The gold that was etched into her dress shimmered off of the dull light that encased Emily's bedroom. The dress she had gotten for this special occasion was now resting on the edge of her bed. The red and brown comforter made the dress pop. Two lamps rested on top of dark mahogany wood nightstands and the dresser in the corner showed its age. She had gotten it from her grandmother, a family treasure that was passed down from generation.
She never particularly liked the carpet that had come with the house. It was a dark brown and looked horrible with the bedroom. The draperies were a silver with little hints of red. She kept trying to get Edward to change it but he always told her if the carpet was still good, why replace it.
She was staring at the shoes she had picked out and the evening bag.
It was 6:45 and the party started at 7PM.
She contemplated going wondering if this was the guilt talking. Her two sons were in the TV room, watching cartoons. Her husband was in the study drinking whiskey. She paced the room back and forth, something in her gut was telling her not to go but she didn't want to disappoint the investors
Her husband was a banker who had been eyeing a big promotion. If she didn't go, he could lose it. They could lose everything. She sighed and picked out a pretty shawl. White with gold flakes. She placed in next to the dress—this'll do I suppose she thought to herself.
She slipped off the nightgown that she had been wearing and began putting the dress on. Zipped it up and placed her feet in the heels. She grabbed the shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders and put the lipstick tube into her handbag. The clasp on the handle made a clicking sound as it closed Walking to the bathroom she glanced in the mirror. Her light brown hair touched just above her slim shoulders. Her face was thin and eyes the color of blue with hints of brown in them. The pink lipstick she had chosen didn't really fit with the gold dress but it was all she had.
They had been struggling these last few months. Making ends meet somehow. Her husband was a banking investor who made decent money but a bad business deal went sour and then started the drinking. The gambling. Then all of their savings soon after.
She didn't know much about finances but knew that this wasn't good. Their house was at stake and she constantly felt the pressure whether or not to leave Edward. But the kids. What would everyone think? The neighbors? Her parents. His. She glanced over at the small clock that was tittering on the edge of the nightstand. 6:56. She didn't understand why she had to go and save their family. Why couldn't Edward do it.
Well, I guess I will be late after all she thought to herself. She took a look one last time at herself in the mirror. This is as good as it's going to get.
Emily glided down their spiraling staircase, her heels clicked against the wood floors with each descent. She called out for her husband. Her kids came rushing instead.
"Mommy! Do you have to go? Do you really?" they were pulling on her dress now. She knelt down and moved her hands over their hands and pulled them close.
"I love you boys but I have to go for your father." She kissed both of her children and said with a smile, "I'll be back no more then an hour."
The smell of cigarette smoke lingered in the air and she could hear Edward's radio blaring jazz in the nearby room. The dishes still weren't done, she thought as she bent down to kiss her kids one last time before saying goodbye to her husband.
"Edward?" she called out in a hesitant voice. She knew better not to disturb him when he was drinking. She knocked on the door quietly and walked in.
"Dear, I'm leaving now. Are you sure you don't want to go? It'll look bad if only I show up."
The swivel of his chair was the first thing she heard. His low voice almost a growl was the second sound that followed. He sloppily placed his glass on the desk and fumbled to stand up. He pointed a figure at Emily. She knew what was going to happen next.
He jolted toward her and a hand came down to her cheek. She could feel the burn of his palm as he slapped her as hard as he could. Tears began to form in her eyes and she struggled to maintain her focus. She knew if she showed weakness, the blows would be worse.
She pressed a hand to her face, clutching where the pain was starting to build. Edward looked at her with stone cold eyes.
"You know better to not disturb me when I am working. Dear." He said in a mocking tone. "And another thing, you are going to that party alone. No way in gods earth am I going. It's not my job, it's yours. This is all you've wanted and you've got it baby. Now, make it work."
And with that, he grabbed the glass that had been resting on the edge of the desk and gulped down its contents. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and waved a hand in the air. The same hand that had tested her face just moments ago. She couldn't even look at him anymore. There was nothing she could have done that would have prepared her for what happened next.
"I want a divorce"
The words seemed to echo in the silence like a defining blow to her face again. This time on the left instead of the right. Edward picked up the bottle of whiskey and poured it again into the glass. He took a swig from the bottle and slouched down in his chair. Slamming the whiskey on the desk in the process.
"You're the problem you know. I've provided everything to you!" His voice is raised now, yelling. Emily begins to quiver, unsure of what to do next.
She hesitates before speaking again. "We can't do that. What would everyone think? What would happen to our kids?"
He gets up from the chair and throws the glass across the room. "I don't care about our kids or what everyone else thinks. You're being selfish right now you know."
He lunges at her with fists. She closes her eyes, unable to move. Too stunned to speak. He is yelling now. His eyes piercing her, full of fury. She takes a step back and glances at the clock on the end table.
8:10.
"I have to go. I'm already late..."
Her words mean nothing as he grips her wrist even more. She has to get out of here. She pushes him with all her might into the front of the desk and grabs the letter opener.
She stabs him once, twice, three times...
Blood is pouring out now. He cries out in pain, clutches the wound that now is on his neck. She makes a run for it. Not caring if he dies, not caring if he is in pain.
She has been in pain for years. Now it's his turn.
His cries haunt her as she quietly closes the door and props a chair up against the handle.
"Mommy"
She hears it from behind her.
Quickly, she turns around to see Jacob standing there in pajamas with his teddy bear.
"What are you doing? Where's daddy?" His little voice shook her to her core.
"Honey, your father is resting. Do you want to go in an adventure?"
He suddenly breaks into a smile, "Yeah!" he now is clutching his bear even tighter.
"Okay! Grab your things and go get your brother. We are going to grandmas."
There was a pause, "For how long?"
"I'm not sure. Just enough so that you get to spend extra time with grandma."
Jacob's silence lasted longer then Emily wanted.
"Okay, I guess..."
"It's a race though so we gotta hurry. First one to the car is a rotten egg!"
Jacob turns around so fast he almost looks invisible. His little footsteps can be heard pounding up the stairs.
Emily quickly grabs her purse and the keys to the Chevy. Her hands are shaking so badly she can barely keep hold of them.
8:35.
Suddenly, hands are at her throat and she can barely breathe. Something hard is pressed against her back and she is afraid to what out what.
"You are going to go upstairs get our boys and leave without them. You are going to disappear and I will tell them that you died tragically in an accident. Their poor mother."
His hot breath was against the back of her neck and she struggled to maintain focus. She struggled to remain calm. She struggled to breathe.
There was a slow fire growing, almost beckoning her to gather strength. Then, a pause and a sudden burst of energy--a will to live.
She whirled around to face her husband and the gun that had been positioned into her spine. She grabbed the nozzle and it fired. Once. Striking her in her hand. She didn't care. She wrestled the gun away from him but he managed to get it first.
Then he disappeared. Right into thin air. The gun fell on the hardwood floor, making a sudden clank as it hit the ground. Blood was starting to pool everywhere and she began to realize how much pain she was actually in. She cried out in agony, clutching the wound as red painted her other hand. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed the dishtowel. Emily wrapped it around her hand and tied it with her teeth.
She began to panic. The boys...
Where did Edward go?
She dashed to the bottom of the stairs and yelled out, "Almost done?" Her voice cracking slightly in the process. There was silence so loud she swore she heard talking. Then all of a sudden she heard, "No! Stop!" It was Jacob.
She listened again, this time hearing muffling sounds. Then a gunshot.
No
She glanced down at the spot where the gun had fired. It was gone. Impossible.
She darted up the stairs and found her son with the gun, pointing it at Edward who now was laying motionless on the floor. Her mind unable to process what had just happened. Was she going crazy? How did Edward or the gun end up over here? She couldn't think about that now. She had to leave. Now.
"Daddy tried killing me..." He whispered so low she had to strain to hear it.
Tears started to form in her eyes and they stung. She dropped to her knees and stuck her good hand out. Jacob glanced at her other hand, now wrapped in the dishtowel with dried blood. "Mommy, wh--what happened?" His eyes got wide and tears ran down his cheeks. He was so pale. His face white.
"Mommy's okay, honey. Mommy's okay." She kept repeating the words and holding her son. Cradling him in her arms. She wiped his tears away and kissed him on his head.
"I love you, baby. We gotta get your brother. Where is he?" She whispered, almost afraid tp speak out loud to wake her husband up. She glanced down at the gun then at her son.
He placed the gun in her hand, disgusted with herself that she even had to touch it.
This killed my husband. This was going to kill my son.
Blood was everywhere and started to pour down at the top of the staircase. It almost looked like someone had painted it on the wood.
"In the other room." Jacob said quietly, still whimpering.
"Okay, Mommy's going to be right back, okay? Don't move. Don't you move."
Emily got up slowly and dusted herself off. The shawl had fallen now, somewhere behind her. She quickened her pace and leapt into William's room.
"William!" She shrieked now her voice beginning to panic. "Where are you? We have to go."
She heard faint whimpering from the closet and flung the doors open.
There was her other son, cowering in the corner unable to move.
She picked him up and held him close. His whimpering turned into sobs and she rocked him and grabbed whatever she could from their dresser.
"Come on, baby. We have to go. We're going to grandmas now!" She tried to change her tone.
Stuffing their clothes into the luggage she braced herself again to see her dead husband.
Emily shielded William from the image, putting her hand over his face and she hurriedly took Jacob's hand. They raced down the stairs and out the house.
Into the car, the engine roared to life.
She backed up slowly, thoughts racing through her head now.
She barreled down the street and made a left to the brown house all the way at the end.
Flinging the gear shift in park, she got out and grabbed her kids. Jacob was covered in his fathers blood.
She wiped the tears away and knocked on her mothers door. The shaking began and she tried to compose herself.
The door opened.
"Wh--what are you doing here?" Why are you....oh my god!"
"Ma, I don't have time to explain this. Edward he--Jacob shot him--I--"
All of a sudden a piercing white light shot out from the sky and encased Emily. She was warm now, the coldness gone from her core.
She felt herself lift up in the air, screaming for someone to help.
Her kids were crying now begging for their mother to stay.
There was nothing Emily could do. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, the white light forced itself on her even tighter.
There was a blink and she was suddenly at the party. The tears still visible as they rolled down her cheeks.
Her gold shawl wrapped around her shoulders.
Jazz music played as the band carried into their next song. The banquet hall was full of lights and red carpets. The band tucked away in the corner as servers bustled around the party goers, trying to become invisible.
The men were dressed in suits with bowties, their hair slicked back.
The women in long sparkly dresses, makeup done hair in up-dos. Curled at the back, some long.
She looked down at her hands, no blood.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Could you please tell me the time?"
The gentleman pulled out his pocket-watch and opened it.
"7:48PM, madam."
Emily swallowed hard.
"Thank you."
She moved as quickly as she possibly could, trying to avoid bumping into anyone
A server walked passed her and she tapped them on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, where are your ladies restrooms?"
He gave her a blank stare, "down the hall on the left."
"Thank you"
She walked as briskly as she could and quickly opened the door.
Her makeup was running, lipstick smudged. She snatched a cloth from the metal stand and dabbed at her lips.
I was just there. Just five minutes ago. I don't understand. Was that a dream? Am I dead?
There was a noise that came from the bathroom and the handle turned.
"Someone's in here!" Emily yelled through a cracked voice.
The knob turned away to reveal a gentleman dressed in blue with a fedora on.
He was handsome, Emily noticed that right away.
But his eyes...they were...yellow.
Tall and thin with a trimmed beard. Slender build with a sharp smile and squinted eyes that had wrinkles in the corners of them. A faint tan to his skin with a pressed shirt on over the suit.
"Emily! So glad you could make it to my party." He said excitedly.
She looked at him wearily, "how do you know my name?"
He smiled which showed the gold tooth, "Yes...how did I know your name? You've done a very bad thing, Emily. Your husband is dead."
She backed away against the wall of the bathroom. Her heart now pounding.
"How--how do you know that?"
"Well, to be quite frank with you, I have been watching you for quite some time now. It looks like you were planning on poisoning your husband, Edward. It seems as though your son already took care of that murder for you." He laughed. "It's almost quite amusing, actually. Since my job profession doesn't accept children, I had to make do with you."
Her eyes got wide. "Children?"
He slowly approached her, his eyes now a faint glow against the dimly lit bathroom. The tile even a paler white now.
"Yes, Emily. Your children. William and Jacob. I didn't think Jacob had it in him. But your husband was quite the gentleman wasn't he?" He grinned as he spoke.
Emily too stunned to speak just sat there, motionless.
Finally words seemed to escape her, "How do you know my—"
"Husband? Yes well Edward was a interesting character that we thought would make a wonderful edition to your life. But it was only him that chose to end it."
"I don't understand...why—how...."
"The why and the how are not important. What you need to know is this. You will stay here in this manor with all these people for eternity. You will not leave and if you do, your children will die. You should be grateful. I saved you from a life spent in prison."
Emily could feel her face get hot and her heart start to accelerate. She clenched her fists at her sides.
"How dare you threaten my children! How dare you."
The man strode in front of the mirror adjusting his hat.
"Yes how dare I. How dare I save you from prison from judgement. From your children growing up without a mother."
She lunged for him now. Hands pounding on him, punching with every she had.
He held a hand up with his white glove exposed now. Suddenly she stopped moving and was being brought into the air. Suspended.
"You will do as I say. Simply as that. All this aggression is not necessary Emily. Trust the process and the process will trust you."
He paused.
"I know you must have so many questions. And your answers will be sent to you. But for now I will go. Enjoy this party. It'll be the same tomorrow and the next day, and the next day after that." He laughed, "and by the way, make sure to try the shrimp cocktail. It is divine."
Just as he appeared from thin air, he was gone. She was back on the ground. Unable to steady herself, thoughts swirled around her mind.
She never got his name though she would certainly never forget his face.