Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke up early to go to town. I rode my old bicycle and carried my worn-out bag. When I arrived, the incredibly long line at the covered court made me dizzy. Hundreds of women from nearby towns crowded the area. Everyone wore their best clothes. They all hoped to get the job because it paid a lot of money for just one night. I heard girls whispering about how rich the family organizing the party was. For many of them, this was a chance to experience wealth and visit the city they only saw on TV. They probably hoped to catch a rich man to escape poverty.

"Line up properly! Get your IDs ready!" a uniformed guard shouted.

The line moved slowly. I waited for hours under the hot sun before I finally got inside the court. At the far end, interviewers sat at a long table. But the person who caught everyone's eye was a woman sitting right in the center. She did nothing but watch the crowd.

She wore a formal black suit, her hair was tied in a neat bun, and she stood with great elegance. But her face was very strange. It showed absolutely no emotion. She did not smile, and her eyes were as cold as ice. She looked like a beautiful statue that came alive just to observe people.

When it was my turn, I walked to the table with a racing heart. I placed my documents in front of her.

"Name?" the man next to her asked while writing in a logbook.

"Nessa, Nessa del Valle," I answered softly but clearly.

Before the man could reply, the room went completely silent. The emotionless woman slowly looked up at me. She stared at me intensely. Her eyes moved from my hair, down to my face, and finally to my hands resting on the table.

I felt like she was examining my entire soul with just that look. It felt like she was reading my every secret. A chill ran down my spine, just like when I was in Moonville Forest. I froze and could barely breathe. I worried that my face was dirty, or that she would find out I had a child.

A deafening minute of staring passed. Her face remained blank, but a spark in her eyes suggested she saw something different in me. Suddenly, she looked back at my papers and took a red stamp. Without hesitation, she stamped "APPROVED" on my application form.

"You're hired," she said coldly. Her voice had no tone, like a programmed robot.

I breathed a sigh of relief, though I still felt a bit creeped out. "T-Thank you."

The man next to her handed me a white envelope containing instructions.

"Listen carefully," the man announced to me and the other chosen girls. "Tomorrow at exactly 5:00 AM, you must be in front of the municipal hall. A ride will take you straight to the city. Anyone who is late will be automatically removed from the list. Is that clear?"

"Yes," we answered together.

I closed my eyes, thanking God. Despite our hard life, my baby would have food for his fifth birthday.

I went home with mixed feelings. I was happy because the 350 USD was guaranteed for my family. But the woman's stare left a big question in my mind. Why did she look at me like that?

"Mama, I got accepted!" I happily called out as I walked through the door. I put my bag on the table. "But there is no advance payment," I frowned.

Mama looked at me with sadness and worry in her eyes, but I could tell she was also happy. "Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes, Mama. The ride picks us up early in town. They will take us to the city for the event. Where is my baby?"

Before Mama could answer, I saw Zarek's head peek from behind the sofa. I laughed. "There is my baby. Come to Mama."

He jumped from the sofa and let me carry him.

"Don't worry, Mama. It's only for one night. After the party, I will come right back for Zarek's birthday."

I hugged my son. He looked up at me with smiling eyes, but he seemed to understand because he made a sad sound. His big eyes asked where I was going.

"Be good for Grandma, okay? Mama will bring home delicious food for your birthday," I whispered, kissing his forehead. "I'm sorry. Mama has to leave you because we don't have money. The bread sales are not enough."

That night, I could not sleep. I looked out the window of my small room, staring into the darkness of Moonville Forest. The trees danced in the cold night wind, acting as if they were warning me. I felt nervous, not because of the forest, but because I was leaving my comfort zone for an unfamiliar place full of rich and powerful people.

I looked at my son to find courage. He and Mama were the only reasons I wanted to succeed. I was not lucky enough to get a good job because I did not graduate, so I had to take these opportunities. As I touched Zarek's head, the strange anxiety returned. This was my first time leaving this town. I was a simple, quiet woman. I kissed Zarek's forehead deeply.

Five o'clock in the morning arrived. Thick fog covered everything, and the sun was not yet up. I drank some coffee and said goodbye to my sleeping son and Mama. I left on my bicycle, using a small flashlight to see. I was scared, but I endured the fear and the freezing early morning cold.

When I arrived in front of the building, the other chosen women were already there. We were all quiet, holding our bags. I left my bicycle outside Roberto's store. Soon, we heard the loud roar of heavy engines from a distance.

Two large black buses with tinted windows slowly stopped in front of us. The windows fogged up from the air conditioning. The buses looked beautiful and expensive, completely different from the usual vehicles in our province. The door of the first bus opened, and a man in a suit stepped down.

"Get your slips ready and board properly. The trip to the city is starting," he ordered.

We boarded one by one. As I stepped onto the bus, I looked back one last time toward the way to our house and Moonville mountain. My heart felt heavy. The bus started moving, passing the familiar views of my province, heading toward a noisy city where powerful people waited.