THE BREAKING POINT
Monday morning arrived with a brutal, unwanted clarity. At 6:45 AM, the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, casting long, pale shadows across Sofia's bedroom. She groaned, burying her face in her silk pillows, her mind wandering back to the "incident" in the garden. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the ghost of KEI's hand on her waist and the scent of clean soap.
Get a grip, Sofia, she scolded herself. She's a jerk. An arrogant, salty-rice-making jerk.
A sharp, rhythmic thumping at the front door shattered her thoughts.
"Sofia! Open up! It's hot out here!" Chloe's muffled voice drifted up from the driveway.
Sofia rolled out of bed, threw on a designer robe, and marched downstairs. When she swung the heavy oak doors open, she was met with the chaotic sight of her three friends. Chloe looked remarkably caffeinated, Mia was leaning against a pillar scrolling through her phone, and Sylvia looked like a zombie in a tracksuit, clutching a pillow to her chest.
"You're actually here," Sofia muttered, rubbing her eyes. "I thought you were joking about the time."
"And miss the chance to see you in your morning glory?" Chloe pushed past her, stepping into the grand foyer. "Where's that 'slave' of yours? I'm starving."
As if summoned, kei emerged from the kitchen corridor. She was dressed in her usual crisp attire, but if Sofia had been looking closely, she would have seen the slight sway in kei's step. Her skin was a shade paler than the marble floors, and a fine sheen of cold sweat clung to her hairline.
"Good morning, Miss Sofia. Ladies," kei said, her voice a low, raspy vibration. "Breakfast is being prepared in the dining room. I've opted for a five-star spread, as requested."
Sylvia lifted her head from her pillow, blinking at kei. "Whoa. Sofia, you didn't mention she was... like that."
"Like what?" Sofia snapped, her heart doing that annoying little skip again.
"Like a servant who hasn't slept in three days she looks like a zombie." Mia remarked, finally looking up from her phone.
Kei gave a faint, almost imperceptible bow, her hand gripping the edge of a nearby table to steady herself. "The coffee is imported from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. I suggest you drink it while it's hot. It helps with... irritability."
THE CRUEL GAME
The breakfast began in a whirlwind of chatter, but as the morning progressed, the girls' entitlement took a sharper turn. Chloe and Mia began to treat kei like a toy for their amusement.
"Hey, Servant Girl," Chloe called out, snapping her fingers. "This waffle is a bit cold. Take it back and bring me a fresh one. And make sure the syrup is warmed to exactly body temperature."
kei paused, her tray balanced perfectly despite the Tremors in her fingers. "Of course. My apologies."
As kei turned toward the kitchen, Mia stuck her foot out. It was a blatant, childish move. kei, usually so agile, was too dazed to react. She stumbled, the heavy ceramic plates rattling dangerously. She managed to stay upright, but her face went from pale to a ghastly gray.
"Oops! Careful there," Mia giggled. "You look a little sluggish today. Sofia, do you not let her sleep? Or is she just naturally this incompetent?"
"She's fine," Sofia muttered, feeling a strange, uncomfortable knot tightening in her chest. Usually, she enjoyed seeing kei knocked down a peg, but seeing her struggle to breathe was making Sofia's own lungs feel tight.
The demands became relentless.
"KEI, scrub the juice stain on the rug.
"KEI, go to the cellar and find the 2018 vintage.
"KEI, carry all our bags up to the guest wing. Now."
By 11:00 AM, the heat of the day was rising. Sofia watched from the sofa as KEI descended the stairs for the tenth time. The girl's eyes were unfocused, and her breath was coming in short, shallow hitches. She looked like a ghost haunting her own uniform.
"She's actually doing it," Sylvia whispered. "She hasn't said a word back to us. Sofia, she's like a robot."
"She's not a robot," Sofia said sharply.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Whatever she is, she's slow. Hey! KEI! Come here and fix my heel, the strap is loose!"
THUD
The silence following the clatter of the silver tray was deafening. On the polished hardwood of the living room floor, kei lay broken, her limbs splayed at unnatural angles. The "cool" mask had finally shattered, leaving behind a girl who looked terrifyingly fragile.
"Is she… joking?" Chloe asked, her voice wavering with a nervous, guilty edge.
Sofia didn't answer. She couldn't. Her heart was hammering against her ribs so hard it felt like it might burst. She sprinted across the room, her silk robe fluttering behind her, and collapsed into the mess of spilled water and silverware.
"KEI? KEI, look at me!" Sofia's voice cracked. She reached out, her hands trembling as she cradled kei's head. The heat radiating from the girl's skin was a physical shock it felt like touching a furnace. "She's not joking, you idiots! She's burning up!"
"Should we call a doctor?" Sylvia whispered, clutching her pillow as she hovered at a distance.
"No, we're not waiting!" Sofia snapped, her eyes flashing with a protective fury that startled even herself. "She's been sick all morning. I saw it… I saw it on the balcony and I didn't say anything." The guilt tasted like ash in her mouth. "Chloe tell the driver to get the car started. Mia, Sylvia, help me get her up. Now!"
They moved in a panicked blur. Sofia, who usually complained if she had to carry her own handbag, didn't feel the weight of Kei's body as they hoisted her toward the door. They practically threw her into the back of Sofia's luxury SUV. Sofia slid in beside her, pulling kei's limp form against her chest, holding her as if she could keep her anchored to the world by sheer force of will.