The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 50
Long before I ever met Justin Granthem, I dreamed about the canyon.
It was a recurring dream that I had throughout my childhood. As I got older, I had the dream less often. It was one of the most beautiful visions I ever had.
Red rocks shone in the sun, the desert sand so bright that it looked like a view of Mars.
Between a cluster of jagged rocks was a ravine. At the very end of it, two rocks came together, forming what looked like a man made arch.
And just beyond the arch of pure, time worn stone, lay a small brick building.
It seemed I had walked this path so many times that I knew it by heart.
This is real, this time. It’s actually happening.
It was Justin’s voice that stopped me.
“We’re here,” he said, barely above a whisper.
The sun was in my eyes, obscuring his face. His form was like a negative against the light, forming a bright shadow around his body.
He smiled. I could tell by the movement of his cheekbones, even though I could not see the features of his face.
I paused, just for a moment, and we walked up the path together.
*****
Once we were inside, I was oddly calm.
The building was dark and cool. Colored panes of glass filtered white sunlight into jewel toned colors. In the quiet of the sanctuary, I felt my heart flutter.
Justin spoke to the man who waited for us briefly. There was a woman that came and introduced herself to me. This was Zasha, Justin‘s cousin. She smiled and hugged me, and her warmth made me feel welcome.
Soon, it was time to begin.
Justin waited for me at the altar.
I reached him, and he took my hands into his own. I felt the last bit of fear drain away from me.
We faced the clergyman together and took our vows.
******
We spent our first night together in a hotel out in the desert.
Our room was simple but beautiful: brown stone walls and a huge, fluffy white bed.
It was getting dark outside by then, but we didn’t bother with the lights. I stumbled across the room, pulling at the straps on my shoes. Balancing on the edge of the bed, I reached for a zipper, and then remembered that this dress had little hooks in the back.
And then Justin was beside me, whispering in my ear. I felt his breath on my cheek.
“Marradith. Let me do that…”
He pressed his hands against my back, and kissed me.
******
Even when they were children, Scott could always find Marradith.
He couldn’t hear her thoughts as he did all those years ago. But he could still sense her presence. Even with hatred and fear between them, a trace remained, a connection.
Sitting outside in a jeep, Scott and Keiko were not sheltered from the elements. A breeze stirred around them as the moon became visible in the dimming sky.
Keiko exhaled a puff of smoke, tapping ash from her cigarette. Her hair swirled around her head like a dark veil.
“Are you satisfied?” she asked. Her eyes were like dead stars. Her mouth twisted ever so slightly.
“I don’t know why I came. Just that I had to. I can’t believe she married him. They didn’t tell her anything. She can‘t know the truth.”
“Well. I told you. She is most definitely one of them now. What will you do about it?”
“I don’t know. Nothing tonight.”
“Well come then. Let’s go.”
He started the engine and turned back towards the road.
Keiko flipped a CD into the stereo and laughed before the first line came on. As the music started to play, Scott understood why. She was cracking up at her own little joke.
It was Billy Idol singing White Wedding.
©2009 Lori Titus
Lori Titus is the Managing Editor for Flashes in the Dark, and Short Story Editor for Sonar4 Ezine. Her work has been included in three anthologies so far. Most recently her stories appeared in Mausoleum Memoirs, and Toe Tags: 21 Spine-Tingling Stories by the Best New Authors in Horror. Meanwhile, she continues to write The Marradith Ryder Series, posted here weekly. For more info, see her blog at :
http://loribeth215.wordpress.com
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
November 11th, 2009 at 7:36 am
“Her eyes were like dead stars.” Too cool, Lori.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Thanks Angel
November 12th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Congratulations on number 50 - quite an achievement: great work Lori.
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Thanks Sean! I’m excited about this milestone, too.
June 16th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Yeah that’s some joke, and even had Scott talked with her Marradith wouldn’t listen to him. He kills people for fun.