corpse bride ;; gender swap

chapter 8

i quickly step in front of the window, so victor won't see the tall man, he looks alarmed and then asks me ''anna, what's wrong?'' i shake my head and hastily say ''i seem to find myself married.. and you should know it's unexpected!'' i watch emile heave the rest of himself over the edge of the balcony, losing a leg in the process. i gasp as he grabs the leg to reattach it -- distracted with fixing his leg back on, doesn't notice victor.

i hear emile merrily say ''oh dear, and i did so want to make a good impression! i couldn't wait, darling, i wanted to meet...'' now he sees victor, and freezes. both men stare at each other.. emile puzzled, goes up to me, putting a possessive arm around my waist, tightly. ''darling? who is this?'' i squirm from his tight grip, trying to struggle free. as his hand rests on my stomach, victor sees the ring.

victor looks stunned and practically yells ''anna! who... what is this?'' i desperately say to him''victor! wait, you don't understand.. i can assure you it's not what you think, he's dead! look!'' in the heat of the moment i break free, i then grab emile's bony arm, flapping it for emphasis. victor screams.

emile's furious and grabs both my wrists and pulls me into him and with intense eye contact he asks ''who is he!?'' i try to struggle free as i thrash around i say ''victor van dort! the man i'm supposed to marry!'' suddenly there's a pounding on the bedroom door ;; i hear nell behind the door screaming behind the door ''victor! what's going on in there! open this door at once! william, get the key!''

emile yells down at me with his eyebrows knitted together with pure fury and heartbreak ''you tricked me anna!'' he then proceeds to grab me tightly around the chest -- refusing to let go, he booms ''hopscotch!'' i look at him with a confused look on my face and i ask ''what? why on earth would you say that emile?'' then the realisation floods over my being 'he's trying to send us back to the land of the dead!'  i yell ''no! wait! please emile!'' suddenly, emile and i begin to fade, i yell out to victor ''victor, you have to help me!'' i reach out to him, our fingers nearly touch, before we completely disappear.

elder's study (land of the dead) - twilight ;;

elder gutknecht sits at his desk when suddenly emile and i awaken on the floor. he pushes himself up and yells at me as i swiftly get up ''you lied to me! just to get back to that other man'' i stand there, guilty as charged. i miserably say ''don't you understand emile? you are the other man..'' i see his facial expression change to more hurt than furious now ''no! you're married to me! he's the other man!''  i see tears fall down his face, the sight tugs at my heartstrings, unsure of what to do, i turn to the elder for support, he shrugs his shoulders ''he's got a point..'' i look back to emile and sobs while he talks ''oh, and i thought... i thought this was all going so well...'' then suddenly his eye plops out with the force of his weeping, i scramble to pick it up and carefully hand it back to him, i take a sharp breath and say to him ''look emile, i'm sorry but... this just can't work'' i watch him put his eye back in, then asks self consciously ''why not? it's my eye, isn't it?'' i shake my head and put my hands up then say ''no... your eye is fine'' emile stands there blinking then says ''..really?'' i nod then say ''yes, listen, under different circumstances, well, who knows.. but, we're just too different.. well, i mean, you're dead..'' he sobs again ''you should have thought about that before you asked me to marry you!'' i shake my head and yell in fury ''why can't you understand? it was a mistake! i would never marry you emile!'' the words sting, emile dejectedly lowers his head, he turns and walks out of the elder's study, leaving me standing there, feeling like a heel.

pub (land of the dead) - twilight ;;

a little while later i walk towards the pub entrance, holding the dried bouquet, two skeletons push past me, carrying a table. i enter, i see that most of the tables have been moved outside for the wedding feast, it's quiet and still, "closing time" vibe. the place is empty except for a skeleton who sweeps the floor, and mrs plum, who pushes a cart of dirty dishes into the kitchen, i move my gaze up on the stage, emile sits, plinking sadly on the old piano. i walk up to him and hold out the decayed flowered to him and say ''i... i think you dropped this emile..'' without looking up he takes the flowers. i take a sharp breath and say ''i'm sorry emile, i'm sorry i lied to you about wanting to see my parents... truth is, i'm happier not to see them at all'' he doesn't respond, then the maggot pops out of his ear and lectures me ''oh, save it for the living boys anna, i think you've said quiet enough already'' i feel warm tears filling my eyes at his harsh words, i feel tremendously guilty already. then to add insult to injury, the black widow emerges. they perch on his shoulders, one on either side.. my voice cracks as i try to explain myself ''i never meant to...'' the black widow then yells ''i've had dozens of husbands, and none of them were as heartless as you, you should be ashamed!''

'oh lord..' i lower my head in shame