Skeletons in the Closet

          I have the exact job I set out for with better pay than I ever could have imagined. A perfect girlfriend whose equal parts beauty, intellect and humor. I have a house, my dream house, and a car that would make anyone jealous. I'm happy, I wish I could say my life was perfect, and it very well would be- if I didn't see the apparition of Molly, the girl I murdered.

I sit in my kitchen for breakfast, Laura cooking me something with

 an aroma so tantalizing my mouth is watering with drool. As much as I wish I could focus on the beauty going above and beyond for me…my focus is on Molly. She stands in the doorway, skin the hue of death- her clothes the same as the night it happened. I still remember her pulling at the strings on the hem of her shorts, the way the cashmere sweater felt as I held her. A night so long ago now..now I'm twenty five but she's nineteen, stuck in the bitter age of death. When she noticed my gaze on her she turned to look at me. Revealing the deep cut oozing thick blood from her throat. I had killed her, but her focus usually fell on Laura. She only resurfaced after all these years when Laura became a more permanent fixture in my life. I want to know what she wants with me- with her but-” the setting down of a bowl on the table snaps me back to my beautiful,breathing girlfriend. She sighs “you’ve been so distant lately.” I graciously take a spoonful and bring it to my lips “have I? i’m sorry” of course I have. My dead ex moves now, settling herself behind Laura as she sat “is it work or is it us?” She rubbed her arm some, watching me, studying me for a hint of what I was thinking, but I offered none. “It’s just work love, don't worry about it” I assured, taking a bite and taking her hand in my own. Molly stared at me, and had she not been an illusion her thick red blood would be all over Laura, but she wasn't real and therefore it wasn't.I tried not to think about it.

Laura was gone to her restaurant where she was employed and I sat 

in my office, fiddling with a pencil as I watched Molly linger “...Why are you back, what do you want from me? Moll’s just please enlighten me…” this had been a routine for over a year now, id plead with her for answers and she’d smile. 

Molly and I were highschool sweethearts, engaged and moving together for my education and she'd stay home and study online. We had a plan, we were a team. She was the love of my life…but she messed up. She thought she could use me, that she could leave me. She told me she wanted to end things when school started back up, go our separate ways…how could she do this to me, to us?-the anger bubbled up and I saw red, how dare she use me like this. I wouldn't let anyone else have her, no one else would ever touch her again. I slit her throat with the pocket knife I gifted her to protect herself. Ironic I know but I couldn't have this coming back to me. I remember watching her die, the panic, the adrenaline, the tinge of fear that I'd get caught. I wouldn't allow myself to get caught. I removed my prints from the blade and left her there after making it look like assault. I remember going to my best friend's house and burning the clothes, Chris became my alibi for the night and the cops dropped the case from lack of evidence. I resumed my life…and for a long time I didn't date again, because that's what a good boyfriend does when he loses his partner in such a way. When I ran into Laura, I knew I had to have her. She would be mine but I had to play it right, seem just broken enough to where she wouldn't be put off by my dating history. I managed to get her and I will not allow my past to mess this up.I love Laura so I just need to figure out what Molly wants so I can continue my life, so no one else has to die. 

I didn't even have peace at my office, she always lingered, i feel like

I'm going to lose my mind. I looked at her for a long while, sneaking myself a drink with a disheartened sigh when my phone chimed. It was my security app detecting my house door being unlocked, I sat and checked the security cameras. I didn't panic, I figured it was Laura forgetting something and going in to get it.My demeanor dropped, Laura was there with another man. I stood and grabbed my things, Molly stood in front of the door, trying to speak but it came out in garbled, choked gibberish. I walked through her, the smell of rot disorienting. I didn't look back, pressing on to my car in a fury despite the sudden rush of pounding pain in my head.

Sitting outside my house I let myself simmer, if I kill her I may not be able to get away with it like before-no I have to plan this out, I looked over at the front door, Molly pounding at it in hateful silence. I realized now why she stared so intently at Laura, she knew and she was trying to save her, I feel silly with the pang of betrayal I felt. Of course her being here wasn't because of me. It made things so much clearer.Like Molly, no one would know what really happened to Laura once I figured out my plan…I’m just too good at covering my tracks. I'm smarter than some ghosts-- and I have my pride after all.