Magnolias For Magnolia - A Romantic Tragedy

III

   They trek over the leaves of grass and snow on the old grey and lifeless ground they stepped over. From a distance the lights of the city grew dimmer like the sun always did. The trees all leafless and lifeless and without any birds to hold. The path they walked on was only the size so a wagon could be wheeled down it on one way, and one so two horses would ride side by side. The two walk over the snow which was vast like the flowing pouring sea, and they roamed alone within the path that went from city to the small snowy cabins of the winter rawness, shadows of the two can be seen like tall stretched silhouettes on the névé which soon vanished into the dark when the sidewalk lights and lanterns had ceased to the road. And some could say the bushes were moving.

   One motel in the distance can be seen with neon lights and Christmas decor galore. The road broke off to three entrances to the old decorated place of temporary residence. Within under five minutes they already were checked in and given the silver key to the room.

   They went up the stone cold steps up the railings and across the hanging walkway to the room ten yards down. Beside the door was a pot of flowers, all withered and black. The pinewood door was lightly painted and Marry did not unlock the steel fastener to the knob. Here, she gave Ellis the key. 'You wait here and imma go get us some drinks at the station down the road.'

   'I want to come with you.'

   'Trust me ill be safe. Marry said.'

   'Well we need to make sure both of us are safe. May I just come with you?'

   'Sure. Can you hold the key, I ain't got any pockets tonight.'

   'I am good at losing things.'

   'So am I.' She smiled and walked over the pot of flowers lifting it up. 'It will be under here so neither of us have to worry about a stupid key.'

   They both then made their ways back to the fare, further down the road they walked were brightness had finally begun to show. The sweet southern sense of happiness was under the great stars of the stretching navy bliss. The nearby gas station stood with its flickering lights and the moths that gathered around those lights. They walked past the two lonesome gas pumps and Ellis chose to wait outside while Marry grabbed the drinks and cigarettes.

___________

   They walked back in the windless dark as Marry began to smoke a cigarette. They had both arrived back at the neon hotel of redness and loveliness. The time could be around midnight and the moon was shining pale. Back up the steps they walked. To the door within the ten yards they also sauntered quietly. 'The key is right here exactly where we left it.' Marry said to Ellis. 'People always check under the mat but not under flowers.'

   'Some hide in the dust, some hide in the flowers I guess.'

   Marry held the cigarette in her mouth as she unlocked the door to the dark lightless room. Ellis was the one who flicked the light switch revealing the small, yet lovely room. They both sat down on the bed, still smoking as Ellis attempted to open the beer bottles. 'You want a cigarette, El?'

   'No thank you. I smoke only when I am unhappy.'

   'I picked up smoking when I was younger, hoping it'll kill me.'

   'But you never died.'

   'Someday it will.'

   'Do cigarettes kill people, or the fire?'

   'Both.'

   'Why did you wish to die?'

   'The sin city ain't going to always be the best for your mental health.'

   'But you did leave.'

   'Leaving Las Vegas was probably the most liberating thing I have ever done. I remember when the bus dropped me off. I wandered through this one abandoned apple orchard for about an hour.'

   'An orchard?'

   'Yeah. An orchard. The trees laid all withered and dead, and I remember when the snow started fallin. Then I saw the dawn.'

   'Does the dawn you see always look like a dream?'

   'A true unfolding light I saw. Very much like a dream.'

   'When I saw it I thought I was falling.'

   'Did you end up falling?'

   'I never fell. All I know is I have never fallen down low enough, for I always have seen the dawn rising in the constellations.'

   'The dawn does set in the western place, have you fallen down looking at the dusk?'

   'I have fallen to darkness. My mother always told me the darkness lets you know that there is only a light you are walking away from.'

   'Marry then touched Ellis' face, Ellis leaned in and kissed her. You are my dream, Magnolia.'

   'You are my dawning dream, Ellis.'

   Ellis set down his drink and took his coat off. 'Does this place come with hangers to hang your jackets?'

   'Over there in the closet. There might be three.'

   Ellis walked over the soft carpeting and over to the closet with his jacket in his hands. He opened the door and in the dark shadows emerged Holten and Harry, both naked, gathered Ellis swiftly with his arms and against his terrible bloating flesh. Marry gazed at the two men who tore off Ellis' top and pummeled him down to the surface of the sheets where he screeched in horrible pain. Harry climbed on top of Ellis to sodomize him as Holten ran and tackled his sister down to the bed as well, tearing her into his giant arms rubbing his flesh against her body. He punched Marry down and kicked her as well, a cracking sound came from the rib cage. Soon enough the two were laying there, one of them dead.