Useless

CHAPTER 1

"Useless," Mistress screams from down the hall. I dramatically roll off the mattress and onto the floor, just lying there, "get out here now!"
"One moment." I yell back.

Uh-oh...bad...idea... 

I hear Mistress pounding down the hall, towards the bedroom, and jump at the sound of the door slamming open. I push myself up into a sitting position, pressing my back against the bed as Mistress storms in. She brings her face down close to mine, so close her breath is hot on my face.
"What did you say?!" she booms.
I sit in silence, gaze directed at the ground.
"That's what I thought you said... nothing! Now get your sorry arse down stairs and get to work!" She screeches, her voice loud and pounding on my ear drums.
"Yes Mistress," I mumble back in response, not daring to speak another word.
Rising to my feet, I watch her leave the room, dumbfounded. 

All ten years of my life I have worked as Mistress' maid; housework, fieldwork, any work that needs to be done, any work that can be done, is done by the boys around here. With the help of my four year old brother, Lousy (or as I call him, Lou), I do all the cooking, the cleaning, the washing and the gardening, as well as anything that Mistress (my mother, but not my mum) sees fit. All my life I've been taught that this is how us males live. This is how the Goddess wants it to be. This is for the well-being of the Society.

This is the right way... the only way.

I make my way downstairs, ready to start my day by cooking the most important (and sometimes only) meal of the day. I reach the kitchen, only to find Lousy standing on the chair propped up against the counter for him to slave over the stove. 

"Morning sleepy head," mocks Lou, "I made breakfast." On the table is a bowl of plain, gloopy oatmeal made by a four year old, exactly how I had taught him to.
"Yay! Slop again," I say sarcastically.
With a playful noogie, I slide into my seat. Lou climbs into the seat across from me. "Thanks bud," I say, with a friendly chuckle.

"You going to the neighbors' house today?" Lou asks, playing with the food in his bowl.
Twice a week I am called to the estate next door- a massive manor owned by a very rich, all female family- to work around the house.
"Yup, you can help shovel poop in the orchard, if you like," I smirk cheekily, after rabidly stuffing down another spoonful. He giggles as I tease him.
I love when he laughs because I get to see his eyes light up with happiness... worry-free, untainted happiness.
"No thanks," he declines, casually, in between mouthfuls, "but tell Odette I said hello!" He continues to eat in silence, with that mischievous grin of his.

Odette... the most beautiful girl I have ever met- well I haven't met many girls my age, but it doesn't matter. She is beyond comparison- gorgeous, graceful, delicate, yet sometimes playful and energetic, sometimes fragile and emotional, sometimes frustrated and rebellious. She is mysterious and unpredictable. She is amazing, in whatever state of mind.

Too bad for me the suggestion of 'love' between a man and a woman is completely out of the question... I love her too much for my own good. I can't help it! I'm... infatuated! But we could never be together. I am a boy. And boys are nothing more than slaves before our sacrifice.

***

It's time to get to work, time for more hard labor; time for another day of the silent and secretive exchanging of looks... time to ring the manor doorbell.

DING DONG

Within ten seconds the door is open -the head servant (a boy no more than 6 years older than I) stares silently from the door way. He steps back leaving the slightest opening for me to squeeze past. As I slip through, the door closes behind me and the servant hands me my roster. Without a word I check my first task and head off, on my way.