Before the Slipper

Chapter 1

The only way to be respected was to have power.

The words from my Mistress kept on echoing through my head.

"Now get up and go finish the windows with the rest of the girls." I obediently rise from the ground and go outside to meet the rest of the maids and cleaners.

"What type of speech did the Mistress give you this time?" My friend Bethany says rinsing of a window.

"Something about respect and power. All I did was drop a cloth." I pick a wet sponge from a bucket and begin to scrub a window.

"Well, that's the Mistress for you." Bethany's stomach begins to rumble uncontrollably and that's when the lunch bell went. "Thank God, I thought I was going to starve." Bethany drops her sponge into her bucket and we walk off to the dining hall with the other servants. When we arrive at the hall we take our seats and wait patiently for the cook and his waiters to bring the food.

"What do you think we're having today?" I whisper to my friend.

"Not sure but I find it weird how the Mistress chooses our food. It's as if she has no taste herself." Bethany and I start to giggle at the pun.

"Ahem. Silence at the table." Rose hisses. Rose thinks that she is prestige because the Mistress gave her extra potatoes. What Rose didn't realise was that it came from the floor but I suppose we are desperate to fill up stomachs.

"Who made you in charge?" Bethany snaps. I had to tug on her skirt to stop her from leaping over the table and strangling Rose no matter how much everyone wanted to.

"The Mistress said not to talk until your food has been delivered. You're lucky it's me who's telling you off and not her." Bethany and I scowl at her and sit silently for our food to be served. The cook and the waiters come through the double doors with trollies of food.

"Today you will be eating.... Sardine Soup." As if on queue the waiters push their trollies to the table rows and began to serve bowls of soup. When I got served I was ready to throw up.

"How does she expect us to stay healthy and strong to work if she feeds us this rubbish," Bethany says poking the fish head in her broth.

"Better than starving,"I say hesitantly sipping the soup.

"Estella!" That's me. Estella. A name without origin. I am a real mystery. I am someone who's about to get into serious trouble.

The Mistress storms into the dining hall and marches towards me and pulls me by the ear.

"Explain this to me!" The Mistress waves a piece of paper in my face.

Dear Mistress

I have to say I hate your clothes. Prints just don't suit you.

Also, we all hate working here mainly for you and your taste in food needs some work. Enjoy the rest of your ugly life.

Estella

"M-m-mistress I didn't write a single word of that." Her hold get's tighter.

"Then who did?" She asks drawing me closer.

"I don't know. That's not my writing." The Mistress looks closer at the note.

"I suppose you're correct. You have more elegance in your hand." Mistress releases my ear and turns to the rest of servants. "Let this be the first and last time I ever see something like this again and never try to deceive. Finish up and head to the docks. There are some boats there for you to clean." Mistress marches of back upstairs and a loud silence covers the hall.

"Well done Estella. Only God knows what she's going to do to us now."

"Shut up Rose. For all, we know it was probably you who wrote that. You're 17 now when will you stop these games?" Bethany says.

"It wasn't me. I wouldn't dare to cross the Mistress like that or pretend to be Estella for that matter." Rose looks at me then back at Bethany. "I doubt she's going to keep Estella here that long anyway, a day never goes by when Mistress isn't scolding her." Rose smiles at me smugly and continues eating her food.

I cover my face with my dark hair avoiding any eye contact. Where's the nearest window when you need one.

"Estella, we need to go to the docks," Bethany says poking my back.

"Why does she need 50 servants to clean the boats? Why does she have so many when only one person owns this place?" I say throwing my arms I the air. "What's the point of all this? Why am I even here?"

"That is a question all of us are asking Estella but we all live through it together. You can't complain as if you're the only one living through this hell. So build a bridge and get over it. I'll see you at the docks." Bethany walks away with the rest of the servants without another word.

I take a deep breathe and walk to the docks.

"Estella!" As I approach the docks I hear my name being called. I turn around to see Christopher.

"Oh, hi," Christopher walks closer to me and hands me a bucket.

"Nearly forgot this." as he hands me the bucket he touches my hand making me blush.

"O-o-oh thanks, Christopher."

"You can call me Chris you know." His accent haunts me as he speaks.

"Thanks, Chris," I say trying to get used to the words, "Do by any chance know who wrote that note?"

"Well most eyes went to Rose but that would be too obvious I suppose. It wasn't me if that's what you're asking."

"No. I don't think you're mean enough to do that." This made Chris and I both blush. "I better go and start on the boats before Mistress sees. See you later." I wave at Chris and make my way to the boats. I make my way to a smaller boat that should only need one person to clean it. I take the sponge out of the bucket and begin to clean away the mould and grime from the inside.

"Need a hand?" says a familiar voice. I don't bother to look up but just shake my head, "You sure?"At this point, I look up, blinded by the sun, but see the silhouette of Bethany holding her bucket infront of her apron with both hands. Before I can say a word she crouches down on the dirty wood and begin scrubbing the inside of the boat.

"Thank you," I pause for a second before continuing, "...and sorry." Bethany looks up at me and just winks and continues with the work.

I'm blessed to have a friend like her.