Slave of the Bricklayer

The message arrives on a Thursday morning. Unknown number on WhatsApp.

"Hello, I saw your profile on Xtudr. My name is Héctor, I'm a bricklayer. I work alone in a house doing renovations. I need a strong guy to help me dig a big hole in the patio to install a pool. The owners are on a trip. It's hard work. Are you interested?"

I review his profile picture. A guy about 45 years old, dark-haired, with a few days' worth of beard, his face weathered from the sun. He looks rough, like a hard worker.

I respond: "Yes, sir, I'm interested. When would it be?"

"Friday. Early, around 8 in the morning. We have to dig about 3 meters wide by 2 meters deep. It's going to hurt your body. Can you handle it?"

"Yes, sir, I can handle it."

"Perfect. I'll send you the address. And one thing: you'll work as I tell you. No complaints. Understood?"

"Understood, sir."

"Oh, and bring work boots. The kind with steel toes. You'll need them."

"I have them, sir."

"Great. See you tomorrow. Don't be late."

I save the address. Tomorrow will be a long day.

I arrive at the house at 7:50 am. It's an old house, one story, with a green fence. It looks like they're doing renovations. There are construction materials at the entrance: bags of cement, iron rods, wooden planks.

I ring the doorbell. Héctor comes out. He's wearing a cement-stained overall, a white t-shirt underneath, and dirty rubber boots. His hands are calloused, his arms are dark and muscular. He smells like cigarettes and sweat.

"You arrived early. Good. Come in."

I enter the house. It's under construction. Unpainted walls, unfinished cement floor. We cross to the backyard.

It's a big yard, with dry grass. In the center, there's a rectangle marked with stakes and white rope. That's where we have to dig.

Next to it, there are two shovels, a pickaxe, a wheelbarrow, and a water bucket.

"This is what we have to do," Héctor says, pointing to the rectangle. "Dig all this up to two meters deep. You'll take the dirt out with the wheelbarrow and throw it at the back of the yard. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now take off your clothes."

I freeze. "Sir?"

"Take off your clothes, damn it. I don't want to see you working in a t-shirt and pants that are going to get ruined. Besides, this way I can keep a better eye on you. Get naked. Now."

I swallow hard. I look around. The yard is surrounded by high walls. No one can see from the outside.

I start taking off my clothes. First, the t-shirt. Then the pants. The underwear. The socks. I'm completely naked.

Héctor looks me up and down. He smiles mockingly.

"Ha ha ha, look at you. A fat, hairy pig. Perfect for hard work. Now put on your boots."

I put on my work boots. They're black, with steel toes, and come up to my mid-calf. They look weird on my n...