Chapter 2: His emerald eyes

Our eyes locked in and I was as frozen as an Ice block

It was the first time I’d seen his eyes up close, Emerald. So bright, sparkly and beautiful that I felt hypnotized by it. What a rare set of eyes.

I understood in that instant, exactly why the maids whispered about him the way they did, it was my first time being in his presence and it could be my last I thought.

His body was built like something out of myth, he was very tall and majestic, his veins tracing down forearms that looked capable of ending one’s life without much effort.

How much more a little nuisance like myself, I shivered with the thought.

For a second I got lost into everything about him but was pulled back into reality when his thick, dominant voice cut out my frozen state.

Then I realized I was a dead meat!

Who are you !! How long have you been here? What were you doing here? Answer me before I pluck your eyes out and cut your tongue off.

I was shaking like a leaf caught in a storms, my knees gave out before I told them to, and I dropped down, my hands moving fast ,signaling, gesturing and shaking whatever signs I‘d managed to teach myself over the years, trying to let him know I was sorry and apologizing in the way I can and could.

Tears slips down from my face , he crotched to my level, closing the distance until there was nowhere left for me to look but him. then he smirked, a slow devilish one and laughed, like my fear was the funniest and entertaining thing he‘d witnessed in a while.

Well well well, he said in an amusing tone, like he was only just understanding what he‘d caught ”Aren’t you a sneaky little mute rat. then he laughed so loud that I flinched. 

Did you actually think that would keep you safe?

I shook my head. No I hadn’t thought about any of that, I just want to disappear.

I pressed my hands together begging him to let me go and that I won’t say anything to anyone. not that I can. Friendless also..Even though I knew it wouldn’t be that easy for him to let me go, I had to try.

”why are you here, this late“? A pause.

Or should I ask if you‘re deaf too.

I shook my head again. Harder than before

With a swift move. His hands closed around my throat and grabbed me clean off the ground. My feet kicked helplessly in empty air, my hands trying to hold onto his wrist not to fight him off of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to sign my own death warrant! But to relieve a bit of the pressure crushing my windpipe.

Tears streamed freely now from my eyes, very hot tears blurring my visions and dripping against my cold skin, dripping down onto his sleeve. 

He is such a devil I thought, he was so quick to cause a poor me pain, I just wanted the night to be over. 

It was the longest night of my life.i have had worse Night but this was the worst of them all.

Please please I can’t breathe, not that he could hear me or my thoughts and not that he cared!

Some instinct or maybe just the will to survive made my free hand dig into my apron pocket. I found the A5 medium notebook and pencil I always carried. My only voice. My only chance.

My hand shook so hard the pencil almost slipped twice. I pressed it to the paper anyway. My writing came out uneven and messy in the dim light.

Sir, I won't tell anyone. I was in the garden cleaning.

I pushed the note toward him. My arm shook from the effort. My chest burned for air he wasn't giving me.

He didn't loosen his grip. Not yet. His eyes dropped to the page for only a second, then came back up to my face. Cold. Watching me. Like he was deciding if words on paper meant anything, coming from someone who could still lie with her hands even if she couldn't lie with her mouth.

I wrote faster, desperate now. The pencil tore a little through the paper.

I didn't know you were here. Not until it was too late. I heard you don't like people roaming around when you're here, so I waited. I was trying to leave without being seen. I swear. Please believe me don Lazarus!

Even if what I wrote might have been an excuse to him, I still had to try my best in letting him know it wasn’t intentional.

My eyes blurred from tears and lack of air, I couldn't feel anymore. My face was so red I felt I could pass out any moment from now, I held the note up as high as my shaking arm could reach, right in front of his face. I needed him to read it before my body gave out.

He let go of me. I dropped hard onto the floor, my knees hitting the stone, air rushing back into my lungs so fast it hurt. I coughed violently, holding my bruised throat and knee.

Lazarus casually picked up the notebook from where it had fallen. He read my messy handwriting slowly, a cruel smirk crossing his face.

So tell me, “he said, his tone flat and mocking. ”why should I keep you alive? You heard everything. You heard exactly how I threatened him

He crouched lower, bringing his face inches from mine. ”why should I let you live? What good does that do for me?

I didn't move. I barely dared to breathe.

"I don't care if you live or die," he went on. "I kill people every day. So give me one good reason." His eyes moved over me, slow and mocking.

His emerald eyes raked over my body, slowly and mockingly. “You’re already just a mute rat. And by that uniform tag, I can tell you’re one of the lowest maid here, you aren’t even useful enough to Matter to anyone.

He tilted his head, studying my teary face. “Your life is already miserable. Maybe I would be doing you a favor by ending it‘

He smirked again, waiting.

Tears flowing like a river from my eyes uncontrollably

I grabbed the notebook again, my hands trembling so hard I could barely hold the pencil.It was still my only voice, my only way to survive. His words kept ringing in my head. ”Not even useful enough to matter. Your life is already miserable.”!

Tears fell as I wrote.

I'll do anything, sir. Anything you want. Any errand, any task , I'll be your extra pair of eyes and ears. No one pays attention to me in this house. That means I can move around without anyone noticing. I'll be careful with any order you give me. I won't get caught. I don't care what you ask of me, I'll do it. Please don't kill me. I'm not ready to die. I want to live.

I held the notebook up, my whole body trembling, sobs breaking out of me even though no sound came with them.

What a handsome devil, I thought. He hadn't wasted a second wanting me dead. Looks really can be deceiving.

Lazarus paused after reading my words. His eyes moved over me slowly, head to toe.

"You'll do anything I ask?" he said. "Anything at all?"

He smirked evilly.

My stomach twisted in knots, I didn’t know yet. Exactly what I’d just agreed on.