly. "Wow! You're so talented! It looks so amazing!"

Catherine laughed. "Oh, you're so sweet!" She pinched my nose. "And that's why I love you so much!"

"Love her?"

We turned in shock to notice a dominating Margaret standing at the entrance of the kitchen.

I was left speechless. Margaret's imposing figure was already frightening and the moment at which she had entered scared me to the core.

"Of course Lady Margaret!" Catherine said. "We love each other. Afterall, we're such close cousins that we've lived together since years and cannot think of a day without one other!"

She eyed us with frightening intensity. For a moment I felt we were done for. But after a while, her expression got milder.

"If you say so," she said. "And what is that?" She pointed towards the dish on which lay my peeled onions and potatoes.

"Oh that!" Catherine exclaimed. "Well, Jess tried to help me with some cooking. Unfortunately, things did not go right and you can see the result. We apologize, this won't happen again."

Margaret murmured, something which sounded like witch but I let my mind forget it. Without any reply, Margaret left, giving us relief.

"We must be more careful hereon," Catherine suggested. I nodded in agreement and left the kitchen to focus at gardening solely. What else could I do? I did not want to cause anymore trouble.

Soon the day passed by and came the night. The night which would change our lives drastically.

Word Count: 1161 Words