The Spellbound Myth

1. A New Life, A Better Life?

Gabe Ugliano was not known for being a reasonable man.

To his friends, he was uncompromisingly incessant, and held an authoritarian role over any activity, mainly their poker games, they so regularly held.

To his employees, he was uncompromisingly stingy, never once dishing out extra holidays, or bonuses, and demanded unreasonable hours for unreasonable, yet still legal, pay.

To his neighbours, he was uncompromisingly aggrieved, and would take the slightest infraction on anything as a personal attack, refusing to settle any disputes without police intervention.

And to his family, he was just, uncompromising. His wife and stepson were nothing but mere servants, receiving payment in the form of the occasional backhander, and no, we're not talking about politics. They were kept locked under strict draconian rules, in spartan conditions.

Which is why to say Sally was shocked when he agreed to leave the house for the weekend, so that she and Percy could spend his birthday by themselves, was an understatement. Normally for his birthday, Sally managed to get half an hour, and one blue cupcake, to wish him happy birthday.

Many thoughts ran through her mind, wondering why this heartless man suddenly found himself with enough to change it.

She didn't dare ask. No asking, no risking, a motto she acclimatised herself to long ago, a tingle fluttering across her cheek in reminder.

Of course she didn't know that Gabe had already made plans with his lackeys to leave town, and only saw this as an opportunity to try a new form of gaining obedience from the woman who constantly rebels, but never leaves.

So when the time arouse, Sally waited with bated breath, wondering whether or not Gabe was true to his word, for once.

When she woke up, she looked to the other side of the bed, hoping that she wouldn't spy Gabe's very unflattering form next to her.

When she confirmed he wasn't, she began to get a feeling of happiness run through her chest. Happiness because she got to spend the day with Percy, and no Gabe, but also another kind of happiness. She couldn't place it. It felt like a feeling of relief, but not an immediate relief like she usually got when Gabe has left, as though some time soon she's going to be content once again.

Still, she didn't get her hopes up too high, there was many a night (which were more often than not), that Gabe would simply pass out on the couch as his dizzying mind couldn't think straight enough to control his feet to lift his immense weight to walk him to the bedroom.

She quietened her breathing, realising that her breathes were quickly getting louder in a form of elation which left her feeling breathless. She strained her ears to hear a glimpse of the usual snore that she always heard, signifying her husband was asleep.

Yet she couldn't hear anything.

She wrapped a nightgown around her pyjamas, and had a look throughout the apartment, just to make sure.

She had to make sure.

She knew that if Gabe was somewhere in her home, then all thoughts of birthday celebrations went out the proverbial window.

Gabe hated birthdays.

Sally didn't understand why, but yet again, she didn't dare question it, for fear of what the maniac she married would do in retaliation.