by Palvi Sharma
hands. Clark knelt down beside her and held her by the shoulders. “Ashley saved us all. He was stabbed by Mr. Rook, but he managed to take out the dagger and stab him back.”
Emily opened her mouth and uttered a scream
Three years later…
While Emily was making up her bed, Clark walked in behind her and put his arms around her.
“I love you.” he whispered in her ear. His hands caressed her growing belly and Emily smiled back at him. “I can’t wait for our baby to be born.”
Emily kissed him on his cheek and sat down, gently rubbing her stomach. “I think our baby is getting ready to come into our world soon.”
Clark kissed her on her forehead and walked towards the washroom to change into his nightclothes.
Emily felt her smile drop and she looked out the window at the dark sky. She had longed to spend these nights with only one man and now she would never have him. She had reminded herself over and over that her love now belonged to her husband Clark, but somehow her heart felt empty.
When she closed her eyes, she only saw Ashley. She could see him sitting at her bar, at the same table by the corner, ordering wine. She remembered how the light fell on him, how she would wish she could touch him just one more time.
“Goodnight, dear.” Clark said.
Emily snapped her eyes open. “Goodnight.” She said and lay down on her bed. Her thoughts however, didn’t leave her. She remembered how he smelled. The subtle cologne he used that filled her nostrils. The way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t noticing. Or the way he called her name.
“Emily.” A voice said.
Emily lay with her eyes closed, but the memory of his voice drew tears.
“Emily!” the voice said again. Stronger and louder this time.
She sat up straight and gasped. “Ashley!”
It was him. She knew it was him because she could feel him. He looked the same. His hair combed neatly, His clothes clean and impeccably ironed. His cologne...
“Ashley!” Emily said jumping out of bed. “You’re alive.”
Ashley said nothing but studied her.
“Say something my love.” Emily pleaded. “If this is a dream, I hope you’ve come to take me with you.”
“It’s not a dream.” Ashley said. “I have come back to you.”
Emily started to smile when Ashley held her hand. “I have something to show you.”
And then she grew even more certain that this was a dream, for Ashley led her right inside her mirror. The mirror on her dresser opened up like a portal and Emily stepped inside it with her beloved.
However, once she stepped out, she felt fear rising up to her throat. She was in a memory- Ashley’s memory. It was that very night when he had been brutally murdered. Emily looked at the cottage and then at the bar.
“Why have you brought me here? I don’t wish to relive this particular memory.” She pleaded.
“I have something to show you.” Ashley repeated and led her to the bar. They walked into the store room where Clark sat by the table, eyeing the shotgun while drumming his fingers restlessly on the table.
“What is it?” Emily asked but Ashley continued to glare at Clark and she suddenly understood why even before she saw what was happening.
Clark reached for the gun, opened it up and took out the shells.
Emily gasped. “He said that Mr. Rook had conspired against us!”
“There’s more.” Ashley said and led her to the back of the cottage where he was murdered.
Emily looked up at the Town Clock tower and saw it was an hour before midnight. She saw Mr. Rook and Clark whispering and she walked towards them, leaving Ashley behind.
“You do this, and I won’t mention to the people of this town your dirty little secrets.” Clark warned.
Mr. Rook was trembling and shook his head. “I’ll tell them that you were the one who was robbing and killing those people.”
Clark gave him a menacing grin. “If you open your mouth, I will kill you right here and right now. And then, I’ll go to your wife and tell her about your affairs. The people in this town will run you out when they find out what a disgusting old man you are. Your reputation will be forever marred.”
“If I steal from Ashley, you won’t?” Mr. Rook said. “Why are you even doing this? What could you possibly accomplish by...”
“Shut your mouth and do as I say. You’ll be rewarded for this.” Clark said. “That’s a promise!”
The scene then faded in front of her and Emily found herself back in her room. “It was him!”
She looked at Ashley. “Your friend betrayed you.”
“He has betrayed you too.” Ashley said and then faded away.
Emily stared at Clark sleeping and shook him awake. “Get up!” she yelled.
“What is it sweetheart?” he asked groggily.
“Remove the sleep from your eyes and tell me the truth of that night.” She demanded.
“What are you talking about?” Clark asked, sitting up.
“I know that it was you who removed the shells from the gun. I know that it was you who conspired with Mr. Rook to deceive us all. What was this all for?”
“You have been misinformed!” Clark retorted and jumped out of bed. In a few long strides, he stood before her.
“Ashley came to me. He made me see the truth.”
“It’s a lie. You’re pregnant and hallucinating.”
Emily looked at him and then started to walk away. “Ashley would never lie to me. I know and believe what I saw. You are no longer my husband!”
But before she could walk away, Clark yanked at her arm and she screamed in pain. “You do not walk away from me!” he said.
“I don’t believe in a marriage that’s based on lies!” Emily screamed at him.
“Do you know what I’ve put at stake to marry you?” Clark said. “You ungrateful wretched woman!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I killed my best friend for you.” Clark screamed and then trembled in fear at his admission. “You will never be able to prove it.” He said and reached for the drawers.
“How could you?” she cried. “How could you betray your own friend?”
“My friend should have minded his own business and known that a handicapped man like himself didn’t deserve a beautiful girl like you.”
“You have such malice in your heart!” Emily retorted.
Clark scoffed at her and then took out a string from the drawer. “Now turn around and give me your hands.”
Emily gasped and placed her hands on her chest. “Have you gone mad? I shall not stay here a minute longer!”
Clark pushed her down and Emily immediately reached for her belly. “If you don’t do as I stay, I’ll cut open your stomach.”
“It’s your baby!” she cried but put out her hands. “Do what you must.”
Clark immediately tied her hands together and pulled her up. “You’ll be my prisoner until I decide how to dispose you off.”
He then dragged her down to the basement and gestured her to sit down. “Now, not a peep from you.” he warned. “You’ve gone on and ruined everything for me. If they ever find out about my crimes, I could be hanged. All this trouble just because you decided to become an honest woman.”
When Clark left her alone in the dark, Emily pulled up her knees to her chest and wept. She had been wrong to believe that her husband had been a good man. Ashley had been right. Clark had deceived them both.
Just then, she felt a chill on her back and gasped. She turned around to see Ashley’s ghost standing near the window, looking at her.
“Help me!” Emily pleaded. Ashley stayed there for a little while and then disappeared. Emily sat back on the floor and wiped away her tears. She was being silly. Ashley couldn’t help her. She was doomed and the state of her unborn baby remained unknown.
A noise then reached her ears and she held her breath. Something was going on upstairs. S
he could hear Clark screaming in fear and then in anger.
“Get away from me!” he was screaming. “You’re dead! You’re not here!”
Emily felt relief wash over her. Ashley had come to rescue her! She got up and rushed up the stairs and pinned her ears on the door.
“Get away from me, ghoul!” Clark cried and Emily heard a gunshot. She leaned against the wall and gasped.
“What’s going on in here?” someone asked from outside her home.
“Sheriff!” Clark cried and Emily heard him flinging the door open. “It’s Ashley! He has returned!”
“You’ve gone insane, Clark.” The sheriff was saying. “Hand over the gun. Where is your wife?”
“Help!” Emily called. “I’m here in the basement.” She heard footsteps then and the door to the basement was unlocked. “My husband has held me captive. He has confessed to killing Ashley.”
“Is this true?” The Sheriff demanded to know.
Clark was still holding the gun and with his other hand, wiped his forehead. “It’s a lie!”
“It is true. You have to believe me.” Emily said and the Sheriff placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Clark, hand over the firearm.”
Clark looked around him and backed against the wall has more officers entered their house. “You have no proof.”
“I’m a witness to his confession. The Sheriff found me tied up in the basement.” Emily replied quickly.
More people were starting to gather outside and Emily knew that Clark had no way to run. He appeared to have realized too, and then held out his gun. “I’m not going to let me take you alive!” he yelled. “And I’m not going to let you live!”
Emily shrieked as Clark pointed the gun at her. In a flash, the Sheriff had moved closer and shoved him