Honey And Smoke

"Don't move."

“It’s just us, Francine. You can put down the gun.”

“Can I?” 

“Of course, France. Gee, you’re skittish today. We're only coming to visit. Peter and I went to the movies, you know? Alright, you two, sit. I’ll get us some tea.”

“You do that.” 

“Anything for you, Peter?”

“I’m good, Elena.” 

~

“You still haven’t told her, Peter?” 

“Told her what? Why are you looking at me like that, Francine?” 

“You killed Gregory.” 

“What? How could you say that?” 

“Lower your voice, before she hears. And don’t forget. I’ve got a gun."

“France? Peter? Is everything alright in there? I heard a crash.”

“Tell her, Peter.” 

“...We’re good, Elena! Just knocked over a stool.”

“You know, ever since I met you, I haven’t been able to breathe. I would walk the ancient, dusty halls of the old library and I wouldn’t even let a sniffle. I would sit alone in the restaurant by the dock and never even taste the honey of my tea. You did that to me, Peter. You were so frightening.”

“I was good to you. I never hurt you.”

“Maybe not on my skin, but you left a mark, Peter. And now my Gregory. He’s dead.”

“And you think I killed him?” 

“Don’t act stupid. You knew he was in love with me.” 

“Francine, this is crazy.”

“Quiet. Elena’s coming.”

“Soup’s on! I put a lot of honey in yours, France. I know how you like it.” 

“Thank you, dear.”

“Still got that gun out, Miss? I don’t like guns very much.” 

“Sorry, love. I’ll put it away, right now.” 

“Thank god.” 

“For what, Peter? He’s not on your side.” 

“Oh, France. You’ve always been so funny.” 

“Yeah, Francine. You come up with things so fast.” 

~

“What is it? You two have been staring at each other this whole evening. Is something the matter?” 

“Dear, it’s getting late. You ought to get home, don’t you think?” 

“...Oh, well sure! Peter, come then. We should leave France alone.” 

“Yes, we should--”

“No, Peter’s going to stay. He and I have something to discuss, you see.”  

“Oh...alright. Is everything alright, Peter?” 

“...Everything's fine, Elena. You get on home. Your mother must be worried sick.” 

“Yes, Elena. You go on, before it gets too dark. Wouldn’t want to see your face in the paper tomorrow morning. Like Gregory’s was.” 

~

“Finally. I thought she’d never leave.”

“You keep her out of this. You scared her with that Gregory talk.”

“Perhaps if he was still alive, there’d be nothing to talk about. And why do you care so much about her? She’s much too young for you, Peter. Much too young.”

“You know Elena is just a distraction. You know I still love you."

"Right. That's why you killed Gregory."

"What? Francine, you know I could never...oh God, not this again, put the gun away, Francine.”

“Why do you continue to mention God?”

“Francine, this is crazy. Get away from me. I didn’t kill Gregory, I swear!”

“Sure you didn’t.” 

“Don’t look at me like that. I could never kill somebody. You know me. You love me!” 

“Loved.”

“Liar. You still love me, I can tell. It’s why you haven’t shot me yet. Look at you, Francine. Your eyes are hard but I know the truth. You can’t do it. You still love me. You couldn’t even breathe around me, remember? Well, I haven’t seen your chest move since we locked eyes.” 

“You think that’s love, Peter?” 

“What else could it be, dear?” 

“Let me give you a taste of it.”

“God! Francine, are you insane? You just shot me!” 

“And you killed Gregory. You’re a monster, Peter. You’re sick. And if I can’t breathe, then neither will you.”

“Francine, no, please, don’t do this.” 

“What was that?” 

“Someone’s at the door.” 

“Get up.”

“France--”

“Quiet! Get up. Get up!”

“My leg is bleeding,”

“Get. Up. Ask who it is.”

“Who’s out there?” 

“Peter? It’s me, Elena.”

“What are you doing here?” 

“I just wanted to give France back her keys.”

“Alright then, France is sleeping so, you just leave those keys on the porch, she’ll grab ‘em in the morning.”

“...Peter, why are you still here at France's house?” 

“I’m leaving soon.”

“Open the door.”

“I can’t come to the door right now, Elena.” 

“Oh, I knew it. I knew it! You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you? Aren’t you?”

“Answer her, Peter.” 

“You answer her.”

“Peter. Tell her to go. And make sure she knows I am asleep.” 

“...Francine is asleep, I wasn’t with her.” 

“...Are you alright? You sound hurt….Peter? What was that clicking noise?” 

“I tripped. Please, just go home. It’s too dark for you to be out right now, and your mother will start calling me soon.” 

“O-okay.” 

~

“Quiet. Stop your groaning.”

“I am in pain, Francine. You shot me in my leg.”

“You’re lucky I don’t shoot you in your face. Now get up, we’re not done.”

“Elena will know if you killed me. They’ll hear about it in the news, tell me, how do you plan to get away with this?”

“...I don’t.”

“What?” 

“I plan to get arrested. I plan to smell the smoke, the dust, the honey, again. I plan to smell the fresh air after you, and then the dirt and the metal of a sickly cell. Do you know how much pain one has to be in, to never breathe, Peter? To never be able to enjoy the taste of the world? You will know it.” 

“Francine, please. Think about us. Everything we’ve been through. Don’t you remember that night, by the lake? The water, the rain, the colour of the sky?”

“That night is grey. I don't remember the sky or the water. I remember the fear I felt when you told me not to smile at the man who was handing out balloons. I remember my bloody wrists in your claws when I met Gregory that night. And you said, don’t ever tell anyone about this, Francine. And I went home and washed off the cut. I remember the blood, is that what you mean? I think it was red.”

“Love, come on, you know I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Shut up, Peter. This isn’t about us. This is about Gregory, the real love of my life. The one you stole away.” 

“It’s been years since us, Francine. Why would I kill him?”

“Because it’s only been seconds for you, Peter. Ah. Would you care for a drink? And stop your hissing, it’s driving me mad.”

“My leg, Francine. I think I’m going to bleed out.”

“No, I wouldn’t let that happen.” 

“Because you love me,”

“Because I want to shoot you in your heart, first. Oh, is this how Gregory felt? Is this how he felt when you killed him?” 

“I wouldn’t know.” 

"Stop lying, it's driving me mad."

"I'm not!"

“Alright, Peter. I know you’re too much of a coward to admit it aloud, so I’ll just give you one chance, here and now. If you killed my Gregory, nod.”

“You can ask Jason, he was there that night!” 

“Oh, he said, she said. Just nod, Peter, nod if you killed Gregory, I just want to know the truth. I just want you to admit it.”

~

“Oh, my. I can smell the dust, Peter. I can smell it now.” 

"Hey, Francine, it's me, Elena I just came to-Oh, my god! Peter!"