Only the Strongest Survive

by Ian Fox

  *

  They needed over an hour to find the location. This was the fifth apartment they had come to see.

  “My husband and I didn’t really intend to rent out the apartment,” the thin woman said in a refined voice. “In four years our son will be old enough to move in. I personally don’t trust strangers. You know, you often hear how people get strangers into their property and then can’t get rid of them.”

  “Yes, I know what you mean,” Emely said, trying to be nice.

  Sally was inspecting the place. It was the one she liked the most so far. The small, yellow-and-blue kitchen, next to the entrance, was modern. A long hall led to two large rooms. What she particularly liked were the tall windows that let in a great deal of light.

  “My sister-in-law rented an apartment to a young couple. Three years later they had kids. When she decided not to extend their contract, the young family refused to move out. She asked the police to help her, but they were unable to. It took another four years to get what she wanted in court. See what I mean?”

  “Of course, but you won’t have any problems with us,” Emely said. “I went to a convent school and my friend Sally comes from a respectable upper-class family.”

  This obviously satisfied the woman and she opened the bathroom door.

  Sally and Emely were enthralled. It had tiles from floor to ceiling and a large round mirror above the basin, like the one Emely had dreamed of.

  “But on the other hand, I agree with my husband that if the apartment is empty, it makes sense to rent it out. Times are hard and every dollar is welcome.” The owner looked at Emely. “You say you went to a convent school?”

  Emely turned to the woman and smiled. “Yes, that’s right. I’ve spent my whole life so far, there. My mother died at birth and I have never known my father.”

  The woman nodded and gestured with her hands to say that she understood how things stood. Then she looked directly into Emely’s eyes. “I’m sure you’ve been well brought up, then.”

  “God’s eyes are everywhere,” Emely said.

  The owner smiled and it was obvious she had taken to Emely.

  If only she knew all the tricks I played on the nuns, Emely thought.

  “And you, young lady?” the owner asked, turning to Sally.

  “I come from a wealthy family. Because I refused to do what my father wanted me to do, he threw me out.”

  “Oh?” the woman said, obviously becoming less trustful. “What did you do?”

  “My father wanted me to help him manage his company, but I wanted to go on studying art,” Sally lied.

  “Oh, you did the right thing.” The woman looked visibly relieved. “A very good decision. I’m an artist myself.”

  She lifted her head proudly and went on, smiling. “My husband made me a small studio in the garage and when I feel particularly good I can make beautiful pottery. Oh, you made the right decision. What could a woman do in business?”

  The landlady no longer tried to hide her enthusiasm. She took Emely’s hand and led her to the other end of the room. Sally followed them. Then the woman opened a curtain behind which there was a wooden door that separated the interior from the exterior. When the door was opened, the view took their breath away. The medium-sized terrace was full of lush plants: roses in vibrant colors with creepers wrapped around their stems. Among the roses there were zinnias, the orange color of which was simply astonishing. There were petunias, orchids, and many other plants. The edges of the terrace were lined with small cypresses, preventing neighbors from seeing inside.

  “Absolutely beautiful,” Emely said.

  The owner put her hands on her hips and looked on with pride. “I adore flowers. Their beauty is something very special. I regret that we bought two apartments instead of a house. If we had bought a house I could have a proper garden and a greenhouse. But once you’re settled, it’s difficult to move. You do understand, don’t you?”

  “Yes, it is,” Sally and Emely said at once.

  “Let’s sit down in the kitchen. I’ll make you some coffee.” She closed the door to the terrace after taking one more glance at her plants and the sun, and closed the curtain.

  “The kitchen is on the small side, but it does have a good stove, refrigerator, microwave oven, and the necessary kitchenware,” the owner said while opening cupboards and drawers.

  Sally and Emely were satisfied.

  “OK, I’ll make us some coffee and you two have a break.”

  Emely and Sally were more than happy with the apartment, the only possible problem being the rent. They had agreed they would be unable to pay more than three hundred dollars a month.

  “So, my dears,” the landlady said as she put the coffee on the table and sat down, “what do you think?”

  “It’s very nice,” Sally said. “But the question is, can we afford it?”

  “I understand.” The woman put one hand on her mouth and creased her forehead. “Just tell me how much you’re willing to pay.”

  “One hundred and fifty each would be the maximum,” Emely said.

  The woman put her other hand on her mouth and took a deep breath. “Hmm. It’s not much. My husband and I were hoping for at least four hundred a month.”

  Emely gulped down her coffee and got up.

  “We’re very sorry, but four hundred is beyond our budget.”

  Sally kept sitting. She was surprised that Emely was leading the conversation this time.

  She was about to interfere, when the woman said, “Hold your horses, don’t rush.” She looked at the window and frowned again. “How about three hundred and fifty? Would you be able to manage that?”

  Emely looked down. “I’m very sorry, but three hundred dollars really is the maximum we can afford. I personally was in fact hoping to get away with one hundred each.”

  She began walking to the door. Sally got up.

  “My husband really won’t be pleased,” the woman said. “Let it be three hundred then, with a month’s payment in advance.”

  They both looked back and jumped with joy.

  “I’d rather rent to someone who is well brought up than have problems later.”

  As they were leaving, the woman was still sitting there with her hands on her mouth. “My husband won’t be very pleased,” she kept saying.

  *

  Sally rested her head against the chair and took a deep breath. “Oh, those were the days.”

  She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she leaned over toward Robert in such a way that she touched him with her right shoulder.

  He said, “You tell a good story. Has anyone said this to you?”

  She thanked him with her eyes.

  “But what I’d really like to hear is something from her business and love life. How did she start, for example?”

  Sally lit another cigarette. “Her first proper job was with a stockbroking company. The work interested her very much and she was there from morning to night. She began as a secretary ….”

  *

  “Emely, I’d really like you to go home now.”

  “Of course, boss.”

  It was seven in the evening.

  She stretched her neck and yawned discreetly. “I’d like to finish these contracts.”

  “As you wish. But it’s late. Promise me you won’t stay more than half an hour.”

  “Yes, I promise.” But she knew she would not keep her promise. What was there to do at home? “Just a few more minutes,” she said.

  When she put the last papers on the corner of her desk, it was past nine o’clock. She yawned once more and left within three minutes.

  “Finally you’re home,” Sally said as Emely closed the door. “I’ve been bored. Shall we go and get something to eat?”

  “You know I haven’t got any money. Besides, you haven’t given me back what you borrowed last month.”

  “Don’t be difficult, you know I always give it back to you. What if we only went for a snack?”

 
Emely thought for a few seconds. “OK.”

  Sally was pleased to have met Emely. Even though they only saw each other in the evenings, they were almost inseparable and often went out together.

  “I enrolled at college during my break today,” Emely said while applying her makeup in the bathroom.

  “What? You’re going to college? Are you serious?”

  “Yeah. I asked at work if they were willing to pay the fees and they said yes.”

  “But how will you manage, you’re always at work,” Sally shouted, her doubts clear in her voice.

  “I’ll study in the morning before I go to work. I know I can manage.”

  “If you say so.”

  Sally knew she was serious. When Emely decided something, she carried it through. Sally had never met such a stubborn and persistent woman.

  “I’ll tell you a secret,” Emely said. “I’d like to buy and sell shares. I don’t want to be a secretary forever.”

  “But you’re alright as you are, aren’t you? Sitting there, shuffling papers. Occasionally you answer the phone in a friendly way. I, on the other hand, am on my feet all day long. Look how swollen they are.” She pointed at her ankles.

  “I know you don’t have it easy in that restaurant. But you won’t be a waitress forever. Sooner or later you’ll inherit quite a bit from your old man.”

  “Oh, please, don’t mention him. We’ve agreed you wouldn’t mention that.”

  “OK, OK. All I wanted to say is that I want more.”

  Sally lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “If you’re persistent, you’re bound to succeed,” she said, blowing the smoke out.

  “You see, nearly all stockbrokers have a degree in economics. They’re all so smart.”

  “So you want to be a stockbroker?”

  “Yes, and I will be.”

  “Wonderful, at least one of us will know what to do with money. Now please get dressed, my tummy is growling.”

  “Yup.”

  Emely smiled. She loved Sally, her simplicity and directness. She would never swap her for another friend.

  *

  “Emely, why don’t you get yourself a guy?” Sally asked her in the car.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know very well what I mean. You’re nearly twenty and you’re still waiting for a prince on a white horse.”

  “I’m not waiting for anyone. You know I haven’t the time.”

  “Oh, come on. What use is being a virgin at your age? I don’t know who you’re saving yourself for.”

  Emely looked out the window, not liking the direction the conversation was heading. “I’m not saving it for anyone,” she said. “You know I’d go out with a guy if the right one came along.”

  “Then I can introduce you to Michael.”

  “Listen, Sally, I can find a guy myself if I want to, but I simply don’t have the time for such trivial matters.”

  “So how come you haven’t managed to find one yet? Can you tell me that?”

  “There hasn’t been anyone right for me.”

  “Oh, come on. I’ll introduce you to Michael tomorrow.”

  Emely was getting angry at her friend, yet thought, But what if she’s right? What if I remain a cold old spinster? That was not what she wanted. Maybe I should give Michael a try. She said, “What’s he like?”

  “Michael is a wonderful guy. You’ll like him.”

  Emely didn’t reply, but the next day regretted that she hadn’t resisted more. As soon as she came home from work, she saw a tall guy, whose ears stuck out slightly, sitting next to Sally.

  “This is Michael,” Sally said with a smile. “Where have you been? It’s half past eight. When I called you in the afternoon you promised to be home by seven at the latest.”

  “I had some papers to organize,” Emely lied.

  What she had really been doing was listening to a conversation her boss had with one of the business partners. She deliberately didn’t close the door completely after taking in their coffee so that she could hear them.

  She sat down, looking tired. “Nice to meet you, Michael, I’m Emely,” she said as they shook hands.

  Sally watched them with satisfaction.

  “I know everything about you. Sally told me.”

  Emely looked at her angrily.

  “I’d love to stay, but I have a date with John,” Sally said.

  “What, you’re leaving?” Emely said, looking frightened.

  And the next minute, her friend was gone. To make matters worse, Michael was only a couple of feet away from her. Her cheeks went red and her head pounded.

  “Where is she going so fast?” she said, not able to think of anything else to say. She was still looking at the door.

  Michael noticed her embarrassment and smiled as he said, “Sally told me you had a job.”

  “Yes,” she said quickly.

  “And that you work hard.”

  “Yes.”

  “She said she was your only company.”

  She gave him a strange look.

  “What I meant was that you don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “No.” She was as rigid as a rock and didn’t know how to behave. She wanted to say something, but didn’t know what. And what she wanted most was to be left alone.

  Discouraged at her answering yes or no only, Michael asked, “What about movies? Would you like to go sometime?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He thought that at least the answer was different. He moved closer to her. Emely moved too, but away from him.

  She looked at him for a moment. He was not a bad guy, but there was something about him she didn’t like. She couldn’t explain what.

  “Don’t you want to know anything about me? Aren’t you going to ask me any questions?”

  She looked down and her cheeks went even redder. She was angry at herself for allowing him to derail her so much and make her act like she was fourteen.

  “I work in a printing house. I’m the boss,” he said proudly.

  “Aha.”

  That was all he could take, seeing there was no point in wasting his time with her. He decided on a direct attack.

  He stroked her hair with his right hand and leaned toward her. Even before she was able to get up, he had stuck his long tongue into her mouth so quickly that she had no time to defend herself.

  She felt terrible and pushed with her hands against his chest while his tongue wriggled around her mouth.

  “How disgusting,” she said. Within a second, she was free. “Go, Michael, leave this very minute.”

  He smiled as he said, “Finally, you start talking.”

  “Out! And don’t ever show up here again.”

  “Oh well, you’ll cool down soon. Even though you couldn’t be any colder than you already are.”

  These words got to her. She cried for a long time afterward, feeling furious with Sally.

  *

  “I didn’t know he would attack so soon,” Sally said, defending herself when she came home. “He was very gentle with me.”

  “So you’ve already been with him? How dare you—”

  “It was nothing. He’s not a bad guy, if only you’d give him a chance.”

  “I don’t want to see him ever again.”

  “OK, OK.”

  *

  Two weeks later Greg appeared. Emely came home late on Friday night, tired as usual. All she wanted was a quiet evening, followed by a long sleep. As she was climbing the endless stairs to the apartment, she heard loud laughter.

  “Let me introduce Greg,” Sally said as soon as Emely walked in. “He’s a good friend of mine.”

  Emely thought, Another ex? Or her latest boyfriend?

  “Come and sit with us!” Greg ordered her as if this was his home.

  “Greg has been telling me about his adventures in Australia. He travels all the time, you see.”

  “Mmm, very interesting.” Emely softened a bit. Maybe it’s not a trap after all.

>   She sat down and joined the conversation. After a few minutes she became relaxed. Greg was good company and funny. All three laughed a lot as he told the girls about his travels. Sally soon got up and returned with three beers and tall glasses.

  “No, thanks,” Emely said.

  “Oh, come on,” Sally said. “You’ve been working all day long. You need to let go a little. It’ll only do you good.”

  “No, I really don’t want one.”

  Even before she finished speaking, thick foam appeared in her glass.

  “You won’t get drunk from one glass of beer,” her friend insisted.

  “Oh, alright then.”

  They got along really well. Emely had not laughed so much in a long time. At one point she realized she was watching Greg. He was medium height and slim, and she had to admit she liked him even though he had a big nose and his hair stuck up strangely. Maybe it was his chattiness that attracted her. He never ran out of things to say and always had a secret reserve of jokes.

  The first glass of beer was followed by a second and a third. Emely was getting more and more relaxed. When she went to the bathroom, she staggered a little. “Ooops,” she said, laughing at herself.

  When she came back, Sally was gone.

  “Where is she?” Emely asked.

  “She said she had a date with Bill,” Greg said.

  “Bill? Does she have yet another boyfriend?” Then she started laughing, not caring. She felt wonderful and that was all that mattered. She could have more fun with Greg. He’d tell her jokes and stories and she’d laugh some more.

  She looked at him and felt strange sensations in her body. He was so attractive. Then she became aware of her sinful thoughts and chased them away.

  “So you got lost in China, you said?”

  “Yes, I asked people if they could help, but no one spoke English.”

  Emely sat next to him, contrary to her intention of sitting opposite. A strange force made her get close to him, but she regretted it immediately. “And what did you do then?”