On the third day it took hold. I’m not saying the other days were peachy-keen, but day three fucked my ass with a razor blade. I stood at the mirror for hours, howling wordlessly, feeling the cold sting as my face melted off and my skin crawled with maggots. Cracked and failing, eventually my voice descended into gravel and my brain seemed to short-circuit.
I told him to lock me in, not to come in until I was done, but he couldn’t stand it, stupid, lovely man that he was. He came in, though I had begged him not to. He came in and I jumped him. And now the walls are painted with him, Jackson Pollock and intestines. But I can see myself in the mirror again, and I swivel and admire my returned beauty. Maybe next time. For now, I am young again, and the price doesn’t seem so high with the iron tang in my nostrils and my people calling me from the shadows.
It's been a month, I think. Maybe more. I missed it, I really did. Maybe the withdrawal was mine, rather than the woman's.
At first, I was bored with the idea of withdrawal; it seemed like it was too easy. And then she killed him. Horribly. I was kind of shocked. Lest you believe she's a vampire, remember that I don't write about vampires. Things with vampiric aspects, certainly, but not vampires. I've been quite firm on that.
While I may not have time to make any rounds, I'm putting my hat in this week because it's a good time. Flash Fiction Friday is worth the work and waiting.
11 comments:
Well done. I suspect that this will be a very unique take on this week's prompt.
-Jack
There's also the fact that vampires a) don't typically tear people apart, and b) don't produce reflections in mirrors. :) I think she's a werewolf, or something similar.
Thanks as always for playing along!
-- PB
@Blogger: You said that threaded comments are on now. Where are they?
@Jack and Jill: Great minds sometimes think alike, but in this case I don't think I'm a great mind, rather a slightly unhinged one. So hopefully no one is as unhinged as I am :)
@PB: Maybe a bit of column A, a bit of column B. The lack reflection in the mirror isn't something unique to vampires, nor are vampiric tendencies. And I'm thrilled as always to have had the opportunity to play along :)
Shocking...that it was...and yet, it drew me in, caught by her web of need.
it was so well executed (*grin*)
nilla
Hopefully this completes the withdrawal.... :-) And why is it that men can't follow the simplest of instructions?!?
Happy FFF!
@nilla: I really wasn't planning it that way. But coming from you, "well executed" is a compliment, even if it's a delightful pun as well :)
@Max: Because they never read the manual ;) Silly man.
I liked the Friday the 13th feel. It was my front row seat to a thriller.
Katia
I liked it. Didn't think it was a vampire though. More like an addict going cold turkey. Sat with a lover who did that once. He would have ripped off heads.
Glad to see you back.
Like a triple espresso, Lexi.
Hot and strong and eye-opening.
Ram
@Katia: The first five rows will get bloody ;)
@Word: I've always felt that too much is made of the romantic undead and not enough of the addicted undead. I know some people do it that way, but I've always thought of various undead creatures, not just vampires, as addicts in a way, even if all they're addicted to is unnatural life. Sorry you had to sit with a withdrawal-y though; that's not fun.
@Ram: I will take that compliment and hang it on my wall :)
Shapeshifter, alien, werewolf, girlfriend, they are all the same.
And he, the lovely man, too tenderhearted to obey a specific command, pays dearly for one he held too dear. Why can't men just learn to follow instructions?
Loved it.
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