"What are you talking about Brenda, I just left the kitchen, I asked the chef to prepare this so how could I have poisoned it?" I ask. In all my life, I never could believe that I would be framed by anyone no matter what because I tried to avoid others as much as possible. If I ever found myself in a difficult situation that I could not handle in the future then I would simply step down.
Hello silently watched without a word, it was almost as if he was observing us but his reaction was telling me he was buying all that crap. "I'm an artist, I don't even know what herb to use."
"Do you have any proof that she poisoned my meal this morning Brenda?" Helio finally asks.
"The chef and I was speaking to each other when we saw her go in, he wanted to say something to her and so he went after her, and I did as well because it was my duty to set the table but then we saw her open a piece of paper and pour something inside, just ask him, we've been living here long enough to believe us over a maid." Words could not come out of my mouth as I was shocked beyond measure. I've been betrayed by chef Franklin.
Helio's face began to spell warning, he placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin, "Anything to say?"
"Yes, please call them over, you can question him for yourself if I did in fact poison you or not, and my friend Edith she can vouch for my innocence as well.'' My eyes became blurry before I knew it. I feel tears well up in my eyes and I lose all possible confidence I'm myself and start questioning if I really did do what they said I did. "... I, I would never... sniff… hurt a fly no less than a person."
"Call Franklin here."
In not less than a minute Franklin comes over, but, he's avoiding my eyes, he takes off his chef hat and looks to the ground, squeezing it tight. "Did you and Brenda see Rebecca over here, add something in my food?" He asks. Everyone goes silent. I eagerly wait for Franklin's answer as I pray for a positive response.
"Um… that… I, I was on my way to the kitchen with Brenda and, when I looked in, I… I saw her putting something in your food, and burning the paper before leaving with the trolley." My legs become weak and I slump to the ground. How could he do this to me?
"Edith. She calls you her friend, so do you think your friend could do something like this?" It was all left up to Edith to defend me now, I had no one else to turn to. I looked at Brenda who stood next to Helio with a proud look on her face as if she was on the highest mountain and no one can bring her down, right then I finally understood that I didn't stand a chance against her.
"Sir. I've only helped her thrice, we're not that close that I can defend her because I don't know her well enough." I close my eyes and take a deep breath and brace myself for the worst.
"I see." With a low voice, Helio answered. "Take her to her room and lock her up, she's to receive no food and water for two days." Two days?
"You can't do that, that's inhumane, I'll die without food if the authority finds out about your actions you'd be arrested and jailed." I yell at him, but Helio chuckles and when he stops laughing, he looks at me with disgust and hate.
"Well you might not know this, but I am the law in this country, besides if you would want to have me arrested you'd first have to escape from here, admit to your debts and trying to poison me and I'll go with the witness today then we would see who comes out on top." He's right, I don't have any support and chances when it's against him. To think of the two people I was happy to have as my friend could do this to me. I have no one. I can't trust anyone.
I didn't protest, my spirit was crushed, much more than when I came in here. As I walked away I looked towards my so called friends and found them rolling their eyes, looking away from me and sighing. I don't know if they were forced to do this or not but they had just chosen their sides.
As ordered, my door was repaired while I stayed in the staff room in wait and after the repair I was locked in my room, with no food or water, I couldn't even bathe if I wanted to. Luckily I'll only have to skip one day of bathing, maybe I can do it.
I sat down in my room all day, hungry and thirsty. I got weaker and weaker to the point where I thought I was going to die because I did not have the strength to stand up. Maybe I should try sleeping instead since there was nothing I could do anyway.
The next day seemed longer than expected, each breath I took felt like I was losing a breath of life that couldn't be retrieved if I didn't leave this place. I also felt like I was about to explode from holding my pee. I felt like I was going to die before my third day and freedom arrived. My lips were dried. My legs were weak. Each time I stood up my eyes made me feel like I was going to fall.
Hmm.
There's water.
When I opened my eyes again I found myself back in my room, my original room before coming here, a glass of water by my side. I reached for it and my hand passed through the glass. At this point I knew I started hallucinating. I haven't eaten or drank anything in a day and half. I feel light as a feather and I can't even move properly.
Gathering enough courage I crawl towards the door and dang on it, I can't stay here anymore I can't hold on till tomorrow. "Hey. Someone please open the door. Please open the door...hic… I'm innocent." I cried. "Any….one please… please just open the damn door, sniff... I can't last much longer. I… can't…." I lay on the floor, tired and helpless.
A couple hours must have passed by already, it started getting dark once again in my room. My vision begins to blur and the image of my mother flashes before my eyes, am I going to die now, am I finally going to meet you again? Is this how I die?
A bright light shines on me, I can't even raise my head to look. I wonder to myself, "what's that bright light? And who's the figure running towards me?" I feel my body being raised but I'm already too weak to move and I could hardly see who it was, in the end...