A New Life
DAHLIA
At five to seven I stood in front of the mirror in my room,
looking at my new self.
I was a cleaner for real now.
I was no longer playing dress-up within the comfort of my
own home. This was the real thing.
I had put on the uniform they gave me. It had short sleeves
and a skirt down to the knee, made of light grey material. Over the top of it
went a white apron. The sleeves had white cuffs and the collar matched. It
couldn’t be mistaken for a normal outfit; it was undoubtedly a uniform.
My hair was washed and brushed into a smooth bob. I had my
glasses on; an extra prescription stronger now (probably prematurely) that
warped my vision and gave me a misty-edged streak of eyestrain. That distortion
added to the preternatural quality to what I was seeing before me, as though it
were a mystical vision.
My mother had told me stories when I was little; local
legends about magical transformations. I’d believed them wholeheartedly as a
girl, longing for something like that to happen to me, until I’d grown old
enough to realise what a naive idiot I’d been. This wasn’t unlike that though. This
transformation seemed almost as mystical.
Was I even fatter now?
I felt bloated from the overlarge banquet the night before.
Surely I would gain weight rapidly if I ate like that every night.
Tingles in my crotch.
I felt shattered. The time difference told me it was still
the middle of the night inside my body. This new zone was going to take some
getting used to.
Feeling very nervous, I went to the door and let myself out,
tucking my room key in the front pocket of my apron. I made my way down to the
foyer and recognised the housekeeper I was meant to be meeting immediately. She
was a round middle aged woman with grey-streaked hair tied into a bun. Her skin
was like the outer shell of a baked potato that had been left in the oven
almost too long. She was speaking intently to another cleaner but made a
shooing gesture as she saw me approach.
“You are Melissa, yes?” She smiled agreeably. Her English
was better than the manager’s and she didn’t have his hostile intensity. I had
half expected her to be a tyrannical caricature, yelling at me and running me
down. She wasn’t I could see immediately that she was just a normal woman of
responsibility – a bit harried perhaps but wilfully pleasant enough.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m Melissa.” It was a delight to say those
words to her; to be in this environment where I really was another person as
far as all were concerned.
“Good. Welcome to the staff here. You will be treated well
but I do expect high standards. Is that clear?”
I nodded. “Yes. Of course.”
“Some of the people we get think they are here for an easy
life; a free holiday. That is not the case. I expect you to work hard
throughout the day. It will not be easy and the pay isn’t great but you will
have my gratitude and the pleasure of knowing you are making the hotel look
beautiful for the guests.”
I nodded.
“You will start outside; mopping the pool area. After that I
want you inside, mopping the corridor floors, starting at the top and working
your way down. Do you understand?”
I nodded, appreciating how surreal this all was.
“I will show you where the cleaning equipment is. There is a
cupboard on each floor and another one outside. When you have done the mopping
I will show you how to prepare your cart to start work on cleaning the
bedrooms.”
“Thank you.” I wondered how Melissa was getting on. She was
probably still fast asleep.
“I wasn’t happy that I didn’t get to interview you before
you took on the post,” she said. “The manager made the decision. I believe a payment
was made.”
I shuffled, unsure how to respond to that. I had been curious
exactly how Melissa managed to arrange this.
“I will be watching you carefully to check the quality of your
work. If you do well then all will be well. If your work is shoddy then you will
be dismissed. Is that clear?”
I nodded, feeling a pinch of stress. This wasn’t like my fantasy,
but in other ways it was. I was really going to be a cleaner. I was really Melissa.
Or I would be soon.
Hopefully.
is it just me or is it kind of funny that the one resident of Nockton vale who wanted to find the magic gets the non magical transformation. woe to those who think they can bargain with the pattern!
ReplyDeleteHeh heh. Well maybe this is just the way it works for her: slowly but surely.
Deletewith no rabbits or hats.... Just a mop and bucket! - MikeW
Deleteand Emma.... why up so early?
DeleteI get insomnia quite a lot. I'd been awake for a while before that. I'm really behind on my sleep.
DeleteShe is actually more than a house cleaner now, she became a fully uniformed hotel maid with all the particularities that go with the position. Good and fast development Emma!
ReplyDeleteI wonder when she is going to meet again the new Dahlia and under what conditions.
Monica G.
You bet! Thanks Monica.
DeleteThey'll meet at the end of this chapter if I have any say in the matter.
You mean they might not do as they are told!! The cheek :-) - MikeW
Deletethese characters do have a life of their own. I can only hope to cling on and enjoy the ride!
Delete