His Beautiful Mind - Chapter One
By: The Butterfly Net
- - -
The cracks in the glass formed a spider web effect before bursting into tiny shards that rained down. They glisten through the sun light filtering through the window, and they settled on the newly waxed tile floor. Crimson streams veined a clenched fist. An alarm was sounded. The buzzer sounded far off as the owner of the clenched fist frowned at the broken window. His dark orbs had a vacant, glazed look to them, and a dribble of blood traveled down his right cheek. The man stared out the window at the cerulean sky. The air was thick, heavy, weighing with thoughts, until the cool Autumn breeze reached the chiseled, unbreakable facade which the man held preciously, knocking hanging shards of glass down to the tiled floor littered with shimmering crystals. The man went unalarmed by the panicked yells from the attendants trying to open the jammed door. A white dresser had been pushed infront of said door. White wisp clouds floated carelessly though the clear blue sky. The black pools, hazed with cataract like emptiness, watched. A crow flew past the window suddenly omitting it's call of anxiety, and the attendants began pleading for the man to allow them entrance. Their voices didn't reach his ears as the man's lips curled into a small smile of relief.
- - -
Where's she going? She's carrying her brown leather purse and is zipping a light spring jacket.The sounds of her shoes shuffling across the hard wood flooring resound through my perked ears. The warmth of her lips against my cheek, then she speaks. "I'm going out to the store. Would you like anything while I'm out, baby?"
She's lying. I heard her crying again last night. She isn't coming back. I don't move. I stay seated on the floor. The block griped between my fingers is digging into my palm, I clench my teeth to keep the whelling tears at bay, and shake my head no. She smiles at me and runs her fingers through my matted hair before turning and walking towards the front door. I hear her hand twist the knob and walk outside, she smiles at me again before shutting the door. As I hear her turn the key to lock the door I want to stand and run after her. I want to scream as loud as my lungs will allow, and ask if it's my fault, and how I could change? The tears are pushing against my lids, and I tightly squeeze them shut. I have to be unbreakable. I can't cry. I'm an unbreakable force, that will not cry over such trivial things: like your mother leaving you. Even if I were to stand and jolt out of the house, running as fast as my short legs will carry me, it wouldn't make a slight difference. She'll say I'm having one of my fits again, she'll walk me back inside, and ask me if I remembered taking my medicine this morning. I watch as a glare is casted over the doors to the fire place, signaling her car has been pulled out onto the street. This was the day I was orphaned and left alone in my house for three days. My mother had left me, and my father had passed away years ago. I was alone.
My uncle came by, like he did every Friday evening. That was when I was found. He took me to his cramped home and called the cops to search for my mother. I was eight years old. They never found my mother. My uncle ended up with the pleasure of raising me.
- - -
"Some simple tips. Don't make eye contact. If he comes into a room you're cleaning, slowly clean yourself out of that room. If he's talking but doesn't say your name, don't answer or ask what's wrong. He sends checks through mail, so don't expect him to pay you in person, or when you're done cleaning. Umm, I think that's it. Oh wait, one more thing. This is very important. Whatever you do, do not touch his books. Clean around them." I replayed my friends warnings through my head as I parked my car in front of a large home. I have a new client today. My friend, Chi Chi, cleaned this guys' house before, but she had to quit when she moved last week. So, she recommended me to take her place. Not only did she warn me of his strange perks, I guess this guy is supposedly completely off his rocker.
As I approach the front door I reach my hand forward to ring the bell, no sooner does the door whip open and a man, standing at about 5'9, with his hair shaped in an ebony flame, stands before me. He gives me a stone cold look. I smile back nervously and a bit out of habit.
"Are you the new girl?" He demands this from me, anger spicing his tone.
I smile politely and nod. "Yes, my name's Bulma Briefs, nice to meet you Mr. Ouiji." I extend my hand, and wear a phony smile. I was always told first impressions were everything. Be kind, courteous, and always keep on a smile, even if you have to paint one on. My mother would tell me before every interview, be it a baby sitting position, school transfer, job interview.
He quickly studies me, then moves aside so I may enter. The house is a beautiful colonial. There is a large marble stairwell at the end of the foyer, and I can see some what into the living room. There are large leather sofas, a grand piano, a huge fire place, and I can see half of, what looks like, a bookcase. Books. Chi had really stressed the fact that I wasn't to touch any of his books. She told me, when she first started, that it smelled old, musty, and there were books everywhere. Laying on random tables, piled on the floor, sofa, stairs, chairs.
"Now if you're done gawking, I'll give you a tour." His voice was very deep and raspy. He walked in front of me, and into the living room. "Sitting room: dust, and vacuum." He then turned into the kitchen, "Kitchen: sweep, mop, dust, wipe, you get the point?" He asked rhetorically as he glanced down the hallway before turning towards me. His brows narrowed, facial features hardened into that frown he can't seem to shake.
I nodded. What an ass hole. I know how to clean, it just so happens to be my job. I quickly look over the kitchen before returning my focus back to my joyous client. The kitchen is drab. Black, brown, white seem to be the only colors adorning walls, cabinets, appliances, and floor. I can already spot a few places that could use some scrubbing, particularly the floor underneath the chair at the head of the table. Guessing that's where he likes to sit for his meals. I make a mental note of that, and the strange looking papers covering the refrigerator. There's one very fun perk about being a house cleaner: you get to snoop, look through drawers, closets, etc., without looking suspicious or nosy.
"Clean all the rooms in the house except for my study and master bedroom." He barks, narrowing my focus.
I nodded again, and watched as his eyes traveled down the hallway for a second time, then turned their focus back to me.
He began to speak quickly. "I send checks in the mail on Friday mornings, any questions?"
"Well I was wondering where the broom closet was." I said, unsure if I should have asked by the way his features slacked into a frown. He glanced back down the hallway for a third time before he raised his hand slowly, pointing towards a thin closet door at the beginning of the hallway entering the kitchen. I nodded, "Thanks." His arm then slumped back to his side.
His eyes studied me once more, "Anything else?" The way he spoke seemed to be a warning not to press any further into details, or else. Else what? I'm not sure, maybe he's a maniac killer and will chop me up into pieces and feed me to his secret pack of pigs he keeps in a barn that he'll never tell me about. No, that was story I made up about my last client, who was middle aged and quite creepy.
I shook my head no.
His left brow arched at my nod and he smirked. He began to speak quickly again. "That's fascinating. Here you stand, in a new clients home, hardly sure of where any of the rooms are. Your objective is to properly clean the home, yet I've only formerly introduced you to three of my chambers. For all you know I could have two studies, and you could possibly clean the study I forbid you to even enter, risking your job. You don't know how much I'll be paying you, nor which days I would like you to come." He began to chuckle at what he seemed to perceive a 'joke.' "Well?" He asked me, staring me square in my stupefied eye. "Explain yourself. Are you holding yourself up as some sort of self-proclaimed, independent genius?" He smirked darkly at me.
I couldn't believe him. He acts as if he'd chop my head off and feed me to pigs if I asked another question, and now he's mocking me for not asking one of many that I hold in the back of my psyche? Basterd. My eyes narrowed on his amused. "I'm sorry, I assumed, by the way you kept glancing down that hallway, you had something to attend."
His smirk faded quickly and the frown returned. Hello Ma'dame Frown. I picture my self curtseying. "You shouldn't assume." His eyes moved quickly as he studied me once more. He then stopped and made a quick, yet noticeable, wince like feature change. "You don't have to clean today, come back tomorrow at noon." He turned on his heel and walked down the hallway he had been previously glancing down. Good'ay Ma'dame Frown.
My brow rose and I slacked my shoulders. As long as he doesn't fire me, I shouldn't care if he suddenly has changed his mind about me cleaning today. This gives me the day to myself. He's out of sight now, and I feel uncomfortable standing in his kitchen alone. I walk back into the living room, noticing the books now. They're on the couch, piano, and fireplace ledge. There are a couple on the coffee table, and three that look like they've been randomly tossed on the floor, judging by how the pages are wrinkled and bent keeping the book in an upright position. I shake my head and raise my brows before walking into the foyer then out the door, all while wondering why he didn't escort me out of his home, like a normal client.
As I get into my car, I reach for my cell phone. I plan on calling Chi and telling her how my first day went. I'm going to tell her how weird I think this guy is, and how rude he acted towards me. I'll finish by telling her that I was told to leave after the first half hour.
She wasn't surprised when I told her my little escapade.
- - -
I hope you enjoyed. Please review. :)