She stared at the moon. Fat, full, yellow. Sort of like me at the moment…Her skin had always been a lovely burnished shade of copper. Being a half-breed had had its upsides: permanent tan being one. Now this was a whole different story. That bitch bit me! And bite her she had. Just under her chin.
She’d left two small holes in her neck. Then again, the wrinkles that had settled there were now stretched taut. Looked a bit like her supple skin had twenty years ago. But her color had also changed. She was a pale yellowish-beige. Not at all becoming. How do I explain this back home?
She’d been drinking. Lots and lots of wine had flowed. Now that she thought about it, she had killed each and every glass herself. After the third bottle of Silver Oak was spinning empty on the floor, the beautiful stranger had leaned in to kiss her. She generally did not go in for that sort of thing, but the moon was full and the mood was right. Just one kiss. Katy Perry’s voice drifted over her: “I kissed a girl and I liked it…” But what a bitey thing she’d turned out to be.
An itch began in her throat. It grew mightily and in no time at all, it was blind, demanding thirst. Desert dry and parched like sand. She tried to swallow. Razor blades slid down her gullet. It burned and hollered and yammered for…water? She ran to a garden faucet and locked her lips around it. She turned it on full. Swallow after swallow of cool, coppery water slid down then popped right back out. That was unpleasant. She eyed the spigot again. Not on your life… A young woman walked by. Lovely floral dress. Dark hair. A maddening scent flowed after her. She smiled and followed Dark Hair into the bar.
She walked up to the jukebox. Katie Perry. Two songs for fifty cents. She made her selection. The girl smiled back at her.
“Care for a drink?” She paid for two bottles of Coppola Cabernet. Rich, red, flowing. After a little while, she leaned in. Just one kiss.
©2009 Renee Otis
A burnt house with no roads leading to it, a train ride and a satellite photo inspired Shades, Renee’s first novel. Two books followed: GhostWriter and Dead Batteries. Renee lives and writes in haunted New England with her family and one slightly neurotic dog.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:39 am
very tasty piece.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Delightfully dark and sinful with a bite, like good chocolate. Very nice.
December 11th, 2009 at 8:12 am
“A maddening scent…” Very nice.
December 13th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Nicely done, very concise, I think I’ll leave the lights turned on tonight.
March 24th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Wonderfully written!