To Run from Fate

We shouldn't be together, she said. He didn't care, the love that they shared was like nothing he'd ever experienced. He said he didn't care about his wife. He promised to divorce her before their baby came out. They met in the guest bedroom like they always did, she was always in awe of how well he fucked her. It was like all of their depraved, nasty repressions were acceptable and encouraged for the few moments that they had together. Even meeting in secret was part of the rush. But they knew that this could go on no longer. This was the last time they would meet before he divorced her. At her party, too. She probably deserved it anyway.

The party itself was nothing special. The flamboyant dancers lit up the grand ballroom with their blades. The theme seemed particularly unsettling, but it was clear that Emily didn't want any tongues wagging about death. Diane tried to keep conversation light while serving. How lovely the food was, even though it tasted like shit, but the infused cake had everyone feeling extra loose.

Emily came up to her. She looked ugly. She couldn't believe that he had married her. She thought about how much better she was, in looks, mannerisms, sex, he deserved better. And she was better.

'Have you tried the meatballs yet?'

'We aren't supposed to eat them, and actually, I'm vegetarian'

'Really? Harry didn't mention that. I never would have guessed'

'I don't think I ever told him actually'

'Funny, the things that never get told. What if, I told you...that I was going to kill you tonight?'

They laughed hysterically. She never took Emily as a crude person.

'I'd probably thank you, with how my life has been going recently'

'Oh, don't thank me, thank Harry'

Emily walked off and she stumbled to the bathroom. Did she know? She didn't know. There was no way that she could have known. Everything was alright. She just needed space.

The other waitresses kept coming up to her, is there anything we can help you with, aren't you dying to know what comes next tonight?

She felt unease. She wanted nothing more than to rid herself of this entire situation, to pretend like nothing ever happened.

Finally in the bathroom she composed herself. Her makeup was beginning to smear from the sweat. What had she gotten herself into? There was no time to think now. Emily slammed the door shut behind her.

'I love having private time with my nemesis'

'What makes us nemeses?'

She didn't want to believe that she knew.

'I don't know, you're always copying my hair color, I don't think that your job pays as much as mine, but you sure have a lot more free time than me. You know, we have cameras in the front--it's a pity the state that you leave in, it makes me worry for you.'

At that moment she knew that she knew, and knew that she knew that she knew that she knew, and they looked at each other with wild eyes.

'Well, when you're passionate about what you do, you really put your heart into it.'

'My husband says that a lot as well, his passion for me left months ago. I used to wonder why. Was I not pretty enough? Not sexually explicit enough? I used to do everything I could to please him until I eventually stopped trying. It's odd that when you stop trying things seem to become better. Now I only please myself.'

Diane didn't know what to say. She knew she needed to leave. Walking past Emily, she saw a knife tucked away into her dress. That's when she picked up her pace.

She shoved through the crowd of waitresses after telling the guests she needed some fresh air. That was all. Fresh air. It wasn’t even her party so why should they care? She never really cared for parties anyway.

She climbed over the balcony and looked over her shoulder to check. Still being followed. She thought to herself about how she should have grabbed a knife, it was too late now, she could only run. She thought of everything she could have done differently. If she didn’t sleep with that man, or take a run every Monday morning down to the boutiques. If she didn’t fall in love with every man she met at the pub she went to Tuesday night. Everything she did in life was to escape, and now, she had cornered herself. 

Emily followed her outside and saw her jump over the balcony. She laughed. I mean, it was her dinner party after all. She told the waitresses to wait at the entrance. If anyone tried to leave, tell them that there’s an accident on the road and that the police told them that they must stay. 

Now, Diane had made it to the exit, she wasn’t stupid enough to think the waitresses would let her through, so she entered the maze garden. The maze garden was one of the worst she’d ever seen. It didn’t allow for beauty as the bushes were too high, it was like being trapped in an oddly green cornfield and the shape of it from the windows wasn’t even pleasant. There weren't any colors, and the few flowers that were there were smothered by bushes. She could have done a much better job designing it, she thought.

Stabbed. She should have brought the knife. In the back so she continued to run. But she was bleeding down her legs. Stabbed again. This time in the stomach. There was nowhere to go now. She laughed hysterically.

She stood over her, finally! Finally, the bitch was going to die. But the laughter. It made her stab faster, harder. This was supposed to be her moment. 

She laughed until her dying breath. She didn’t know what else to do. Her life finally made sense. In those moments before death, one thing becomes clear. It never really mattered anyway.