Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Vindication


Today's muse: Three Word Wednesday

Today's words: error, jingle, vindicate

* * *

Vindication

She glides the drawer open, inch by precious inch, careful to make no sound. The room is dark, but she's done this so many times before, she needs no light. Tongue clasped between her teeth in concentration she dips her hand into the drawer. Any error at this point would mean exposure. And she can't let him know.

She's not sure why she’s hiding it. It's not shame. Guilt, perhaps.

She lifts the small satin pouch. Her fingers fumble with the drawstring as she empties the contents. She's anxious. Needy. She holds her breath when the pieces jingle together, listens for any reaction from the other side of the door. There is silence, then a cough and footsteps.

She presses back against the pillow, still as death, and wills her breathing to slow. The pounding of her heart all but drowns out all other noise. But then the television snaps on and she relaxes. Leaning over, she pushes the drawer closed. He'll be occupied for a while now. Will likely fall asleep out there.

Her fingers close around the small device. She nudges the dial and the familiar hum makes her smile.

He's with her, behind closed eyes. Not him…the other one, the one she's denied. The other beckons, carries her up the mountain, promises she will soar at the top, thrums against her until she convulses.

And when she takes flight, she is vindicated.

6 comments:

glnroz said...

glad to see you are still cranking out these great posts.. hope you have been doin good..

Sheilagh Lee said...

well written up to the last 'surprise'

gautami tripathy said...

You kept me hooked..!!

spiral

Jae Rose said...

'still as death'..what a line..la petite mort..there is something a little sad..perhaps empty about the TV in the background..being so far from somebody in the next room..beautiful writing..as always..jae

Monica Manning said...

@glnroz: doin' well! sadly busy with work and can't make time to write. hoping to change that!

@Sheilagh Lee: I'm all about the surprise.

@gautami tripathy: thanks!

@jaerose: knew you'd get it.

Anonymous said...

how delightfully delightful!... i love this small corner of reality... the truth of love in all it's shining... we all have needs that even our closest close has no idea... speak he sez tell me all you ever dreamed of... beautiful...