Letter from Placida to _______, Part 2

We were walking down the hallway, a formidable granite roof held by stone pillars and covering a polished marble floor. James was talking about the examination, particularly my performance.

“Your execution of the myriad grass mixture was excellent. None of the other girls finished a perfectly working sample.”

“Thanks.” I kept my head low so he couldn’t see my face, which was warm and probably red.

James and I fell silent and we walked up till the middle of the hallway, to the entrance of the corridor. The sun was setting, a little orange glimmer in the cracks of the pillars.

I hadn’t noticed until now, but James’ hand was firmly set on the curve of my hip. Before I could ask James to remove it politely, he pulled me towards him. I twisted back and tried to pry his hand off.

But I couldn’t. I turned back and faced James, who pulled me even closer. I looked into his eyes, and, through my eyes, they looked like they were warped, like I was looking through a fishbowl. I felt his hot, sticky breath and I panicked.

“Let go!” I screamed.

“Oof!” he grunted as I panickedly delivered a jab to his liver. He looked at me for a second, his eyes normal and questioning, before he crumpled to his knees.

I don’t remember exactly how but I had run out the court, out of the test area, and stopped at the outskirts of the city. I found a bar and spent the night drinking (water, of course) and mulling my frustration over while my head hurt.

Now, as I write this letter, I see that there is no chance for me. I checked job listings at the front of the tavern. There was nothing I could handle, not without a group. And looking to others in this bar, I doubt I want to do anything with anybody anyways. This is the end of my road. You were right and I was wrong. I’ll come home now.

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Placida put down her pen, and folded her letter. She placed it into an envelope and walked to the mailing box. She sealed the flap with the tavern’s seal, wrote her name on the front, and deposited the sealed letter in the mailing box, returning to her seat after.

Back at the counter, Placida put away her pen in its case, and the case in her pant pocket. She drank her water, and with nothing left to do, listened in.

The tavern keeper was behind the counter, talking to two blond, blue eyed brothers. There weren’t many people left, but the keeper was wary, his eyes flitting at the slightest movement or noise.

The shorter, more effeminate of the two brothers talked to the keeper. “I know you don’t want a 70:30 split … but think about the future business. “The taller brother stood beside him with his shoulders crossed. He gave off a serious tone with his rugged stare, detracting from his younger brother’s negotiations.

The tavern keeper, unperturbed by either of the brother’s behaviours, clawed at his patchy beard. “I can give only 60:40 split. No more.”

The shorter brother nodded slowly. After thinking for a moment, he said, “ Me and my partner need to talk about this.”

“... Okay”

The two walked back and talked in animated whispers. Being closer to her, Placida could hear inklings of what they were saying.

“ … took the bait … take the money … leave town … ”

They both nodded, and walked back.

This time, the larger brother spoke. His voice was calm and middling, neither gruff nor squeaky. “We accept your bargain. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

The bartender gave a nod, flashing his yellow teeth. He had been counting coins and pushed the pile he had across the length of the counter to them. The two turned to count up their money, and thats when the noticed Placida was still in the bar.

“Hey. Didn’t see you here.” The younger brother walked up and leaned on the counter across for me.

“Hey.” Placida replied. She folded up my letter, and was packing to leave when the brother said something that held her in place.

“You wouldn’t happen to be a scientist, would you?”

Why did he have to ask that question?

Placida looked to the bigger brother, who stood with his arms still crossed, only now his eyes were pointing directly at her.

Did the proctor send these two? Was he trying to silence me before I could hurt him?

By the time Placida was finally aware of herself, she had been staring at the bigger brother for a few seconds. Of course, the bigger brother stared back, neither scared nor bemused.

“Hmm… Did you realize that Hansen was a scientist!” the younger brother exclaimed. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. “It would make sense wouldn’t it. You’re both scientists, so you both don’t need to talk at all. You just need to be silent and process information.”

His bigger brothe– Hansen mumbled something back. “Scientists can speak. We’re not computers.”

Placida was confused, more so than before. It was clear that Hansen and his brother weren’t advanced killers sent by James. But–

Who are they?

His mind leading him to the same place that Placida’s had, the younger brother spoke. “Oh right. Forgot to introduce myself … um, I’m Trebone and this is Hansen.” He pointed to the bigger brother. “We’re an explorer group and we’re getting money to pay for an extra scientist.”

While Trebone spoke, Hansen mumbled to him. “Don’t share everything here.“

Trebone forged forward, his partner’s voice lost in the background. “We’re recruiting scientists, but nobody’s come forward yet. Would you like to join, scientist?” Trebone gazed intently into Placida’s eyes, his eyes glowing with curiosity and adventure.

Breaking the silence, Hansen hissed this time. “We don’t even know if she’s a scientist!”

Trebone heard this. “Hmm. If you can’t join, perhaps could you bring a friend?”

Placida was frozen. Having watched the speech, she wasn’t sure what to do now that the conversation was finally on her side.

After a few seconds, Trebone nodded. “I see. Pack your bags and be at the bar’s front tomorrow morning, scientist.”

As they left, Placida tried to process the information ‘like a scientist’.

They came to me, Trebone asked if I was a scientist, told me his mission and made me join. Am I even lucky?

But in her body, Placida felt a warmth.

They didn’t seem so bad. Maybe this’ll turn out all right.

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Placida walked to the sloped edge of the village facing the winding roads they came from. She sat, and without speaking a word, began to cry, thinking of the pain that Trebone had caused her.

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