Locked in Vanity

by Sravani Saha

  ‘Ruby, I am giving you my word,’ Ray said.

  ‘You will not manage my career anymore,’ Ruby said.

  Ray found hope with that deal.

  ‘Done! I will not manage your profile. I promise I will not speak about this date to anyone,’ he said. ‘Let me just leave this place for now.’

  ‘Okay,’ Ruby said. Ida relaxed and pointed the gun down when she heard the deal.

  Ray started to pick up his coat and walk toward the door. He had just stepped out when Ruby heard the gunshot.

  ‘Ida!’ she screamed.

  ‘Miss, he is dangerous for you. I am sure,’ Ida replied.

  Ruby ran to Ray. His face lay in a flowing pool of fresh red. The bullet had pierced right through his neck. She got up and ran toward Ida.

  ‘You’ve killed him!’ she shook Ida’s shoulders.

  ‘Yes, Miss. I had promised Master to keep you happy. If that man walked away free today, your life would be in a mess. I don’t want a mess for you,’ Ida said.

  ‘Ida! You stupid stupid woman. Do you have no thoughts of your own? I let him walk out because I knew him for years. He would have kept his word. And what is this thing about keeping me happy? You stifle me! Do you know that? You stifle me sometimes with your overbearing promises to your dead master,’ she said.

  ‘Give me, give me the gun. I’ll end this saga about loyalty today!’ Ruby tried to pull the gun from Ida’s hands. What started as a slight pull turned into a scuffle for the gun and finally ended in a gunshot. The wall bore a hole and a layer of concrete dust fell out on the carpet.

  ‘I've done what I thought was the right thing to do Miss. This man would hurt you if he went out of this door,’ Ida said.

  ‘Oh shut up Ida. You have no brains.. You don't know what is the right thing to do. You watch me have sex, and you talk of the right things. You are stupid and disloyal,’ Ruby’s uttered her words with vehement spite.

  ‘I'm not Miss, I'm not. I've never been disloyal to you and to my master. I could not be!’ Ida fell on her knees.

  ‘Are you such a fool Ida? Really such a fool? Or are you wearing a mask of loyalty?’ Ruby asked.

  ‘I ...I have been dutiful all my life. Master had told me to keep you happy, and I’m trying to keep you happy. It has been my motto for my life,’ Ida cried.

  ‘Don’t give me this crap Ida. Have you seen yourself?’ Ruby asked. ‘You couldn’t do anything with your life because you are stupid. Look at me! I made myself. I did what I wanted to do despite my challenge. I was bald, and I became a top model. I could use the world the way I wanted to.’

  ‘No Miss. I have been good to you,’ Ida said.

  'I did not ask you kill Ray. You are a killer. You have killed people.'

  'But you told me to. I poisoned those men who saw you hairless because you instructed me to,' Ida screamed.

  'You should die Ida. You must die. You are a threat to me. I will relieve you from your loyalty. You must die. But first, get up. Get up and do my hair,’ her voice trembled with anger.

  Ida got up from the floor. She picked up the wig and placed it on Ruby's head and fixed the seams.

  ‘I want Moroccan today,’ Ruby ordered. She tapped the gun on the vanity dresser and it made a constant knocking sound.

  Ida got the Argan oil and nourished Ruby's wig with it. She made a beautiful braid for Ruby just like she did every other night. Once done, she placed the thick braid on her left shoulder. The hair fell like a thick garment on Ruby.

  'Im done Miss,' Ida said.

  'No you are not. I want you to be more devoted to me.'

  'Sure Miss. Just say it and I'll do it,' Ida said.

  'Shoot yourself,’ Ruby said. ‘Here’s the gun.’

  ‘What!’ Ida was shocked.

  ‘You don't deserve to serve me, you downtrodden critter. I'm entitled to better servants. You are a danger to me. Shoot yourself Ida. Let me see your loyalty,' Ruby said.

  Ida placed the gun on her forehead. Her eyes bulged out of fear.

  'I’ll make it easy for you Ida, you liar,' Ruby said. She jumped on Ida and grabbed the gun from her hand.

  She pointed the gun at Ida and walked back. She turned around and before she knew, the bullet was out. Ida fell on the floor with a quiet thud. As soon as Ruby saw her motionless body, she laughed.

  'I am the reigning queen. Ruby Ruby! I’m the queen. I am beautiful and will forever remain beautiful. Time cannot wither me for I will win over time. I am the winner. Yes I am,' she spoke to the mirror and touched her braid. She heard sirens afar.

  ‘You are beautiful, you know that right!’ Ruby ran to the mirror and said to herself. The sirens were closer.

  ‘You must remain beautiful and never wither,’ she replied and placed the gun on the roof of her mouth.

  THE END.