emergency

.
Katalina
Today is a Saturday and I will usually sleep in after a vigorously draining night of wanton sex. Even though I spent the night staring at the ceiling, I woke up feeling more tired than when I had sex all night long. My chest felt heavy, and my brain felt slow. Fear of the unknown was crippling me slowly.
I left Emilia’s house as early as 7 AM, hoping that when I got home, Huracio would be ready to see me. Maybe he is going to punish me, but for what?
Maybe, he is going to tell me they now have my Mum and I am free to go…
“You just missed him.” Rosa said.
I met her standing by the front door with a white envelope in her hand.
“How do you mean?”
“He said I should give you this.” She handed me the envelope.
Perplexed, I collected it and quickly opened it. Inside was a short note, and it said that Huracio had to travel and would be back soon. I should not play outside too often and be a good girl.
“He traveled?” I glared at Rosa as if it was her fault.
“He said it was an emergency.”
“Emergency? What sort of emergency?” I asked in a trembling voice.
“I don’t know.” Rosa shook her head. “If you will excuse me.” She gave me a slight bow, and walked away.
I watched her back with open hostility, wishing I could smash something on it. I have never hated anyone more than I hated her. Always looking upright and up-tight, yet working for a man who treats small girls like shit.
I needed to talk to someone, but there was no one to talk to. Emilia was in the dark, and talking to her would only put her in danger.
It was the longest weekend of my life. I roamed the house like a ghost, walking back and forth. Despite how stupid it was, Emilia’s suggestion kept ringing in my ears.
On Sunday, I couldn’t take it anymore. I waited till everyone was asleep. I then got up, accessed the partial central switch that controls just the main building. I turned it off, then hurried to Huracio’s study.
This was a fairly new study since we just moved here, but most of his things were already moved in. The possibility of the file being here was high.
With the touch light from my phone, I started going through his things. Unfortunately, most of the drawers were locked and the files on his desk didn’t look like what I was looking for.
By the time I was done, I was covered in sweat like a rain drenched cat, but I couldn’t find the file. Disappointed, I went back to switch on the light. Just as it came on, I came face to face with Rosa.
Scared out of my skin, I screamed before realizing it wasn’t a ghost.
“Miss, be careful.” She said in a calm tone. I’d swear, she wasn’t startled at all.
“What are you doing here at this time?”
Embarrassed and scared at the same time, I could only cover up with anger.
“I noticed the light went off…”
“it’s two in the morning. Don’t you sleep…?” I snapped. “Just get out!”
Just as she was about to speak, I snapped at her again. But before she even make a move, I brushed past her, making sure to hit her with my shoulder.
For the next few days, I lived in abject fear. I expected Huracio to call and ask about the light out, and his study, but nothing like that happened. It wasn’t normal for him not to call, but because his trip was an emergency, I figured things must be very uptight for him wherever he was. This also meant that I continued suffering from not knowing if he knew I searched his office, or what he would do to me when he comes back.
Thursday, Mother showed up again.
This time, she followed me into the toilet, scaring the hell out of me.
The moment I recognized her, I was flooded with relief.
“Mum, oh my God. You are safe. You are safe!”
Forgetting that I was at odds with her, I hugged her, not letting go until she pushed me away.
“I don’t have time for this. Where is it? Why haven’t you dropped it off yet?” She glared at me.
Her eyes were red and cold. Her skin looked pale and dry. She wasn’t doing well.
“Mum, what happened to you?” I reached out to touch her face and she violently slapped my hands away.
“Focus!” she sneered in a low voice.
I froze.
Mum had never hit me before. Not even a tap on the wrist.
“Katalina, where is the file?” She snapped, shaking me back to my senses.
“You hit me, Mum!” I gasped in a whisper. My voice was riddled with shock and fear. I looked at the back of my hand, it was as red as it was painful.
“Look, there is no time. Do you have the file or not?” She got in my face, looking even more scary.
“I don’t, Mum. I checked. It’s not in his study.” I quickly replied, trying to merge with the wall behind me.
At my words, her shoulders dropped and her stern and scary eyes turned worried and darker.
“How can that be?” she whispered, talking to herself.
“Mum?, You don’t look too good. What’s going on now?” I asked worriedly, but she just snapped out of her thoughtful daze and gave me a wild look.
“What about his other house? Did you check it?”
“Which one?”
There are two houses. The beach house from when he was dating Mum, and the suburbs Villa were we lived before moving to the city.
“Both of them. The file must be in one of them.”
‘But, Mum, I don… ”
“I don’t care how you do it. Just get those files!” She snapped at me aggressively.
My back chilled instantly. Her eyes were so fierce, it was like being stared down by a wild animal.
“…”
“No excuses, Katalina.” She continued. “My life is on the line each day I stay in this country. If you don’t get me those files, we are both doomed. Don’t think he will spare you. He will not. We are his mortal enemy.”
“Mortal enemies? Why?”
I could sense her fear. It was raw. She wasn’t lying. She meant every word. “How did you offend him, Mum?”
“If you want to know, get those files. I will pick them up in four days at the designated spot.”
“Four days?” I gasped with wild eyes. “Are you crazy? How am I supposed to get them in four days? I don’t even know where to look!” I lost it and yelled at her, forgetting that we were supposed to be careful.
She lurched forward, clamping my mouth shut with her hands. Crushed against the wall, I struggle to get her off me, but she was strong. I never knew my Mum could be that heavy.
She pinned me against the wall until I couldn’t move a muscle. She placed her mouth by my ear and whispered. “If at the end of four days, you don’t bring those files, I will leave without you. Once I am gone, Huracio will take it out on you. You have no idea how petty and unforgiving he is. He’s been chasing our family for almost twenty years. With you in his trap, he believes that he can get me. But guess what? He is wrong. Once he realizes that you are a useless bait, what do you think he will do to the daughter of the man who killed his family?”
“Who-ot?” My muffled voice screamed into her palm. I started struggling to get free again, and she let me go.
“What did you say? Dad killed who?” I whispered in terror.
“Oh, not that Daddy. Your real Daddy.” She sniggered. I swear, she looked like she was having fun taunting me like that.
“My real Daddy?”
Now, I was getting really confused and terrified.
“Mum, what do you mean by that? Is Dad not my real Dad?”
“If you want to know more, get those files for me.”
And just like that, she opened the door, stepped out, and was gone.
How long I stayed in there, I have no idea, but I until Emilia came knocking on the door, calling my name, I didn’t snap out of it.
“Kata, what happened?” She grabbed me and dragged me out of the cubicle. When I saw my face in the mirror, it was as pale as a ghost.
“She came again, didn’t she?” Emilia asked after washing my face.
I could only nod.
“How does she do it? Coming and going like the wind. How did I keep missing her?” She complained, stumping her foot. “What did she say this time?”
“She said my Dad is not my Dad!” I subconsciously mumbled under my breath.
“What?” I watched Emilia’s face go white.
Her shocked response was like a key. As her face started blanching, something locked within me broke free. A deeply hurting sob rumbled in my chest. I hate crying outside. I wanted to swallow it, but my chest was too tight. It felt like it would explode. So I had no choice than to set it free.
“She said my real Dad killed his family. Emilia, what am I going to do?”
I wailed as the sob rocked my body, completely rendering me powerless against the waves of terror that were crushing my heart.