A middle-aged woman was busy applying makeup on her face after she fixed what outfit she was going to wear. While doing her business, her ears were enjoying the jazz music playing on the old cassette player. It took a few minutes as her excitement to go shopping urged her to move faster.
She suited herself and then walked away from the house. Her sight darkened and her blood boiled, seeing the orchids and other plants in the front yard dying from the hell-like heat of the sun gave her such a big disappointment.
The shopping routine hadn't started yet but her day was ruined because of anger. She walked heavily while biting her lips to approach the irresponsible maid who was assigned to do the gardening.
She roamed around the house just to find the assigned maid. She really wanted to shout and spit some bad words. Her hands are slightly shaking ready to slap the face of a shameless one.
Accidentally, she randomly opened the door of the maid. She went to the toilet and lifted a pail of water then splashed it to the irresponsible maid.
"How irresponsible you are, Tia! I didn't pay you a thousand pesos monthly just to see you sleeping during working hours! How dare you!"
The maid was going to speak to explain her side but she was slapped on the face.
"Who told you to speak? Huh? Don't you know that those plants are fucking expensive? It's even more costly than your life! Now, get out here and fix those dying plants! Move!"
Tia didn't respond and she just followed what must be done. She went outside the room and then brought some gardening tools to accomplish her task. She visited the plants with brown leaves, removed those dead parts then splashed them with water from the hose.
While she was cutting the leaves of the satan until she reached outside the gate, she stopped for a second as she saw a long-haired man lying on the ground.
"Dios mio! M-M-Madam! Madam!" She panicked and shouted.
Madam Zorraida heard a noise outside. She assumed someone was calling her, so she ran down the stairs and then went outside the house. Unexpectedly, she smiled when she saw the garden was organized and lively again.
"Madam, there's a stranger in front of the gate!" Tia felt that her boss was near her so she told her what she saw.
Zorraida immediately moved and approached her maid due to curiosity and intrigue. When she arrived, a transgender lying on the ground was caught by her sight. Without hesitation, she went to the poor stranger.
She felt an imaginary stab in her heart when she finally saw the face of that person. It seemed like she was so affected, her jaw eventually trembling while her eyes began to rain teardrops.
Her mind is puzzled, why does she feel this way? That transgender she met was just a stranger, but why did she feel such a connection that resulted in her becoming too emotional?
"M-M-Miss... Are you okay? Why did you sleep there?" Tia shaked the body of the stranger but there was no response.
Madam Zorraida put her two fingers on the neck of that lying creature. She is wondering why she didn't feel some warm breath but the heart is still pumping.
She was alarmed by what that person went through. She realized that this one might be a victim of violence. She lately noticed the bruises on the skin. That was the time she picked up her phone and dialed the hotline of the medic.
"Lord, is this the answer to my prayers? I can still remember that I asked you when I could have a son. Is this the sign?"
She looked at the sky while waiting for the medics to arrive. She has so many questions to Almighty God, she is so surprised how the Creator responded and granted her wishes.
After a few seconds, she felt an unknown vibrations on her body. She suddenly sobbed and went to the stranger then hugged him.
"My poor dear, why do you need to go in cruelty? What a pity!"
"You are now safe with me, I will raise you. I will avenge you to those people who destroy you."
Madam Zorraida's cries were contagious. Even Tia didn't stop herself from bursting into tears. She cannot look for a longer how ruined the body of that stranger.
The sound of the ambulance howls approaching Madam Zorraida's residence. The lifesaver has come, she can have peace of mind before doing her business.
"Tia, I have much trust in you. I will rely on you to take care of him." She held her maid's hands. "I have to go now. Promise me, you will keep on guard and serve him. Always make sure he is safe and medically fine."
"Promise. I will do my best as ever I can. Have a safe trip, Madam," Tia wiped her tears and then left a beso.
The medics immediately went down from the ambulance and lifted the body of Hale. The oxygen pump was placed on his nose. There were tubes and wires installed on him to check his vital signs.
Unfortunately, the lifeline turned into a horizontal line. As Tia hears the creepy sound of it, her throat dries.
"P-P-Please r-revive him... Oh God, please let him live..." she panicked and sobbed.
The medics listened to her. They still have a trust that the patient can be revived. They prepared the apparatus to demonstrate the revival of the patient's life.
The world feels like the time dilated. Tia's life temporarily slowed down. She looked up at the sky above hoping for a miracle to come.
~~~
Hale slowly opened her eyes, her vision was a little blur until it became genuinely clear. She looked around while her eyebrows met. Pink pigments on the walls, chilling temperature; that is the state of her new home.
"Where am I? What is this place?"
He cannot remember anything. She doesn't know how she ended up here. She is uncomfortable staying at this place especially when he doesn't know who are the people living in the house.
"Hija, you are already awake... I am glad you are now okay." Yaya Tia just came into the room. She opened the TV before she left. "Just wait for a minute, my dear. Your food is coming up later."
Hale was supposed to ask the maid where she was right now. He deeply sighed and focused her attention on the television. Just after a few commercials, the current show has continued.
Exclusive News!
A massive fire happened inside the Police Department, which gave the prisoners the chance to escape. Unluckily, about a quarter of a hundred just died. There are more than half a thousand now are Wanted, and they are currently being searched.
While Hale hears the news, the past just flashes back to her mind. His heart raced until her hands shook and her jaw trembled. Going back to reality, he exactly saw the face of the evil Harrison on the TV.
His vision suddenly dimmed. She bit his lip, his blood was boiling while staring at the person being interviewed on the TV. She stood up emphasizely then put her face near the glass of the tele.
"How dare you brand me as a serial killer? Huh! Can't you see yourself in the mirror on who you are? Why did you call me a murderer... Why! Whhhhyyyy!"
She went mad and went insane. She picked up the remote control and then stoned the screen of the TV.
The door has just opened and Tia exactly saw how the TV screen was stoned. "Hija, why did you do it? Oh no!"
"I-I'm sorry, Yaya. I didn't mean to destroy the... Arrrrggghhh!" Hale suddenly boomed like a bomb and went insane.
Tia froze when she saw the stranger gone wild. She was terrified of what she was witnessing today.
Hale ruined her hair while speedy shaking her head with cracking shouts. She playfully stretched her legs back and forth, repeatedly.
"Hija, just calm down! Calm down, please... Calm down!" Tia tried to turn the stranger into a real state.
She was accidentally slapped when she tried to touch him. She massaged her face and then left the room. She urgently came to a place where the telephone was positioned.
The stranger is getting wilder and more insane. He is hurting himself, he is blowing his head on the wall.
Madam Zorraida heard the noise while she was arriving outside. She ran and reached the guest room.
Hale's head turned red full of blood. She passed out when she didn't endure all the pain he had.
"Oh god... Oh god, my god... Tia! Tia, come over here!" Madam Zorraida shouted and planned to scold her maid.
Tia walked fast on the stairs and then visited the guest room. She is dramatically crying and very nervous.
She asked raising her voice. "What did you do to him!"
"M-M-Madam, I d-don't..." Tia was interrupted by a heavy slap on her face.