His Beloved

“Yes,” he said to himself, “I am a clever one. None know, and those who suspect shall die.” He closed his eyes and thought of his Jessie. Beautiful, shining Jessie, with her straight blond hair always flowing, flying in the wind and her soft blue eyes dancing.

Erich was a large man, muscular and mysterious. His ever-calm blue eyes were startling, for they were the only part of his face that was revealed. He never removed his dark coverings, and none knew his true appearance. He was rumored to be the famous pirate Dark Storm, yet none could be certain. Erich always wore black clothing and dark knee-high boots. His hands were concealed by gloves, and his face and hair were disguised by silk scarves, all of them dark in color. His deep blue eyes shone through, the only light in a black night, seeming to peer into the very soul of his victim.

He missed his beloved Jessie with deep longing, so he chose to visit her once more, before it was too late. Erich left the immense, dark desk and slammed shut the large black ledger he had been writing in. He cast a love-filled glance at the king-sized bed in the corner, where he and Jessie had lain together so many times before.. He ran a large, coarse hand over the silk that was his hair, and he wished with all his might to remove it. His facade could not last forever!

He walked across the bare wooden floor to the door and pulled it open, his hand on the warm doorknob. His eyes searched the passageway for intruders and, finding none, Erich left his room, pulling the door shut behind him. It closed with a soft click, and he proceeded down the long, narrow hall to Jessie’s room.

As Erich entered the small, musty room, his eyes traveled across the its few contents. The small, wooden vanity by the door was littered with various jars of creams and perfumes. The mirror above it was cracked and dusty. The lone brush on the vanity had long strands of straight blond hair entangled about its broken bristles. One of the drawers was open, revealing a small black book with the word “Diary” inscribed on its cover and a golden pen missing its cap. Some of the jars on the vanity had been left open, and the smell of dried blood prevailed.

The only other furninishing in the room was a tiny bed, just large enough for a very petite person to lay upon. The old, graying covers were worn through in several places, rumpled as though someone had sat upon them. The pillow was dirty and covered with feathers, which were spilling out of the many holes.

He strode across to the closet door and grasped the handle. Erich turned the cool, almost cold doorknob and pulled the door open. The few dresses hanging there were faded and moth-eaten. He looked closer and saw a faint red trail on the wall leading downward. His eyes followed its path to the ground, and there, lying on the hard wooden floor, was his Jessie. A small blade lay next to her on the floor, her wrists stained red with the blood that had been spilled. Erich smiled and slowly closed the door.

His Jessie, lying there so happily, would finally be reunited with her loved one. He would make sure of that. He pulled a small, sharp dagger from his swordbelt and slowly slit his wrists along the veins. He wiped the red, red blood from the blade. He returned the knife to its place, and, opening the door again, lay on the floor and cradled his beloved.

this was written during my pirate phase. oddly enough, it got an A in my class…but my teacher hated the ending….

triana