A little part of the truth

Mina wasn't going to stop looking at her. Having all that money let her be patient, when she wanted to be. Right then, she wanted to be, apparently. Izzy would have to answer the question. She nudged the lethargic slug in her mouth to life, and it started to make words again. Why did she feel so slow-moving? "I can't tonight," she said. And opted for the excuses that would seem the most insurmountable. "If I go back to my room, I'll pass out, and I won't wake up for another... twelve hours. And I have to work tomorrow morning, too, I can't afford not to. So, I just can't." She didn't see much point in denying what Mina so obviously saw. All she could really say about it was that last night was a mistake, and even that she couldn't be sure was true.

Mina made a disgusted face. Izzy thought it was meant for her, until: "You guys don't get sick days? That's screwed up." Surely they'd talked about this before. She had a perfect recall for things she wanted to know, and everything else went on its merry way.

"We need a doctor's note," said Izzy. And there were no doctors available for staff at Tystalten, except in an emergency. A real emergency. Like, if somebody fell off a lift and broke their leg. Otherwise a person was supposed to go down the mountain to be seen. That wasn't very possible under conditions of sickliness, so most people had to go unpaid when they got messed up. Mina Trivett's word went far, but not far enough to get random maids paid when it wasn't policy.

"Lame," sighed Mina. The word reverberated through Izzy's skin. It was so easy for her to push her buttons. She didn't even mean to. Or did she? If she did, her poker face was impeccable.

The maid's curiosity was murderous. Cat-killingly so. "Why? What are you doing?" The words sounded like they were passing through molasses. She shut one eye to limit how much light would be assaulting her.

Mina tossed her hand. "Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter. You're right. Get some sleep. Drink some Gatorade. Do they have that in the vending machines here?"

If you wanted it, they'd fly it up in a helicopter, Izzy thought. "No, really. What are you going to do?" She made sure to emphasize 'you.' Part of her was sad about it, but she wanted it very clear that it truly was not possible she could do anything tonight. That didn't mean she didn't want to hear about the lives of the rich and beautiful. Mina's gossip was the only thing that kept her going through the dreary winter. She had to know someone was doing something cool out there.