The Maid

First Day

Callie was walking down a large corridor to the sound of a music box. The hall was dark and ominous, but something was compelling her forward. She could hear a voice off in the distance, it was familiar yet foreign. She looked on trying to grasp her surroundings, however the further she walked the darker it became and the harder it was to see the world around her. The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching her from behind.

She spun around to see nothing but emptiness.  There was a chill in the air that caused her to shiver, she looked for an open window to make sense of the breeze, to her surprise there where no windows at all. The passageway was lined with doors, Callie tried some of the handles but they just rattled and refused to budge. A faint screeching sound began to come towards her growing in intensity till it was almost deafening. Out of the darkness came a whirlwind of bats, Callie screamed and fell to her knees covering her ears. When she looked up a figure was approaching out of the darkness. She squinted in an attempt to see clearly, but to her dismay her entire world swirled and blurred around her. She began to sway before falling onto her side and searing pain followed...

Callie woke up covered in sweat and panting. It had felt so real, she looked at her hands turning them over and examining them as if to see if she really was awake.  She felt as if she had been some sort of prison. The world around her felt as if it could disappear with a simple touch. She glanced around her bedroom soaking in the colors.

Her walls were a pale beige and the framework cream. Her hands clenched her sheets, the plush material helping to calm her nerves. Sunlight was drifting through her window, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply relaxing her muscles.  "It was just a dream... None of it was real." She told herself, but something felt all too familiar about the scene. It was as if she had been there before, like she had seen that corridor, as if she had touched the walls or smelled the mustiness in the air.

Everything was like that of a memory long forgotten. She shook her head driving the images from her mind and drinking in the world around her. She threw the blankets off, flung her legs out of the bed, and headed toward the kitchen for some coffee. 

After breakfast she got dressed and was about to head into town when a rock came crashing through the window. Callie jumped with the noise and looked outside to see Tommy McCalister running away. This young man had been trouble ever since his parents died in a fire back in 2011. Callie sighed as she bent over to pick up the glass fragments, "Hhh, I really don't want to give Lilith any more bad news on Tommy... It just isn't fair that an old woman take care of such an ill-mannered boy."

She protested quietly to herself. She  made quick work of it picking up the rock last. As she looked at it carved into were the words 'I hate you'. Callie began to tear up, it had only been a few days since she lost her job at Tommy's school. Mr. Morris had told her they just didn't have the funding for one on one aids, but sadly Tommy would suffer for the lack of funds. She worked with him every school day, and they had really started to make progress, yet progress wasn't enough.

Tommy deserved the world, he was badly behaved, but that was because of everyone assuming he was strong enough to handle his emotions all alone. If only she could let him know she didn't abandon him, that if she had the choice she would have stayed. She brought the rock over to her bookshelf and put it next to the only picture she had of Tommy smiling.

Once Callie got everything cleaned up she jumped into her truck and headed to town. She had to purchase a few items before the night, and a new window was on the list. Thoughts of Tommy back before the fire kept circling through her mind, he used to be so happy, but now it was like he was fighting the whole world. She snapped to when she pulled into the hardware store, her Ava's dad was standing at the entrance waving at her, she waved back as she exited her car.

"Hey miss Callie, I'm sorry again about Ava moving into your barn yesterday morning."  She smiled, "Don't worry about it Austin, kids will be kids, and I imagine she is adjusting to not having me wandering her school halls." He held the door open for her, "Still, I'd like to make it up to you. Would you be a available for dinner tonight? I make a mean Mac and Cheese." Callie chuckled slightly, "I'm sure you do, but I start work tonight and it's already afternoon, I really can't tonight. Rain check?" A sheepish smile crept across his lips, "Sure Miss Callie, I'd take a rain check."

She walked through the door saying good bye to Austin, she headed straight to the window section. Old man Terry helped her load it up into her truck, and she was off to home to eat something quickly and then head off to work.

Callie put on some work pants and took the broken window out and replaced it with the new. She ate a quick bowl of soup and rushed to get ready, it was already 6:30 pm and she had to be at work by 7 pm. She rushed outside hoping in her truck then she was off. What felt like a short drive was over, almost as soon as she started, she was in front of an old brick building that had haunting look about it. She got out of her truck slamming the door behind her and she slowly approached the structure. Her right hand raised to knock, but a note caught her eye, 'Please begin work, as soon as you arrive, in the kitchen. That is all that is required today."

She let out a sigh, "Well how am I supposed to know where the kitchen is?" She pushed the large wooden doors open and the creaked loud. The same musty smell from her dream drifted into her nostrils and for a moment she was tempted to hold her breath. She stepped inside and began her search.

It took her some time, but eventually she wandered into the kitchen. Everywhere she looked were cobwebs, dirty dishes, cracks, and mouse traps. The sight was truly revolting and she was startled as a mouse ran across her feet. "I doubt $300 a day is enough if this is what every room looks like." She mumbled under her breath. She worked hard for an hour, by 8:30 pm she could see the floor and counter tops. The whole time working she just could not shake the feeling of being watched, as if some unknown entity was there keeping tabs on her every movement. She closed her eyes, "Dear God, please be with me in this place."

A scream escaped her lips, and her eyes shot open, when a mouse trap went off signaling it's capture. "Come on Callie, get it together, it's just an old house." She said to herself, "You need this job, both you and Apollo are counting on this to work out. You can't flake on your first day." She took a deep breath clenching the broom close to her chest, "I  can, and will, do this." She thought that if she could just convince herself that everything would fall into place.

9:00 pm had come and she hurriedly grabbed her stuff heading for the door, turning around once more to glance at the house, she exited. She let out a sigh mixed with a laugh, "I can't believe how foolish I was to be afraid of this house." As she walked away a window slammed on the second floor and she thought for a moment she had seen a shadow, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She stepped up into her truck and headed home getting ready for the next day.