Melissa lived. A woman in her forties, owner of the land where she had two houses, her own, and the living room for rent. — I was fred today. But don't worry, I have an interview scheduled at the employment agency. I
just let you know in case I don't get a job soon - she took the money out of her wallet and handed it to her -
Here's this month's rent. The woman was tall, fat and very blonde, clearly of German origin. She smoked a lot,
which gave her a thick, masculine voice. Bags under her eyes, straight disheveled hair, big breasts sprawled
across her loose t-shirt. She had a sinister and aggressive appearance. And when she drank, she embodied
the devil in a bad mood. — If you can't fnd a job, let me know straight away. Until the end of the month the house is yours, after that get out and I'll move on to someone else. — She spat on the foor. That look was a
threat, as if she were saying to him: You're not going to live for free, young lady. — I'm sure I'll get a job soon. —
she said, all dignifed. It seems like it, but you don't know, Melissa considered, terrifed. She turned her back to
him and put the key in the lock, turning it to open the door. She could feel the other's gaze boring into the back
of her head. She took a deep breath, controlling herself when the devil's key didn't come out of the hole. Okay,
no need to embarrass yourself in front of the smoker. She calmed down and fnally pushed the door. And, with the dignity of a frightened girl, she stumbled on the carpet and almost fell. — Oops! — the woman laughed
loudly. Melissa closed the door in her face. *** She sat down on the loveseat and leaned back, bringing her hands to her temples to rub them. She felt all the pressure throbbing there. Six months of doing the same
thing. Waking up early, showering and getting dressed. Breakfast was made standing up in the kitchen and
then she took the bus to the city center. I was waiting for Marieta to arrive to open the bookstore. She turned
on the lights, turned on the air conditioning and computers. She put water and coffee powder in the coffee
maker and washed the sidewalk from the pee of dogs, beggars and partygoers. She served customers, argued, sold, didn't sell, noted in the system. Now none of that. No one prepared her to face life outside the
shelter. Just as life did not prepare her for the loss of her parents and the house on the farm where she lived.
She lost her private school friends and the routine of an existence surrounded by love and care. She never
mourned the loss of her parents, as she feared she would go crazy if she gave in to extreme pain and intense
longing. Over the years, she survived opportunistic diseases, strict monitors, harassment from other orphans
and loneliness. However, she didn't want to be adopted by another family, she still belonged to hers... even in
death. She had a sandwich and a Coke for dinner, washed the dishes, took ten steps and entered her room.
She threw herself on the bed, her legs hurt from spending eight hours on her feet, her back burned. She had a
shitty job that paid little, but it was still all she had. She cried with her face buried in the pillow. She felt lost,
insecure and miserable. She ended up sleeping. 3 Melissa left the agency with a referral for two job.
vacancies. She chose to go to the frst one, which was right there in the center. A dental clinic recruited a
receptionist for six hours of work, the salary was horrible, but it was enough to pay the rent and other bills. As
she turned the corner of the indicated address, she had a legitimate vision of hell. More than ffty unemployed