The whole household stood in clicks as Rachel's body was hauled away by the ambulance. She had slumped some minutes before breakfast, vibrating.
"We'll contact the family of the deceased." Mr Chordis said as they wheeled her into the van. He'd miss her. Her morning chiming, her loud laughter when she spoke to him, her bright smile when she greeted him. All was gone, Just like that.
"We'll go break the news to them. In the meantime, take the corpse to the mortuary." Nadia chipped in and wrapped her hands around herself. Rachael was full of life this morning, even when she came to clean her room. They had spoken a little the night before, after she had sex with Neo. Now she's wheeled away with a white curtain over her body. A chill ran down Nadia's spine. This was how Elizabeth was wheeled out. She gasped, and threw a hand over her mouth. Her fingers shaking, lips shivering.
"Are you okay?" Mrs Chordis whispered to her daughter as the van ran out of the compound. Mr Chordis waved at his wife and took the patio's route.
"Yes mummy. Do you remember…" she swallowed the word down. It wasn't a thing to talk about. Certainly not the time, or the place for a conversation like that.
"We're not to talk about what happened. Neither will we talk about this incident. Get a grip of yourself." she held her daughter by the shoulder and watched the gate roll shut. "She's dead. They're both dead, that's that. We the living will live and say nothing about the dead. Get a grip darling." she rubbed her daughter's shoulder.
"It's not that easy mum but okay." she exhaled shakily.
"Lilian." Mrs Chordis called.
"Yes ma'am?" Lilian scurried towards them and bowed.
"Tell the chauffeur to ready the car. The Maybach. We'll leave in a bit. Tell My husband and Neo to get ready. Now." she said. Lilian bowed again ran towards the other part of the mansion.
"Mum."
"Yes pumpkin."
"Have you ever wondered why our workers die mysterious deaths?"
"A million times honey. Let's get dressed, tell Tamera to pack up gifts. For the family. It's really important that they know we're here for them." she squeezed her daughter's shoulder and strolled back into the house. This was not normal, nothing was never normal in this house, especially deaths.
~~~
Ruth bit her lower lips as she curled herself on her bed. She couldn't believe her ears. She almost didn't believe her eyes. She had stared, glued to her spot, watching as Rachael slumped to the floor, crashing an expensive vase with her. The glass pierced through her skin as she vibrated a bit before finally giving up. She couldn't help. She wouldn't have but still, she was too stunned to move, or think, or shout. She had stood there till people trooped in from all corners of the house, all running to the body on ground. What happened to Rachael? Who did this to her? Why was history repeating itself again? She yelped and curled herself more.
"Stop acting like you love her the most. We all know you hated her." Tamera said as she walked into the staff quarters.
Ruth sat up and wiped her face with a towel. "I didn't hate her to death. And you know that." Tamera moved to the wardrobe and took out a casual dress, slid out of her uniform, and put the dress on.
"Oh please. Whatever comes out of your mouth is never valid. I just hope she died of natural causes."
"Tamera."
"You stood there and watched her die. You didn't move, you didn't think of contacting anyone when you saw what happened."
"I panicked. It happened so fast."
"Okay." Tamera shrugged.
"What are you insinuating?" she stood.
"I'm just saying; She died very violently today. Natural causes won't kill someone like that. Did you see how she shook? Oh yeah, you were there the whole time, gawking and feeling happy for the demise of your enemy." she rolled her eyes, already folding the uniform.
"Listen, I had nothing to do with the death of Rachael."
"Who said you had anything to do with it?"
"Can you both just stop. It's mourning season and you both are bickering over what? If she died a natural death?" Juliet scoffed and bounced on her bed. "Never been grateful for a free day. Damn…it's really hard to maintain a good skin with all these work." she laid back and blew out a sigh.
"I still don't get it. Why Rachael?" Tamera pondered aloud.
"If not Rachael, who? You? Me? Come off it. That should not even be the question." Juliet said sharply.
"What should be the question then?"
"Why are we even asking questions? We should pray for her soul and let her be. We could be disturbing her in the afterlife. You know how I hate talking about the afterlife." Juliet groaned. She didn't know why they were dwelling in the past and asking stupid questions about the dead. For all she cared, it's a bad sign to talk about the dead. Not a word, nothing.
"Guys…?"
"What?" Tamera and Juliet yelled.
"It's almost the same as Elizabeth's death."
"Shhhhh! We're not supposed to talk about her. That's the rule, remember? Why do you all keep forgetting the rules? Jeez!" Juliet whispered. Her heart did a quick dance. She took deep breaths. This conversation shouldn't be happening, especially after yesterday's argument.
"I know but it's scary. Why are the workers dying? I know Elizabeth's death was a little off but…What if I'm next? Or you? Or you? Life is too short to hate anybody. Maybe if I knew that she'd die today, I would have been nice to her yesterday. I'm a bad person." she sobbed, then continued; "This has got me thinking for real. I can't focus. I can't seem to wrap my head around this whole situation."
"Fuck that. If you're next, you'll handle it. And fuck that stupid talk of not focusing. It's not even up to two hours that she died. Yes, nobody knows tomorrow but I would still not have been nice to her if I knew she'd die today." Tamera said impatiently. She blew out a sigh and sat beside Juliet.
"That's so blunt but it has a peck of truth in it. We're all going to be fine, okay? We've got each other." Juliet locked hands with Tamera and smiled.
"I miss her. I mean, I hated her but now I miss how perfect she was in her duty post. Always on the beck and call, ready to help. Miss goody-two-shoes." Ruth said amidst laughter. She couldn't cry. She didn't want them to assume anything.
"I remember one time, the one time she ratted up out. Do you both remember?"
"Who would forget something like that?" Tamera choked on her laughter and sighed. "That asshole."
"Don't badmouth the dead." Juliet warned in a scared voice. She looked out the window, then back at her colleagues
"Fuck that. Nothing will happen. She had her moments, we'll have ours now."
"It's so weird. I mean, talking about her in past tense. It just doesn't feel right." Juliet said. Tamera placed her head on Juliet's lap and sighed.
"I wonder what her poor mom would do when she hear the news. It's really devastating."
"Well, for a start; she'd tear her dress and wince till the Chordis throw money her way." Ruth gesticulates.
"Can we stop all these. We're drawing bad energy. God will keep them safe, I'm sure of that. As for her sister, Rachael bragged a certain time about her being on scholarship. So, that solves half their problem. And you know the Chordis, they won't leave the family empty. Just like they did for old Ezekiel. They'll be fine. Everyone will be fine, I'm sure of that. Let's go and have something to eat, I'm starving." Juliet said.
"Me too."
"Me third. Let's get something then. Is Lilian around?"
"The last time I saw her, she was going to the study, probably to cry. Rachael was her favorite." Juliet said.
"So we have the kitchen to yourselves then." Ruth's voice rose in excitement.
"Yeah, sure." Tamera said and stood, her hands stretched for Juliet. She wondered how Nadia was handling it. She wanted to be there, she wanted to follow them to the house of the deceased, maybe be the shoulder Nadia didn't know she needs. Death is hard, it always has been. And it won't stop being hard. Her mind flashed back to Rachael, and the argument they had the previous night. It was heated, they said a lot of hurtful things, Rachael mentioned Elizabeth. She broke the rules and now she's dead, what's next?