The door was closed. She even locked it after she came in. I cannot tell you when I first realized she was there, standing silent and dormant. Though her face appeared tranquil I could tell there was something dour behind her eyes. Her lingering silence was becoming almost distressing. Something was going on in her mind, something that was trying to mold bleak expressions into her features, though she refused to let it. I was terrified of what she was going to say to me, but her silence was worse, forcing me to create scenarios in my head. Perhaps what she was thinking was only half as bad as what I was fearing. Or perhaps I had no idea of how irritated she may be. Perhaps…perhaps I was mad the entire time, perhaps I had only imagined it all.
“Why did you come?”
Soft words. No anger, no fear. Slow, almost kind sounding words. I was taken off guard, unsure how to respond.
“I don’t know.”
She sighed and lowered her head, her soft hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
“I don’t need this Zane,” she said sadly, “Not from you.”
“Not from me?” I asked, “Don’t say that Mona, I know you.”
“You don’t know me Zane, you never have.”
I didn’t respond. I tried to grasp her arm but she pulled away harshly.
She stormed out. I watched as she walked away, concentrating on the movement of her auburn hair. I knew she’d be back, she always came back. She was meant to be mine the very second I decided it, the very second I saw her face in that little bookstore across the street. Her sweet, beautiful face with the large round eyes and pale, untainted skin, she was perfect. I wanted her to be mine.
I waited all night, until the clock began taunting me. 4:42, 4:43, 4:44. Before I knew it, it was six o clock in the morning and I was still awake, sitting in the rocking chair by the window watching the sun come up, waiting for her to come back. She didn’t come back though. Not that day and not the next. I thought about going back to her work again but didn’t want to make her angry. She seemed afraid of me. Oh if she only knew how much I loved her. I was going to make her immortal, just like all the others.
I tried to clear my mind of Mona, just for one day and brought myself to the top floor of my home to visit my beautiful Jessica. She was my first love. I stared at her as she stood by her nightstand. Her face was just as perfect and ageless as it was the day I met her all those years ago. She wouldn’t look at me—she never looked at me. She just stood there.
“Ah,” I whispered, running my hands through her dark hair, “I’ve missed you my love.”
I fingered the yellowed lace at the cuff of her white dress, “Your dress is getting tarnished darling. May I suggest a new one?”
She didn’t answer—she never answered.
I fumbled through her closet and found a red silk gown that would bell out at the base of her feet and highlight the auburn shine in her eyes. Perfect. I unzipped the white dress slowly, admiring the feel of my flesh against hers as the fabric slipped down around her ankles. She didn’t move to help me but nor to stop me. I tossed the dress in a heap beside the door and stared at her for a moment. I felt ashamed staring at her in all her beauty that way. I left the lace underwear on; I couldn’t bring myself to remove it. I wanted her to feel comfortable of course. I dressed her in the beautiful red gown that made her look like a porcelain doll. She even let me brush her long ebony hair. I kissed her check softly and went to my room to sleep. I hoped she would come into my room that night like she used to, but she didn’t. She never came to me anymore. I slept soundly but I didn’t dream about Mona or Jessica, I dreamed of Caroline. Oh my sweet Caroline, I’m sure she missed me. I awoke early in the morning, burning to see my little blonde angel. I walked the hall passed Jessica’s room, not wanting to wake her of course and brought myself to Caroline’s. Her walls were blue, just like her eyes. I knew she loved it. I saw she was already awake, sitting in a wooden chair beside her bed.
