I could forgive you anything

Indie Ink Challenge Aug 8 - Aug 12 2011

Prompt: I Could Forgive You Anything

She could tell that morning had at last arrived, the first rays of sunlight fighting their way through her melodramatic curtains stubbornly dressed with decadent darkness, just barely saving her from the hollow of her room. Each uninvited ray flirting with disinterested tiles, illuminating the thin spread of dust on the floor but never daring to touch her.

Laura thought that these rays were quite like that friend, the one we all have, the one who'd never leave you alone, who always thought you needed company, who always thought their presence was appreciated and eagerly awaited, bringing joy and goodness and brightness and fairytales to all around like the little ray of sunshine that she imposed on all who knew darkness.

It had now been a week since she'd left the house. She'd stopped answering calls, stopped checking her mailbox, stopped going online, stopped checking her phone. The only one who really wanted her company, she'd convinced herself, was dear old Madam Ray, that great big oaf in the sky who so brazenly barged her way in each morning. She always came too soon.

Her reflection in the mirror pleased her, this was enough for now. It was only a matter of time before the others came for her. She must look her best.

Crawling back into bed, she'd felt better than she had in days. Her senses were heightened; she could see more clearly than ever before, taste his kisses, smell his devotion to this affair in the air. He hadn't been very much fun lately, but she kept him around for conversational reasons. He'd always said she'd talked too much, and that he'd, she'd, shut her up one day. For good.

Her fingertips traced his pretty little eyelids, they were now slightly open, gazing softly at her, mouth slightly open now. She imagined he must be thinking how beautiful she was; he had to be. It upset her that she could hardly recognise him anymore. He didn't say anything, as if he'd given up on her, too.

A wail broke through the sweet morning silence. The one she'd been waiting for. The one that would promise her it was over. She rolled over and wrapped herself in his arms so cold, so slowly fading away. She'd gotten used to the pain of bruises and broken bones whenever she moved -- she'd made herself do it. Laura wouldn't cry for anyone. She wouldn't let him see her cry, even if he wasn't around to see it. He was always watching.

Eyes burning with all she had left in her, she stared him down and a dangerous smile began to play on her lips. She was excited. Too excited. The sirens grew louder, closer, and she wrapped his hardened arms around her; she felt herself disappear as she looked into his eyes for the last time and headfirst she fell, and fell, and fell, just like Alice, into the nothingness that had once been to her his soul. Free, she finally felt like she belonged to herself. Free at last, like she hadn't been for a long time.

"I said I could forgive you anything," she said, hoping he could hear how much she meant it, and she really did. And then leaning over and kissing his gentle, quickly hollowing cheek, with her arm still swollen from that last hit, the most brutal one of all, she laid her hand softly on his heart that hadn't spoken in a week, warmly reassuring him and his arriving audience of her devotion.

"But I never said I'd forget."

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Challenger Blog: http://widelyunread.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @WidelyUnread

Challengee: http://cedarsspot.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @cedarlili

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