Obsession: "In The Shadows"
(The Mall) She is in her usual form. Sitting on her mall bench, waiting for him to arrive. He's running late. She is about to give up when he rounds the corner, oblivious to his watcher. She glances over her shoulder as he passes. She follows his lead but keeps a safe distance. Reality escapes her with the passing of her breath. She is whisked away to a place she feels safest.
He holds her on a worn and tattered couch, left behind by the previous tenants, in his old style Flint home. Her head rests in his arms. He leans forward and kisses her forehead. You can almost see her heartbeat quicken pace. You can almost see her body quiver. Without see her eyes you know they are glazed over with passion. Looking into his eyes you see the love and conviction. For her he would do anything. With her anything is possible.
Reality sets back in when he disappears around a corner. She speeds up to the corner, they are almost there. Halfway. She is not looking forward to this. She rounds the corner, eyes connecting with his body about 15 feet in front of her. She escapes back to her sanctum within her mind. This time they are walking downtown at night. She remembers that night well. The way his arm is wrapped around her waist tightly. The way her head rests gently on his shoulder as if floating on a pillow of air. With no destination in mind they walked, in their own little world only focusing on random street lights and the occassional passing car. The invisible forcefield, called love, in tact and not a care in the world.
Back in the real world she is patiently waiting on him while he's in the bathroom. She sits on yet another mall bench. He exits the bathroom and the charade begins again. Pushing past the crowd she maintains her distance. She dazes back in time once again. They are eating in a local restaurant this time. Holding hands and each other's gaze as they stare across the table that seems transparent under their admiration for one another. His smile never fades when she's around. You feel his intentions as they're made apparent by ricocheting off the dusty lighting structures that appear to be from the late seventies. She blushes at the thought of having this all to herself one day. Like a fairy tale in modern times.
They've arrived. She peers through the front window to catch a glimpse of the oncoming tragedy. Then it happens.
(Enter, The Companion)
She runs into his arms. He picks her up and swings her around only to let her down and cover her face with warm kisses.
(How could he love her? He was meant for me!) These things flood her mind as she watches the lover love another. She puts herself through this torture every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thats when he visits her at work. Right after he works out at the gym. The sweat is probably still clinging to his body. She imagines his visiting her at work. Catching her as she jumps into his arms. His kissing her cheek.
Her daydream fairy tales are suddenly interrupted when she makes eye contact with him for the first time in the two months she has been his shadow. She is mesmerised for a brief moment until she turns away in fear of being recognized . She walks until she's a safe distance awat then leans against a shop front window to regain her composure. (That was a close call)
After a few minutes go by she quickly makes her way to the parking lot. She gets in her car and circles the lot until she spots his car. She pulls into a parking space well hidden from his view and waits for him to leave the mall. Ten minutes and two cigarettes later she pulls out of the mall, two or three car lengths behind him.
He pulls into his driveway and runs inside. She is stationed across the street in the tire repair parking lot. He is running around the house changing his clothes. He leaves the house with nice clothes and a smile. The cat and mouse game persues. This time with an undisclosed destination.
(The Dinner Date)
They pull into the restaurant parking lot and her eyes immediately lock onto The Companion's car. (A dinner date, how cute!) The mere thought of her sends The Watcher into a fit of rage most commonly reserved for an ill-attempted mom joke or the type of person that kicks your cats.
She waits in park for a few minutes, then enters the establishment and chooses a table to best suit her viewing preferences. She orders a coffee and settles into her usual habits. Chain smoking and pretending she was his companion. This time she is the one sitting across from him. She is staring into his endless eyes. His arms are stretched over the table. They are holding hands. He is slowly carressing each of her fingers individually. Then he reaches into his sports coat pocket, revealing a simple black case. Looking deeply into her eyes he opens it unveiling its contents.
The instant she sees the ring she is snapped back to reality. She is back at her original table with her eyes glued to The Companion as he asks for her hand in marriage.
(How could this be happening? What does he see in her? That ring should be mine!) she thinks to herself. The anger and pain that are surging through her body is almost uncontrollable, she begins to lose it all and breaks down. She knocks over her coffee as she hurridly exits the restaurant.
(Her House)
She speeds home to try and gain some understanding to this terrible turn of events. It's a losing battle. With every passing thought of him that goes through her mind another forms, only different than any other thought she's ever had before. These new thoughts are coated in red. They are filled with revenge. With deceit. She was mislead by her own warped perception. She was supposed to be the one. She is balancing along the edge of sanity and homicide. The thought of never being with him is like a slug to the chest. Blasting her over the edge. The only solution she can rationalize is to get rid of everyone involved. Including herself. She can't take the abuse. The hold he has on her. In her mind she was meant to be with him and she has been mislead. He has been unfaithful. She blacks out in rage.
She regains consciousness standing in her kitchen. On the countertop in front of her sits a hatchet, a steak knife, a butcher knife and some thin rope. The battle plan moves through her mind on repeat. It's so simple, it will stop all this hurting, and she will be the last one he is ever with. The time has come. She gathers her makeshift artillery, grabs her keys and heads for the door.
(The Fiance's House)
She pulls up in front of The Companion's house and seems more calm than she has been in months. Immediately she notices his car as well as The Companion's. She exits her car that she hastily parks across the street. She then makes her way to the backyard carrying her bag of enforcements. She already knows the backdoor is unlocked. It's never locked. She has been here many times before, this is all routine to her. All the lights are out but her mental map of the place kicks in and she is easily lead down the hall. She stops at the end, facing a closed door. She can hear them breathing. Heavily. They are asleep. Perfect. She quietly turns the knob and opens the door without making a sound.
(The Bedroom)
There they are, so peaceful and serene. Neither of them know she is there. They don't know that she even exists. The wine bottle still sits on the nightstand from their earlier celebration. They have no idea that for the last two months she has been his shadow. They haven't the slightest clue the hatred she has for the newly appointed Fiance. They don't know that the end is hovering over their peaceful bodies. For The Fiance the end is in the form of a hatchet.
She stands motionless on The Fiance's side holding the hatchet over her head with both hands. Her mind is flooded with scenes of them together. They are so happy, the happiness that she has been searching for this whole time. A happiness she can only share with him. (And that bitch has ruined my chances. For that she must pay!) She screams in her mind. She can bear this sorrow no longer. With that last thought she brings the hatchet down in one solid swipe. She uses all her strength. Blood sprays everywhere. The wall. The blankets. His face. Her face. All a bold shade of crimson.
He wakes up momentarily. His face covered with blood. He sees his soon to be assassin staring into his eyes. She grabs the empty wine bottle. ( It will all be over soon ) she thinks as his eyes cloud over with fear. She brings the bottle down under the force of her weight. It connects with the left side of his face. His vision fades to black.
(The Bathroom)
He is awaken by the scent of the melting wax. It takes a few seconds for him to collect his thoughts. His head is throbbing. The left side of his face is swollen. He is sitting down in his Fiance's bathtub with his hands tied behind his back. Rose petals are floating on top of the water and the edge is surrounded by burning candles. She is also sitting on the edge staring back at him in a way that makes him feel invisible.
He finally makes out her face, as his vision's corrects itself. She is a complete stranger, yet a weird feeling washes over him. He feels they have met each other previously. All of a sudden it comes to him. She is watching them in the mall. She is watching them eat. At the gym. The string of mental flashbacks is stopped as she places her hand on his cheek. She reveals the steak knife from behind her back. She leans toward him and kisses her forehead as she swiftly slices his throat. She gets up and wipes the blade on her blood soaked jeans. He lays in the crimson bathtub. The petals still afloat. His eyes are wide open. Motionless.
(The Bedroom Part II)
She exits the bathroom and back to the initial murder scene. The Fiance has been removed from the room. A dark red stain is left behind. Candles surround the bed. The only light in the room is the flickering of the candle lit alter.
Directly under the ceiling fan there is a butcher knife dangling from the rope she had brought. Around the handle there is a ten pound ankle weight thats taped around the rope. The rope leads up to the ceiling fan then back down to the bedpost where it's been tied up. It is now time for the pain and suffering to end. She unties the rope and lies down in the center of the bed. Perfectly alligned slightly three feet above her heart.
In her head she is back to the restaurant where the proposal took place. This time she is sitting across from him and he opens the black box revealing the engagement ring she had always wanted. He places it on her finger and she leans forward across the table to kiss his lips. With the lips' connection she releases the rope. Her eyes snap open. The butcher knife had gained momentum the entire way down until it slams past her breastplate into her heart. A smile forums as her eyes roll back in her head. She finally got what she wanted. Even if it all took place in her demented mind. She finally got his affection and his hand in marriage. She is safe now. From her fears, herself, and her obsession.
The End.
He holds her on a worn and tattered couch, left behind by the previous tenants, in his old style Flint home. Her head rests in his arms. He leans forward and kisses her forehead. You can almost see her heartbeat quicken pace. You can almost see her body quiver. Without see her eyes you know they are glazed over with passion. Looking into his eyes you see the love and conviction. For her he would do anything. With her anything is possible.
Reality sets back in when he disappears around a corner. She speeds up to the corner, they are almost there. Halfway. She is not looking forward to this. She rounds the corner, eyes connecting with his body about 15 feet in front of her. She escapes back to her sanctum within her mind. This time they are walking downtown at night. She remembers that night well. The way his arm is wrapped around her waist tightly. The way her head rests gently on his shoulder as if floating on a pillow of air. With no destination in mind they walked, in their own little world only focusing on random street lights and the occassional passing car. The invisible forcefield, called love, in tact and not a care in the world.
Back in the real world she is patiently waiting on him while he's in the bathroom. She sits on yet another mall bench. He exits the bathroom and the charade begins again. Pushing past the crowd she maintains her distance. She dazes back in time once again. They are eating in a local restaurant this time. Holding hands and each other's gaze as they stare across the table that seems transparent under their admiration for one another. His smile never fades when she's around. You feel his intentions as they're made apparent by ricocheting off the dusty lighting structures that appear to be from the late seventies. She blushes at the thought of having this all to herself one day. Like a fairy tale in modern times.
They've arrived. She peers through the front window to catch a glimpse of the oncoming tragedy. Then it happens.
(Enter, The Companion)
She runs into his arms. He picks her up and swings her around only to let her down and cover her face with warm kisses.
(How could he love her? He was meant for me!) These things flood her mind as she watches the lover love another. She puts herself through this torture every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thats when he visits her at work. Right after he works out at the gym. The sweat is probably still clinging to his body. She imagines his visiting her at work. Catching her as she jumps into his arms. His kissing her cheek.
Her daydream fairy tales are suddenly interrupted when she makes eye contact with him for the first time in the two months she has been his shadow. She is mesmerised for a brief moment until she turns away in fear of being recognized . She walks until she's a safe distance awat then leans against a shop front window to regain her composure. (That was a close call)
After a few minutes go by she quickly makes her way to the parking lot. She gets in her car and circles the lot until she spots his car. She pulls into a parking space well hidden from his view and waits for him to leave the mall. Ten minutes and two cigarettes later she pulls out of the mall, two or three car lengths behind him.
He pulls into his driveway and runs inside. She is stationed across the street in the tire repair parking lot. He is running around the house changing his clothes. He leaves the house with nice clothes and a smile. The cat and mouse game persues. This time with an undisclosed destination.
(The Dinner Date)
They pull into the restaurant parking lot and her eyes immediately lock onto The Companion's car. (A dinner date, how cute!) The mere thought of her sends The Watcher into a fit of rage most commonly reserved for an ill-attempted mom joke or the type of person that kicks your cats.
She waits in park for a few minutes, then enters the establishment and chooses a table to best suit her viewing preferences. She orders a coffee and settles into her usual habits. Chain smoking and pretending she was his companion. This time she is the one sitting across from him. She is staring into his endless eyes. His arms are stretched over the table. They are holding hands. He is slowly carressing each of her fingers individually. Then he reaches into his sports coat pocket, revealing a simple black case. Looking deeply into her eyes he opens it unveiling its contents.
The instant she sees the ring she is snapped back to reality. She is back at her original table with her eyes glued to The Companion as he asks for her hand in marriage.
(How could this be happening? What does he see in her? That ring should be mine!) she thinks to herself. The anger and pain that are surging through her body is almost uncontrollable, she begins to lose it all and breaks down. She knocks over her coffee as she hurridly exits the restaurant.
(Her House)
She speeds home to try and gain some understanding to this terrible turn of events. It's a losing battle. With every passing thought of him that goes through her mind another forms, only different than any other thought she's ever had before. These new thoughts are coated in red. They are filled with revenge. With deceit. She was mislead by her own warped perception. She was supposed to be the one. She is balancing along the edge of sanity and homicide. The thought of never being with him is like a slug to the chest. Blasting her over the edge. The only solution she can rationalize is to get rid of everyone involved. Including herself. She can't take the abuse. The hold he has on her. In her mind she was meant to be with him and she has been mislead. He has been unfaithful. She blacks out in rage.
She regains consciousness standing in her kitchen. On the countertop in front of her sits a hatchet, a steak knife, a butcher knife and some thin rope. The battle plan moves through her mind on repeat. It's so simple, it will stop all this hurting, and she will be the last one he is ever with. The time has come. She gathers her makeshift artillery, grabs her keys and heads for the door.
(The Fiance's House)
She pulls up in front of The Companion's house and seems more calm than she has been in months. Immediately she notices his car as well as The Companion's. She exits her car that she hastily parks across the street. She then makes her way to the backyard carrying her bag of enforcements. She already knows the backdoor is unlocked. It's never locked. She has been here many times before, this is all routine to her. All the lights are out but her mental map of the place kicks in and she is easily lead down the hall. She stops at the end, facing a closed door. She can hear them breathing. Heavily. They are asleep. Perfect. She quietly turns the knob and opens the door without making a sound.
(The Bedroom)
There they are, so peaceful and serene. Neither of them know she is there. They don't know that she even exists. The wine bottle still sits on the nightstand from their earlier celebration. They have no idea that for the last two months she has been his shadow. They haven't the slightest clue the hatred she has for the newly appointed Fiance. They don't know that the end is hovering over their peaceful bodies. For The Fiance the end is in the form of a hatchet.
She stands motionless on The Fiance's side holding the hatchet over her head with both hands. Her mind is flooded with scenes of them together. They are so happy, the happiness that she has been searching for this whole time. A happiness she can only share with him. (And that bitch has ruined my chances. For that she must pay!) She screams in her mind. She can bear this sorrow no longer. With that last thought she brings the hatchet down in one solid swipe. She uses all her strength. Blood sprays everywhere. The wall. The blankets. His face. Her face. All a bold shade of crimson.
He wakes up momentarily. His face covered with blood. He sees his soon to be assassin staring into his eyes. She grabs the empty wine bottle. ( It will all be over soon ) she thinks as his eyes cloud over with fear. She brings the bottle down under the force of her weight. It connects with the left side of his face. His vision fades to black.
(The Bathroom)
He is awaken by the scent of the melting wax. It takes a few seconds for him to collect his thoughts. His head is throbbing. The left side of his face is swollen. He is sitting down in his Fiance's bathtub with his hands tied behind his back. Rose petals are floating on top of the water and the edge is surrounded by burning candles. She is also sitting on the edge staring back at him in a way that makes him feel invisible.
He finally makes out her face, as his vision's corrects itself. She is a complete stranger, yet a weird feeling washes over him. He feels they have met each other previously. All of a sudden it comes to him. She is watching them in the mall. She is watching them eat. At the gym. The string of mental flashbacks is stopped as she places her hand on his cheek. She reveals the steak knife from behind her back. She leans toward him and kisses her forehead as she swiftly slices his throat. She gets up and wipes the blade on her blood soaked jeans. He lays in the crimson bathtub. The petals still afloat. His eyes are wide open. Motionless.
(The Bedroom Part II)
She exits the bathroom and back to the initial murder scene. The Fiance has been removed from the room. A dark red stain is left behind. Candles surround the bed. The only light in the room is the flickering of the candle lit alter.
Directly under the ceiling fan there is a butcher knife dangling from the rope she had brought. Around the handle there is a ten pound ankle weight thats taped around the rope. The rope leads up to the ceiling fan then back down to the bedpost where it's been tied up. It is now time for the pain and suffering to end. She unties the rope and lies down in the center of the bed. Perfectly alligned slightly three feet above her heart.
In her head she is back to the restaurant where the proposal took place. This time she is sitting across from him and he opens the black box revealing the engagement ring she had always wanted. He places it on her finger and she leans forward across the table to kiss his lips. With the lips' connection she releases the rope. Her eyes snap open. The butcher knife had gained momentum the entire way down until it slams past her breastplate into her heart. A smile forums as her eyes roll back in her head. She finally got what she wanted. Even if it all took place in her demented mind. She finally got his affection and his hand in marriage. She is safe now. From her fears, herself, and her obsession.
The End.