![\"Bloody](\"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/BloodyParchment_c+low-e1303225775752-106x150.jpg\" "\\"BloodyParchment_c+low\\"")
by Chris Miller<\/h3>\nby Chris Miller<\/h3>\n4th place<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Missy slipped out from under the covers and eased open the bedroom door. It creaked and she looked back at Simon, but he remained undisturbed on their California Queen. There was a time when the earth could rend and swallow them whole and she wouldn\u2019t know it; but over the past year her sleep had grown restive.<\/p>\n Missy paused at the threshold, taking care to step over the squeaky section of floor board. Simon was a light sleeper. As she crept toward the bathroom she heard the erratic patter of light rain on the roof. Outside storm clouds hung heavy, eager; inside, humidity clung to her skin and grappled with her nightgown.<\/p>\n The latch on the bathroom door sounded like the click of the alarm clock, the one that preceded the actual alarm by a half-second. She imagined it waking Simon now and felt her heart go from thump-thump to flitter-flitter.<\/p>\n In the medicine cabinet was the box. She knew right where it sat, even before opening the mirrored door. The sight of the box, with its wavy pink and blue design, now instilled a feeling of nausea rather than anticipation. If only it were the good kind of nausea, she thought. With one practiced motion Missy tore open the box.<\/p>\n Laying across her palm, the stick felt foreign. Like the game she played as a child where she repeated a word again and again until it lost all meaning, the sound of the vowels and consonants having become alien to her. She tested its weight. No more than a few ounces, yet heavy with consequence. Missy closed her eyes, said a silent prayer, and sat down to pee.<\/p>\n With the tip doused, Missy held the stick in front of her and stared at the display. \u201cNo minuses,\u201d she whispered as she waited for the stick to declare. Missy longed for a plus. It could be pink, blue, or green\u2014it didn\u2019t matter. Two short perpendicular lines would make for a happy woman and maybe a happy man. That clich\u00e9 about boiling water came to mind as she sat on the toilet with her panties around her ankles.<\/p>\n Then her wait ended.<\/p>\n One straight line.<\/p>\n Intercepted by none.<\/p>\n Discarding the pregnancy test, she stepped out of her nightgown and turned on the shower. The water was hot and sprayed against her face and chest. Before the room could steam up she heard Simon enter. The chrome-beaded rings of the shower curtain raked the rod and he slipped in behind her. As she tried to stifle her emotions, she was grateful for the hot water; it concealed the erratic nature of her tears.<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n The sun hovered over the horizon; its waning glare hit Missy full in the face through their kitchen window. Steam rolled up the wall and disappeared against the ceiling. Spaghetti roiled in a large pot on the stove behind a pan of poached salmon and dill. Missy used her apron to pull buttered asparagus from the oven. She placed the dish on a trivet. Her short apron was not enough to reach both handles of the spaghetti pot so she looked for pot holders. Finding none, she cursed softly then grabbed the pot by its handles and rushed it to the colander in the sink a couple of feet away where she cursed aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cAm I back in basic training?\u201d Simon said from the other room.<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt they ever served salmon on a shingle,\u201d Missy said. \u201cI didn\u2019t hear you come in.\u201d<\/p>\n Simon walked into the kitchen. \u201cI\u2019m not surprised. With all that racket I could have sworn my Navy buddies were here.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy shook out her hands. She took off her ring and put it on the window sill, then put the side of her index finger to her mouth in an attempt to sooth her burned fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me help you.\u201d Simon opened the freezer and pulled out a bag of frozen peas. He placed her hands on either side of the bag then put his hands on hers. \u201cBetter?\u201d<\/p>\n Missy looked into his brown eyes, but could see no further. \u201cYes.\u201d The weight of his hands on hers felt reassuring, felt good, proper; they felt compensatory. \u201cDinner will be ready in ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood, time enough to shoot off a couple of emails.\u201d<\/p>\n He left her there, holding the peas, without having kissed her hello.<\/p>\n Missy set the table and opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio. The salmon, pasta, and asparagus did not touch one another on the plate; yet together they formed a nice picture. Something you might see on an over-priced menu, she thought.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks great,\u201d Simon said. He clipped his Blackberry to his hip, pulled out her chair, and poured the wine.<\/p>\n They ate in silence. The gentle clink and scrape of knife and fork on plate rang out like a fire alarm. He smiled at her. She smiled back.<\/p>\n \u201cHow was your day?\u201d Simon asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was fine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI noticed the neighbors have a new SUV, one of those hybrids.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy pressed her lips to gather herself so her voice wouldn\u2019t crack. \u201cIt looks nice.\u201d She wanted to cry out loud–a visceral scream. I\u2019m right here. Can you see me? No, all you see is a new car and your Blackberry. We will never need a car that size because I am barren, my womb and us\u2014we are barren.<\/p>\n \u201cJackson and I were thinking about taking in eighteen holes this weekend. Try out my new irons. Maybe you and Clarissa could do something,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n Missy didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n \u201cBabe, are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d She put down her fork. \u201cI\u2019m not all right. We\u2019re not all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can cancel the golf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t about golf.\u201d Missy could feel hot tears in the corners of her eyes. \u201cDo you love me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course I love you,\u201d Simon replied.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, sweetie. You love the idea of love. You love the idea of golf on the weekends, let\u2019s face it, you\u2019re no Tiger Woods.\u201d At this she smiled in that way that says I know and that\u2019s okay<\/em>. \u201cYou love the idea of coming home from the office to your beautiful wife,\u201d she sniffed and wiped her eyes, \u201cand to your brood of children.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that so wrong?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but for us it\u2019s a fantasy.\u201d<\/p>\n He tilted his head, furrowed his brow, and looked at her. Really looked at her, she thought. As if she was suddenly in 3-D.<\/p>\n \u201cI took another pregnancy test this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n He waited.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m barren. There will never be a brood; we\u2019ve both known it for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not true,\u201d Simon said. \u201cWe\u2019ll keep trying. There\u2019s alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat alternatives? We\u2019ve tried tracking ovulation, basal body temperature, lubes, herbs, post-coital pillows, invitro, sperm count and mobility\u2014it\u2019s all veneer, a shiny coating to make us look pretty\u2014but we\u2019re hollow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI love you,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo you want to love me, but you don\u2019t and I don\u2019t fault you for it. We\u2019re pretending\u2014hoping a child will fix us. We\u2019re broken, babe. And there are no replacement parts.\u201d She got up from the table.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor how long?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n She packed a bag and left\u2014her wedding ring still on the kitchen window sill.<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n Missy drove about the city, going into parts where she had never before ventured. A light rain accompanied her. The wipers made a soft swoosh-thump every few seconds. Eventually, she found Route 18 and the Meridian Hotel.<\/p>\n Missy knew of the Meridian but had never lodged there. It was a five-star establishment situated among centuries old trees. The hotel proper sat at the east end of the lot while sharing the property line on the west side with a cemetery as old as the trees. She recalled a newspaper article about a dispute over the property line, but the original records were lost. The lawyers for the Meridian convinced the city that the hotel\u2019s tenants took precedence over those of the cemetery.<\/p>\n Exiting her vehicle, Missy handed the car key to a valet. Two doormen in black and red uniforms opened the brass doors leading into the lobby. She followed the veins in the marble floor across the grand hall to the front desk where she met the concierge. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood evening. My name is Mr. Alves. I have your room ready.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t booked a room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but I\u2019ve been expecting you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI had a feeling an unknown guest would present herself this evening. I had no idea you would be so lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy felt her cheeks flush.<\/p>\n \u201cStefan! Take Miss–\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLarson,\u201d Missy said. Or was he about to say Missy?<\/p>\n \u201cShow Ms. Larson to her room.\u201d He entered a few keystrokes and handed Stefan the room key. Stefan took Missy\u2019s suitcase and led her to the elevators. Inside the elevator, she reached for the button marking her floor and realized Mr. Alves never mentioned it.<\/p>\n \u201cAllow me,\u201d Stefan said.<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n Missy sat on the edge of the bed in room: 1301. She flipped open her phone and ran her fingers over the buttons, feeling the edge of each one on her fingertips. She pressed 1. The display flashed \u2018Calling Simon . . .\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cMissy! Where are you?\u201d Simon asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI drove around for awhile trying to get my bearings, you know? About us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me where you are. We can fix this. I\u2019ll put my golf clubs up on eBay.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy smiled. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to sell your clubs, but it\u2019s a nice gesture. I think I need to be alone tonight. But let\u2019s meet in the morning for breakfast. I\u2019m at Le Meridia–\u201d<\/p>\n Her cell phone died. She picked up the phone by the bed but heard only a soft static. She jumped when thunder bounced off the windows. The rain came down in sheets and there was a slight tremor in her hand as she replaced the receiver. She needed a drink.<\/p>\n After three vodka cocktails with pomegranate, and a napkin from the bartender with his phone number, Missy made her way back to the elevators.<\/p>\n \u201cRight this way,\u201d Stefan said, escorting her into the first elevator. He pushed the button to her floor. As she stepped out of the elevator she could feel his eyes on her backside. At her door, she slid her card key into the lock and waited for the green light. The lights in the hallway went out. At the far end of the hall she heard a door close.<\/p>\n \u201cHello? Is anybody there?\u201d She thought she heard footsteps, but wasn\u2019t sure. Three vodka cocktails weren\u2019t enough to get her drunk, but she had a good buzz. She should have eaten more.<\/p>\n Footsteps again, closer now.<\/p>\n Instinctively she looked behind her. Emergency lighting kicked in. She was alone. The green light came on, the door latch released and she pushed through.<\/p>\n Missy flicked the wall switches but her room remained dark. She took a deep breath. \u201cSilly girl,\u201d she muttered. \u201cYou\u2019re a grown woman.\u201d She made her way to the bed, wriggled and stumbled out of her clothes and slid under the covers.<\/p>\n She wasn\u2019t sure how long she\u2019d been asleep when she recognized Simon\u2019s scent and felt someone curl up behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cSimon,\u201d she said through a sleepy sigh. \u201cHow did you get here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShh,\u201d he whispered and kissed the back of her neck.<\/p>\n They made love to the lightening strikes and rolling thunder–not just sex, but intimate honest love.<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n Missy felt the morning sun through her eyelids. She clasped her hands and pushed her arms out in front of her, stretching the muscles in her back, then reached across the bed for Simon. He was gone, but his scent lingered. Must be having breakfast, she thought.<\/p>\n Missy dressed, gathered her things, and went to the buffet to look for him. At the front desk, she saw Mr. Alves. \u201cDo you ever sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned to face her. \u201cGood morning, Ms. Larson. I\u2019m afraid last night\u2019s storm delayed my replacement. I hope the loss of power didn\u2019t inconvenience you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all. I\u2019m looking for my husband. You gave him a key to my room last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh no, Ms. Larson, I would never do that. The security of our guests is paramount. You would\u2019ve had to authorize something like that. I have no record of any such authorization.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut, he was<\/em> here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps the storm did disturb you, my dear. I don\u2019t mean to be presumptuous but you did imbibe the spirits last night.\u201d He tilted his head towards the bar.<\/p>\n Missy understood the implication. Never mind, she thought. I\u2019ll find Simon and figure it out. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019d like to check out, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly. Let\u2019s see, that was room 1013. Was everything satisfactory?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. My room is 1301.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Alves chuckled softly. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that room doesn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have a thirteenth floor,\u201d he said while tapping the keyboard. \u201cIt\u2019s a silly superstition, but many hotels are constructed without a thirteenth floor. Ah yes, here it is.\u201d He turned the monitor to show her the room record: room 1013\u2014Ms. Larson. Stefan could accompany you back to your room if you\u2019d like to check. His replacement didn\u2019t make it either.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked to the elevators and saw Stefan at his post. He tipped his cap to her. \u201cNo, that\u2019s fine.\u201d Missy resigned herself to whatever powers orchestrated the last twelve hours. \u201cWhere do I sign?\u201d she asked. \u201cAnd it\u2019s missus.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy signed the receipt and turned to leave.<\/p>\n \u201cMrs. Larson, I seemed to have overlooked this.\u201d Mr. Alves handed her an envelope that read Missy<\/em>. She recognized Simon\u2019s script:<\/p>\n Hey Babe,<\/em><\/p>\n Thanks for last night. <\/em><\/p>\n Sorry I had to leave but things will be different now.<\/em><\/p>\n Love,<\/em><\/p>\n Simon<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIs everything all right, Mrs. Larson?\u201d asked Mr. Alves.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I think so.\u201d<\/p>\n *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n Missy turned down her street and felt her chest tighten. Parked in front of their house was a sheriff\u2019s vehicle. The sheriff met her at the front step.<\/p>\n \u201cMrs. Larson?\u201d<\/p>\n Her mouth felt dry. The words struggled to escape. \u201cIt\u2019s Simon, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no easy way to say this, ma\u2019am.\u201d The sheriff removed his hat. \u201cWe found your husband\u2019s car last night in a ravine off Route 18, about a half-mile shy of the Meridian Hotel. \u201cForensics says he likely hydroplaned and lost control of the vehicle.\u201d He paused. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. He died at the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n Missy stared at him. He seemed to speak in slow motion, the words stretching from his mouth to her ears.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026come down and identify the body. If there\u2019s anything I can do for you, please let me know.\u201d He handed her his card.<\/p>\n Images from the previous night flashed in her eyes\u2014his touch, his scent. She felt light-headed. Dropping her bag, she rushed inside. Her vision blurred as her eyes watered and darkness crept in.\u00a0 Leaning against the walls, she made her way to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. She splashed her face and drank from the tap. Cool water ran down to her elbows and off her chin, soaking her chest, but it sharpened her senses. With only water in her stomach she felt nauseated and turned to the toilet. After an uncertain moment, the sensation passed.<\/p>\n Clutching the porcelain, her gaze drifted to the waste basket and the discarded pregnancy test. She blinked and blinked again, not believing what she was seeing. Missy grasped the stick from the previous morning. Silent tears ran down her face and spilled onto the cool tile floor. The stick in her hand showed two perpendicular lines, neither pink, blue, or green\u2014but it was there.<\/p>\n