Mikhail

18

I watched her sleep. It'd been hours and night had already arrived to shoo the day away.

Her chest rose and fell evenly and I tried hard not to take my imagination beyond what her dress revealed. There was no doubt she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

Suddenly, her face began contorting in anguish and her body moved uneasily. I ran to her side just as she jolted awake. She looked terrified and was breathing heavily.

I didn't hesitate to pull her in a hug. “Calm down it was only a nightmare.”

She pulled back and looked into my eyes with her teary ones. “That woman... They killed her. They killed her because she was trying to save me.”

I nodded, gritting my teeth at the memory of her bloodied, lifeless body. “It's okay.”

“No it isn't. It's all my fault. It's my fault your girlfriend was killed. Why did you even come to help me?”

“Helena wasn't my girlfriend. She was just a friend. And it isn't your fault. If anything, it's mine.” I stroked her face gently. “Okay? Do not blame yourself. Now here, I prepared a little something."

I pointed at the plate of pancakes accompanied by a jar of honey. Monthse looked at it without much enthusiasm.

*-*-*-*

“I'm sorry, Helena.” I whispered, spreading the last bit of sand on the grave I'd just covered in my backyard.

As much as I wanted to give her a proper burial and all, I knew I couldn't do that without the police getting involved. Even though I wasn't her murderer, I could still be arrested as a suspect because she died in my house.

It would only get worse if investigations were carried out because the police could find out that I'd killed the people who murdered her.

The last thing I wanted was to spend time away from Montse. It was only good for me that Helena had no family and I wouldn't have to lie to anyone.

I went back into the house to clean up the mess and the blood. I couldn't help the reality that Helena had died to protect Montse. Damn it, if I could bring those bastards back from the dead, I would, then kill them all over again.

After I was done cleaning up the house and taking a shower, I gathered some of Montse's clothes and mine and drove into town to buy the groceries I'd told her I was going to buy. Then I drove back to the chalet.

I knew that Montse now knew or at least thought that she wasn't in any kind of danger.

I just wanted to spend a few more days with her before she finally decided whether she wanted me in her life now that she didn't need my protection anymore.

It was night now, and the stars helped the crescent to light up the earth. Entering the chalet while balancing the bags of groceries and our clothes, I walked towards the living room, expecting to find Montse huddled on the couch and watching TV.

The TV was on alright, but there was no Montse. My stomach clenched. I took the stairs up to her room, willing myself some calm. She wasn't there either, and the shower from her bathroom wasn't running.

I came back downstairs. Perhaps she'd gone to the kitchen to get a glass of water. When I entered the kitchen and she wasn't there, I raked a hand through my hair. Now I was really freaking out.

Then I heard faint sounds of water splashing. It was coming from the lake outside beyond the kitchen. Using the kitchen's backdoor, I couldn't have gotten there faster.