Misconceptions : Gothic Short Story

Part 5

I relax at my desk and savor the victory. But I start to wonder how I could have dragged that out longer.  It almost seemed that I was too hasty. Shouldn’t I have enjoyed his defeat a bit more? No. no… The timing was perfect, his terror so satisfying, and of course I did have to make that 3:00 meeting… Yes, all in all I am happy with the results of Friday.

Knock, Knock, Knock

“Come in” I say and wonder who is knocking on my door at this late hour.

“It’s Arabella Mr. Morder,” she opens the door and steps in, her eyes bloodshot and red,” I needed to ask you about a few days off.”

‘What for, is everything alright?”

 “ N—…” she sucks in a breath, her eyes conveying that she was unsure if she truly wants to share.

“Arabella,” I say using her first name,” you know you can tell me anything, I’d like to think that everyone of my employees can share their problems with me.” 

Arabella looks down and sobs” I haven’t seen John since Friday morning and no one knows where he’s gone. I think perhaps something bad has happened to him.”

“Oh, you poor thing, having to deal with this, well we mustn’t assume the worst,” I say to her as I walk towards her and pat her on the shoulder. 

“Not only that, something seems to have died in my house and I have to dish out all this money to have animal control come and check it out,” she continues.  

Hmm, this chance to dispose of the body properly is too perfect to pass up.

“You shouldn’t have to do that with this worry your experiencing, you should let me help.”

Arabella's head immediately raises, ”Sir, I can’t let you do that, I’ve already gone on and on, really.”

“I will not take no for an answer.  If there is a friend in need then I must meet that need.  We’ll get to it tonight!  How’s that for you?” I persist.

“Um, okay, but...uh… You, know what? You’ve been so understanding.  Why not?” she smiles hesitantly for the first time since stepping into my office. As she walks sadly out of the room, I cannot help but think how everything has gone to plan, how extremely fortunate I have been. And Arabella’s tears for that cretin are nothing that will not pass soon enough. Can the hours of the day not go faster, for it seems I will burst.

The clock ticks off the seconds in slow succession, mocking my obvious impatience. It feels as if the appointed time will never arrive. Does time itself not realize the degree of urgency in which I must dispose of the body before she finds it, or maybe it does know. Maybe it mocks me out of insolence...

Whatever the reason, it is finally time to go, time to wrap up what should have already been done. A few steps away from the door, I pause a bit, and walk back to my mahogany desk and pull open the drawer. That drawer.

My black bag is nestled within like an coiled snake that whispers beguiling doubts …What if all goes wrong? What if I do not succeed? But it is Arabella I am talking about… sweet, beautiful, gentle Arabella.  She would love me whichever way the winds of fate blew. I could never hurt her, not the love of my life…the thought should never have taken root in my mind. Yet, uncertainty convinces me to grab it.