Roommates

Regina slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the pounding in her chest as the doorknob rattled and shook.

She knew what she’d seen – a figure in a clear raincoat and rubber gloves, smeared with red and holding a bottle of bleach, standing over the bathtub. The figure had lunged for the door, and Regina had slammed it shut almost on impulse. If she moved away from it now, she thought the person would get out and she’d be next. She took a gulp and looked at the ceiling, eyes stinging. She didn’t even have her phone – she’d left it on the counter, next to Clarissa’s own. She couldn’t dial for help without letting the stranger escape.  

Oh god, help me, mama, she thought, wishing she was back home. I think whoever that is killed my roommate!

Earlier that day…

Clarissa was nervous. She was flitting about her bedroom this way and that, trying to find something, anything to calm her nerves.

She knew, logically, that there was nothing to be worried about regarding a new roommate. She had, quite literally, signed up for this. This room had belonged to her for the past year, but the quiet and the still made her anxious, and so she’d sought out somebody to help split the rent. Now she was worried about how their first meeting would go.

 Maybe she needed to accept that she was a nervous person in general.

Whatever the case, she wasn’t getting anywhere by pacing around the room. All she had accomplished was working herself up further with what her mom called the dreaded “what ifs” – what if they didn’t get along? What if her new roommate didn’t like the same music? What if they couldn’t share the kitchen, or even eat the same foods? What if, what if, what if…

She needed an activity. Her new roommate would arrive in a few hours, and if she was wound up like this she was liable to bite the girl’s head off just from stress. Clarissa looked around her room, hoping something would magically catch her eye and solve all her problems.

She did see something. There was a small plastic case on her desk, tucked off to the side. She walked over and picked it up – it was a tie-dye kit, one she must have bought on discount and forgotten about.

“I’ll… make her a t-shirt,” she said to no one, “yeah, that’ll be a nice welcoming gift. She won’t even have to use it, but it’ll be a conversation piece, right?”

She flipped it over and read the instructions, nodding to herself. This would easily take her mind off of things.

Regina was excited! She was always excited for change, but this was one of the big ones. She’d been looking forward to moving, and the opening for a roommate had arrived just in time to line up with when she was starting at culinary school. She’d have a week to get settled in, and hopefully impress her new roommate with her cooking, and then it would be onward and upward! She couldn’t wait. 

As it was, she’d have to be at least patient enough to get through rush hour. She’d stopped at the grocery store on the way to the new place – aside from essentials, most of her stuff was still in transit, so that meant more room in the car for what really mattered. And what really mattered, as far as Regina was concerned, was her cookware collection.

She already knew through email that Clarissa wasn’t a vegetarian, which was good, because it meant she got to show off. Sure, she could prepare vegetables as well as anyone, but what she really excelled in was meats and proteins. She’d bought a wonderfully hearty, fresh cut of beef that was just begging to be made into a delicious stir-fry.

Oh, finally, she thought as the traffic gave way, I should be there in no time! She stepped on the gas and sped ahead, ready to be at the apartment complex. It was only a few blocks away, and at this point the key was burning a hole in her pocket. She couldn’t wait to get to the kitchen and start cooking up a friendship.

I hope Clarissa doesn’t mind if I get there a little bit early … she reached a red light, and grabbed her phone.

[Hey, Clarissa,], she typed, [can’t wait to meet you, going to let myself in when I get there. Got stuff for dinner, hope you like steak and roasted vegetables.]

The light changed, and she set her phone down. Only a little longer until she reached her new apartment!

“Oh, no.” This was not going as planned. The kit had said it was mess-free, but she had already stained the tub with blue and had it smeared all over her hands. She stepped away from the t-shirt massacre, arms up and away from her clothes, as she carefully stepped towards the sink.

Soaking them in cold water and soap put a dent in the stain, but not much. She sighed, looking down at her ruined clothes – she’d worn old ones on purpose, but that didn’t make it any less of a waste.

Oh, wait, didn’t I have gloves? She ducked under the sink – aha! There they were, along with one of those disposable rain ponchos still in the packing. Perfect! She pulled them out and looked to the scrunched-up shirt – I should add red next, she thought, as soon as I get these on.

Actually, what this really needed was some music. She walked over to the kitchen and let her hand hover over her phone for a second, before going for the older MP3 player sitting next to it. She had one of those little stereo systems she could plug it in, and then she’d really be in the zone – in fact, Clarissa wasn’t even sure why she’d been nervous!

After a bit of setup, she was ready to go. The music made the experience much less stressful – and the walls of this complex were nice and insulated, so she was happy to blast her tunes as she bopped along.

Regina unlocked the front door with one hand, her other filled to the brim with grocery bags. The door creaked open, and the sound of what she thought could have been 80’s hits was blaring from the closed bathroom door.

Ooh, she thought, I hope she got my text, that’d be awkward. Still, she set her grocery bags on the counter and set her suitcase on the floor, prying it open to reveal pots and pans covered in bubble wrap.

She considered knocking on the bathroom door, but there was a good chance that Clarissa was taking a bath, and Regina didn’t want to scare her. Besides, the cookware was beckoning to her, begging her to get started on dinner already.

I’ll wait until I hear the music turn off, she thought, and knock then. She’ll probably be out and dressed at that point. It’ll be fine. Regina nodded to herself, assured this was a completely reasonable course of events, and bent down to start unpacking.

Oh, the tub’s a mess. She’d finished the shirt and set it aside, but now Clarissa had a rainbow massacre on the white porcelain. This was no way to let Regina move in.

As she stood up, a smear of bluish-reddish dye trickled down her poncho. It was a good thing she’d covered the floors, too – the last thing she wanted to saddle Regina with was a dent in the security deposit.

It took her a moment to navigate, but she managed to rinse off her gloves in the sink and grab the bleach. She wasn’t going to use a lot – just fill the tub halfway with water and add a couple drops, which was what she was pretty sure her mom had told her to do.

Actually, was that a good idea? Clarissa paused, looking at the bottle in her hand, then at the tub covered in the same bluish-red. She’d have to check her phone…

Her phone she’d left outside of the room with the door shut. The phone, she realized, she hadn’t plugged in before coming in here. She hadn’t left the bathroom in a couple hours – Regina could have gotten here by now.

Just as Clarissa turned towards the door, the doorknob turned.

Regina had a system when it came to packing. Her wok and skillet were ready to go within minutes of her arrival. The vegetables that needed a little extra attention were simmering on the skillet, and now it was time for the star of the show – the flank steak.

She took a moment to appreciate it as she rolled the cut onto her cutting board. Something like this called for one of the big guns – her mom’s old cleaver, given to her as a going away present. Regina removed it from its cover and ran it under the faucet for a second, the light gleaming through water onto its polished surface. This was a knife that mattered, and she took good care of it.

Perhaps she took too good care of it. When she went to wipe it off, the blade grazed over the ball of her thumb, leaving a long line of red in its wake.

“Shit!” Regina flinched, looking at her hand. It looked shallow, but it was still a mess, and she grabbed a paper towel to cover it. She hadn’t brought bandages – she’d have to interrupt Clarissa after all.

“Hey, Clarissa?” She called, looking at her hand. The paper towel was blossoming red, and she was probably going to need one of the big bandages. “Clarissa, I’m here! I could use a little help!”

Nothing, just the music. It had been playing for a while, and was so loud she couldn’t hear anything else.

Was… was she okay in there? Had something happened? A million scenarios played through Regina’s mind, horror movies and newspaper headlines. Don’t be absurd, she thought to herself, she probably fell asleep in there. I’ll just have to peek, that’s all. Even so, the thought was there, and as she took a step forward she heard a thud.

Oh god oh god something’s in there, she thought, but shook her head. She turned to the stove and turned off the heat, leaving a red streak on the knob. Oops, I’ll have to sterilize that. She turned back to the door.

Swallowing the lump in her throat and gripping her cleaver tight, she walked towards the bathroom, where the music was still blaring so loudly that she hadn’t heard anything else. You’re letting your nerves get ahead of you, she thought to herself, just check on her!

“Clarissa?” Regina knocked on the door, careful not to let the paper towel loose. No answer. Her hand lingered on the doorknob for a moment as she turned it. She took one more deep breath and swung it open.

Clarissa froze.

There was a figure standing in the doorway, holding a cleaver and something soaked in red, blocking her exit. She froze – the person was just staring at her, not moving, and the knife was dripping red.

        Oh my god, they killed Regina when she came in, she thought, and I’m trapped in here. The figure stood, waiting, just looking at Clarissa with wild eyes. She didn’t know what to do, thoughts going a mile a minute. If they get in here, I’m toast. Should I run? I have to run – if I can get my phone and get out-

        The figure took a step forward, and Clarissa sprinted. The door slammed shut on her – no! It closes from the outside! She desperately jiggled the handle, and heard heavy breathing on the other end. No, no! I don’t want to die! Not like this!

“Let me out!” She shook the doorknob again, and the door shook from the other end. She could hear heavy breathing, and when she shook the knob again it held fast – the stranger was holding it shut.

What do I do? She thought, feeling a sting at the corner of her eye. I’m trapped in here. They’re probably waiting for me to start begging, start crying. I can’t – I can’t! I have to get out of here.

The tension on the doorknob gave, and she watched it turn one way, then the other. Her captor was fidgeting with it.

They keep opening it, she thought, pulling herself up. She couldn’t push it, but if she could charge…

The front door was right there. It had to be unlocked. If it wasn’t… it was the only chance she had.

She stepped back, taking a deep breath in and letting it out. This was her only chance at escape – she had to be sure about it. Count the turns, she thought to herself,

The doorknob turned again, and she charged.

The door slammed against Regina’s back. She was sent flying to the floor, the cleaver clattering beside her. She reached for it, and a shadow fell over her.

No! She scrambled to her feet as the figure stumbled back. She picked up the knife and held it in front of her – the figure stepped back.

“Not one move,” she said, taking a step back. The person – a woman – stepped forward, and she brandished the cleaver, trying to keep her hand from shaking. “I said not one move!”

“What do you want?” The woman said, and Regina swallowed. She hadn’t planned this far.

“… stay there,” she said, and started backing toward the kitchen. Her phone, she needed her phone. Regina took another step back, and when the figure didn’t follow her, she side-stepped towards the kitchen, out of the woman’s sight, and grabbed for her phone.

It was dead. Her eyes fell on Clarissa’s – that was plugged in, and she could probably use the emergency function.

“What are you doing?” She looked up. The woman was standing there – it looked like she had gone for the door, but had stopped to stare at Regina.

“I’m calling the police!” Regina held the knife up again, but now the woman was staring at her, and at the skillet behind her, with a look of confusion. “You killed my roommate!”

“No…” she said, “I thought you… the knife…” Regina stared at the woman a second, and realized the smear on her coat was way more purple than initially thought.

“...But…” she said, and the woman pulled her hood back, her hair moving out of her face enough for Regina to get a good look.

“Oh.”

“Um… hi,” Clarissa said, taking off a glove and offering a very blue hand to Regina, “…it looks like there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding on both our ends. I’m Clarissa. Can I have my phone back?”

“Um… yeah,” the woman said, handing it back. “I’m… Regina. Hey, do you by any chance have a bandage?”