Scarlet

Red, as wine. The sweet taste of Merlot, flowing effortlessly down your throat. Giving you the sweet satisfaction.

Red, as is a rose. Pricking every slightest thing it's path. A beautiful delicate, yet dangerous object.

Red as his blood. The blood of the man who dared betray me. The person I trusted with all my heart and soul.

Trust that meant nothing at the end of the day. His crimson thick liquid was painted all over my walls now. Dripping down the floral wallpaper.

The walls of a place we used to call home. The same home where Sara, Carrie, Marie, Sam and Irene were brought. Women which he thought I had no idea of.

Buying them bouquet of roses, my favorite flower. Going to dinner at a place which was my favorite. Ordering the most luxurious wine. The wine which I had shown him.

He had those women on display for everyone to see. There was not one person who wasn't informed of his shenanigans. These female friends were his so-called clients. Women he claimed he was helping. And help them he did.

Help them right into our house. Into our bed. Help his hands all over their body. Kissing them in the same manner he did me. And those same hands and lips were the ones who caressed me after.

He disgusted me. And I knew exactly how to deal with men like him. Men who could never be happy with what they had. Men would had to go looking for other things, other people to fulfill their desires. They were like rats that had to be exterminate. Vermin that had to be killed. And he was good as dead. So said the three bullets in chest.

"Think, goddamnit, think", I said to myself. "I could always clean up the mess. Take my prints off the gun. Make it look like a suicide." I slapped myself mentally, "No Cynthia, you cannot simply get away with this. All roads lead to you. Every. Single. One."

I drop the gun and pace back and forth. There's only one way to end this once a for all. Disappear. And disappearing would be easy. I had no one.

Marrying Thomas Miller, I lost everything. My family, my friends, colleagues. For the past 10 years he distanced me from everyone. Slowing taking everyone and everything that had any importance to me.

I walk up the marbles steps in our big house, making my way to our bathroom. I strip myself of all my clothing. Turning on the hot water, I step in the shower, washing away the evidence from my body.

Wrapping one of our white towels around my body I step in front of the mirror. Wiping the fog from the mirror I can finally see my face. The bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. The lines on my forehead from stress.

Inside the cabinet I grab hair scissors and I begin to cut my long black hair. I cut it as short as I possibly can. After I feel satisfied with the end result I leave the room, making my way to our shared bedroom. Putting on some clothes, then packing a bag.

After I've done everything I needed to, I make my way towards the garage and back out the car. I enter once last time into my house. I look around and think back on all the memories we've shared in this house. The good, the bad. That would all be erased soon. Pouring gasoline over the premises, I throw his favorite lighter on the floor.

Lighting up the house in a thousand flames, I walk out and climb into the car. I leave behind the life I once knew and escape into a world of a wanted criminal. Soon everyone would come looking for me. But at least I had a head start. A very good one.

Driving west towards Hollywood Boulevard, sounds of sirens coming from a distance bring me back to reality. they were making their way towards Tom. I had finally realized what I had done.

Tears begin to fall uncontrollably down my face. Marking my pale skin with their salty substance. I had no reason for this sudden sadness. For a while now, I had been very eager to put an end to Thomas Miller. But now that I have finally succeeded I cannot begin to think of a more tragic way for a person to die. In the hands of someone they loved very much so.

I have not been able to get out of my brain the last words he said to me. They will forever haunt my soul.

He stood before me, while I had a gun in my grasp. Pleading for his life. "Darling, you don't have to do this. I know I've lost myself. And along the way I hurt you. But please give me one more chance and we can do this again."

"How do I know you won't cheat again?"

"Because Tia, I believe in you. I believe in us. And I really want you to believe in me. Can you do that for me?"

"You've hurt me so much Tom. I can't."

"Tia, I'm sorry I hurt you so much. But I didn't think I deserved you. I had to work so hard to do what came so naturally for you."

My body lights up with rage. Shaking the gun to his face I yell, "So you had to sleep with other women?!"

"Tia I know I'm not gonna come out of this alive. Do what you want. Just know you hate me now. But as soon as I'm gone, you will never be able to get me back. And then who will you have?"

"I'll have me", I pull the trigger. I pulled it again, and then one last time. No sound came out due to the silencer that he had installed a while back.

The car behind me honks his horn, snapping me out of my trance. The man behind me curses at me and I proceed to move my car.

He was right. Even after death Tom would always be right. I would miss him. And I did. But I couldn't focus on him now. He was long gone now. I had to put that behind me. There would be no more women. Tom was no longer a problem. And I was no longer Cynthia Miller.

I was now, and forever will be, Scarlet.