Death Unites
Claire stood looking at her reflection in the mirror. She was getting ready for the party. She liked what she saw. She was very pretty, with her long dark hair and short but well-proportioned body. Her brown eyes were deep wells of passion. Her life was just beginning. She was fifteen.
The phone rang. Claire lifted up the receiver. It was her boyfriend.
"Claire, is that you?" he asked in a lively manner.
"Hi," said Claire and smiled. "How are you?"
"Fine. But we cannot go out tonight," there was pity in his voice, "I've got a hell of a lot of work to do."
"But Andrew, you promised!" She was getting ready all the evening long, and he says he cannot go out - which means of course that she must stay at home, too!
"Yes, honey, I did... I had no idea... I'm sorry, I'll call you again in about two hours." Andrew put down the receiver.
Claire stood listening to the beep in the receiver. Then she went shuffled back to her room. She was upset. She was looking forward to visiting that party. The birthday party of her best friend!
The phone rang again.
"Hi!" It was Helen, that very girl. She was all in high spirits. "Claire, what's the matter with you? Come at once, I need your help!"
"Five seconds!" answered Claire cheerfully. She didn't worry any longer. She was necessary there.
Helen lived not far from Claire's own house, so maybe not in five seconds, but in five minutes' time she was there, helping the hostess.
In an hour or so came the guests, and the party began.
In an hour more the phone rang in Claire's empty flat, but there was none to pick it up...
Everything ends, and the party also ended, very well past midnight. Andrew was waiting for Claire in the street. They walked in silence till he said:
"You went there."
"Why should I stay at home? I was waiting for this day, you promised you would come, and now it turns out that I shouldn't have gone, also?"
"You know that I don't like it." - He stopped and squeezed her hand.
"Go to hell! I'm sick and tired of being your property! Leave me alone!" - She recoiled from him. "Leave me alone!"
She ran away. He went home. Thoughts were wiggling in his mind...
How can this silly bitch contradict him? She probably had somebody else beside him. So young, so active. All these parties without him... This little test of his was not in vain.
Claire opened the door carefully in order not to wake her parents. She knew that her mom would wait for her, but she didn't feel like talking to her. Tears were rolling down from her eyes. She locked the door of her room and got in bed. Her cat jumped into the bed, also, and began purring. Claire hugged its small body and fell asleep.
She met Andrew fairly long ago. She liked the thought that he liked her, although she was three years younger. He could spend time with girls of his age, but he had chosen her. He met her after classes, he bought flowers and a lot of other presents for her. But she was his property. He always wanted her to obey. At first Claire didn't pay attention to it, she was blinded by her love, she thought he would get the moon and all the stars for her... But sooner or later she realized that she was only an object for him. A thing to shower with gifts, and a thing to make do whatever he wanted. She began crying again. No one ever treated her this way! But her life is just beginning...
***
The sunbeam froze in the glass of the lamp. Claire was staring at it for quite a time. It was quiet in the flat. "I wonder what the time is," she thought. She didn't want to turn her head to look at the clock, it was better just to be lying like that, thinking about nothing and looking at the light.
Claire. That's her name. She compared herself to the sunbeam. Time to get up...
Claire took off her dress - she hadn't taken it off before going to bed last night. It was very untidy now, but she didn't care much about it. She went to the bathroom. Under the drops of water she came back to life. Life went on. Well, she had to have one last conversation with Andrew, but she couldn't postpone it. And then there would be new life. Claire reached out and took the towel. New life... It wasn't very clear, but it was undoubtedly very nice. Claire even smiled.
But her heart was empty...
***
There was nothing interesting on the TV, so Claire took the book she had been reading during the latest week. The novel was rather dull, the characters did nothing but quarreled and sometimes fought with each other and sometimes even swore. Claire wondered how she could read such nonsense. She put the book aside. There was absolutely nothing to do.
***
"So what shall we do?" Andrew looked at her. Claire didn't say anything. They were slowly walking along the path in the forest, but they no longer held each other's hand like they used to. Andrew felt he was losing her, slowly but inevitably. The very thought of it exasperated him to madness.
He looked aside, at the trees growing on both sides of the path. They often went for a walk in that forest... Claire was silent. Among the trees, he saw the shining water of the lake. They turned there and slowly went by the waterline.
The wind was playing with Claire's hair. The water was very clear. Andrew looked at Claire, walking in front of him, and stopped. His hand quietly slipped into his pocket and took out a gun. Andrew had no idea he'd have to use it some day... He had to revenge. What? He didn't know that, and he didn't want to think about it. "To hell!" he thought, and slowly raised the gun. His hand wasn't trembling, he was surprised at that: he didn't feel anything, not a slightest emotion before killing a man? Well, not a man, of course, just a silly bitch, but still... Andrew looked at Claire. "Turn around, I want to see fear in your eyes," was beating in his head. "I want you to crawl on the floor for me!" Claire stopped, noticing he no longer followed her. She turned around. The gun in his hand and the anger in his eyes didn't surprise her - she simply didn't believe it was true. And she never believed he would shoot - he, the one whom she loved so much!
"Andy? What's that?" she asked slowly as she grew very pale.
He saw surprise on her face turn to fear. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say, words were stuck in his throat. Andrew shot. Claire screamed, made a step forward and fell on the ground. She didn't move anymore. He stood near her dead body. He suddenly felt very scared. She didn't crawl on the floor for him... She didn't pray for him to let her live... All his life seemed to him useless and dull. He raised the gun to his head to commit suicide, but he remembered he had only one bullet. Then he threw the gun in the lake. After that, he slowly turned around and went home.
Original Author: Slayer 1999.