The Taming of the Shrew

Blackout

*One Week Later*

Tom's POV

"FUCKING DICKNUTS." I hear Beth yell from the living room. I drop the toothbrush im holding as her voice echoes through the house abruptly. Rain is pelting down outside, lightning is flashing brightly in sudden sheets and the lights in our house have just gone out. Every single one. Enveloping us in a shroud of darkness. Shit. I open the bathroom door and walk out, looking over the bannister to the downstairs floor.

"What happened?" I ask curiously into the black. A faint silhouette comes into view from the living room, looking up at me, extremely pissed off.

"I was fucking writing and the fucking power cut out." She says frustratedly. Close my eyes and exhale, rubbing my eyes. I walk down the stairs toward her. A flash of lightning reflects through the windows. Beth exhales stressfully.

"Now what?" I ask defeatedly, looking up in the hope the lights night flick back on. Outside, you can see the rain falling into craters on the thick blanket of snow. I look over to see that Beth is doing the same as me.

"Candles?" She suggests. I nod and we split through the house looking for any form of candle to put in the living room. After a while of hunting for any spare candle we can find, (which is approximately 30), and setting them all down in the living room, Beth decides to light them all while i go and make coffee. Shit, the coffee machine is electric.

"Tom, you gotta see this." She calls. Oh god, what has she done? I walk back down the hall and into dim, flickering living room. Beth is glowing with candle light and strange amusement. I look at the floor. Oh for gods sake.

"What the hell is that?" I ask, closing my eyes and laughing. She chuckles and plonks down onto her ass on the floor. The christmas decorations are lifeless on the walls, including the huge christmas tree in the corner which should be flashing but isnt. Rain pelts against the window.

"A dick." She says. The candles have been arranged on the floor into a shape of a penis. Good job, Beth. I laugh and sit down with her. She cocks one eyebrow as she rearranges the candles into a large circle around us.

"Where's my coffee?" She asks. I sigh and shuffle so i sit closer to her. How do i explain this? A flash of lightning illuminates the walls.

"The coffee machine is electric." I say softly. She groans and puts her hands to her face, then roughly removes them. The light of one of the candles glints off of her engagement ring and catches my eye. I smile and glance back up at her dimly lit face. Her expressions seem softer in the gentle light of the candle. Even her hair seems a shade lighter.

"Well, anyway, what do you wanna do?" She says, changing the subject. I shrug and look around for something to do. Shit, there is absolutely nothing to do. There is a massive clap of thunder outside, causing us both to jump.

"The lights arent coming back on anytime soon, thats for sure." I say. She gets up and walks over to the fireplace, preparing to light a fire. I get an idea.

"I have an old ouija board in the attic." I say to her. The fireplace comes to life as she abruptly turns around. Shock has settled around her face.

"Dont ever fuck around with that shit. Goddamn it, Tom. Are you absolutely fucking clueless?" She says quickly as she plonks in front of me again. I laugh and shake my head, leaning forward and gently kissing her lips.

"I was joking, love." I say. She breathes out relieved and shivers a little. I cock one eyebrow.

"Why are you scared of ouija boards? Are you religious?" I ask. I cant believe ive never thought to ask my bloody fiancé if she's religious or not. She chuckles and looks down.