The Cinder Keeper

"Caraway! Shanae's looking for you!"

"Thanks Foster." Caraway sighed and stood up, her back aching and her face covered in soot, as usual. Shanae was always looking for her.

"She says that three and seven are getting nippy, and fourteen has been complaining for fifteen minutes."

"I'm on it." The slim, dirty fifteen year old fetched three metal pails from a large stack in the corner, then began filling them with warm, red coals from the stove that was always kept going. 

"Riva, Lynwood," she called to two young children warming their frozen hands next to the stove. "Could you take these to rooms three and fourteen?"

"Aw, Cara! I jus' took a whole load a ice up to them kitchens. I'm froze!" Lynwood griped, rubbing his cold red hands.

"Well, this should warm them right up then, shouldn't it." Unsympathetically she shoved the bucket into his hands and propelled him towards the stairs. Riva took hers without complaint and started up the steps.

Caraway took the third bucket for herself, and followed the kids out of the dark, smokey basement, careful to wipe the grime off her feet before stepping onto the plush carpet. 

"There you are cinder keeper." the familiar bossy voice made Cara flinch, nearly dumping a coal onto the ground.  "Did foster tell you..."

"Yes, rooms three, seven and fourteen, Shanae. I was just on my way to number seven now."

"Very well, cinder keeper. You may--"

"Caraway."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Caraway and you know it."

She smirked. "I can call you whatever I want, Cinder Keeper, and you can't do a thing about it. I'm your superior."

Cara's fury made her cheeks burn red as the coals in her bucket. "Not long ago you were one of us, maid. Don't you forget that."

"I don't have time for you. You may return to your duties now. I'm sure room seven will want those as soon as possible. Hurry along, Cinder Keeper."

Caraway stomped away, 'accidentally' brushing shanae's spotless apron with the filthy bucket, leaving a large black smudge." The maid looked stunned, and turned to slap her, but Cara was long gone, off towards suite number seven.

"You will pay for that, Cara." she whispered at the back of her once friend. then she walked away, in the direction of the laundry room.