Chelle started school here in October. She came into class late, as new kids always do. Darmuth gives them a long dull principal’s ‘what we expect from you’ meeting slash lecture.
As she walked in a buzz went around the class on account of her eyes. In better light I think, or thought then, that they might have seemed fine, but under the lousy power-saving lights her eyes looked like pits, like deep black wells.
Of course it was heightened by her complexion. Fair, fair skin with dark hair and full brows and brown, almost black irises. And, I later learned, almost permanently dilated pupils. And the skin around her eyes was darker too, as if she needed to catch up on a week’s worth of sleep. On top of that she wore heavy mascara and eyeliner.
Later, when we were dating, she told me that she wore the make-up on purpose. She knew the effect her eyes had on people and enjoyed it, wanted to enhance that. It sure worked for me, quickened my heart to look at her.
Chelle was quiet, but within a week she was dating Albie Richards, who had only ever dated two people, though not through lack of trying. She didn’t really talk to anyone else much, but you’d see them at lunch and recess out on the field talking in the shade of a tree.
After two weeks Albie turned up dead. Electrocuted himself with a busted soldering iron while working on one of his electronics projects.
I know what you’re thinking, right? The scary new girl was a murderer. Well, she had a perfect alibi. She was at Darmuth’s house. It turned out that Darmuth’s wife was an old sorority sister of Chelle’s mother and they’d all gone over for crumpets or something.
Three people were with her when Albie died.
Sabotage, you’re thinking. Well, Albie’s project room was like a sanctum, so no way she could have gotten in. Albie’s Mom said Chelle had never even been to the house.
Chelle was distraught for a total of maybe fifteen minutes. Next thing she’s dating Anthea Shelton, the second biggest dyke in school. Anthea’s last girlfriend Jolene, the actual biggest dyke in school, was baffled and totally pissed. How could Anthea dump her for a ‘pretty girl’?
Soon after, say maybe a month later, getting close to Christmas, Anthea was killed. And Jolene’s hunting knife was the weapon used. The cops found it buried in her parents’ back yard. With forensics and all that stuff, Jolene’s parents were retaining a pricey lawyer.
Chelle was upset again and that was when I started hanging out with her. I didn’t want to start dating, not right away, but she said she was ready. My friends said I was crazy, that she was the ‘kiss o death’. They actually started doing lots of stuff to discourage me - emailing me a last will and testament to sign, phoning me at all hours, keeping guard outside my house. They were the crazies.
In the core of my soul, though, I know it’s what I’d wanted, since I’d first seen her. Those eyes were the most beautiful things on the planet. My life was in no danger. I’d known how to get her, and I knew how to keep her.
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©2010 Sean Monaghan
Sean Monaghan is a sucker for deep dark eyes and it has cost him dearly. Sean tutors in creative writing and reviews books. His stories have appeared in Flashes in the Dark, Macabre Cadaver and House of Horror, amongst others. More information at his website www.venusvulture.com
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Tags: Sean Monaghan
June 8th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I must admit, I’m a sucker for a Monaghan tale.
June 8th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Uh-oh, someone was rubbing out the competition. All’s fair in zombie love and war, eh? I really think this is so good. I love the steady progression of obsession.
June 8th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Great story! I want to know if he survives, ehh.
June 8th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Thanks so much everyone.
June 8th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Holy crap, Sean- you got me with that ending. I walked smack dab into that tightly woven little web you wove. Evil. This is just evil.