WELL DONE
500 word horror story. May 2017.
One might wonder how high their chances of being mugged are while walking through a dimly lit alley. For James, he anxiously looked forward, quickening his steps while he wrapped his hand around the keys in his pocket as a safety measure. On the weekends, James worked late nights at The Stone as a bartender. The sharp contrast of the loud music to the quiet of his lonely walk made his footsteps seem even louder. Tonight, he made it home in thirteen minutes, which is approximately three minutes faster than usual.
James, as always, couldn’t sleep. He tidied up his small flat, making sure that everything was in order for his date the next day. His last date didn’t go too well and he was really interested in the current girl he was talking to. Rebecca was sweet and laughed at his lame jokes, so every message he got from her made him even more excited. The meal had to be perfect; he had been marinating the meat for a couple days so the flavors would be even more pronounced. He already had set the table.
At 7:02pm, James stood in front of the clock on his wall, watching the minute hand as it ticked on by. She was already two minutes late and James felt a twitch behind his left eye. At 7:07pm, Rebecca called for him to buzz her into his building. Finally being able to talk to her calmed his nerves. They slipped seamlessly into conversation and sipped on red wine. When they sat to eat, he remarked that the candlelight looked beautiful as it reflected off of her porcelain skin. He refilled her glass and then they began their meal.
The noises of adoration over his meal made him happy. She complimented how easily the meat fell apart and how it almost melted like butter on her tongue. The marinade paid off. She finished her wine as he cleaned the dishes, insisting that she didn't help at all, but she moved near.
She took the last sip of her wine and handed the glass back to him, to which he placed next to his barely touched glass. She sat down at the counter, claiming that she thought she had too much to drink and that the room was starting to spin. He slowly placed the dish he was washing in the sink and dried his hands.
“God, that meal was so good. What were the ingredients so I could try and make it?”
Her words started to slur as she grabbed her phone, opening it to write down the details. She dropped her phone, unable to grasp it firmly and looked up at him as he walked closer to her. Her eyes went wide and she struggled to get out of her seat. She collapsed to the ground and watched him as he stepped closer. He kicked the phone away and knelt down by her. He let his fingers trail against her cheek.
“Karen,” he answered.
