Information



Liz
Legacy Name: Liz


The Nightmare Irion
Owner: Chii

Age: 10 years, 1 month, 1 week

Born: February 14th, 2014

Adopted: 10 years, 1 month, 1 week ago

Adopted: February 14th, 2014


Pet Spotlight Winner
January 3rd, 2019

Statistics


  • Level: 1
     
  • Strength: 7
     
  • Defense: 10
     
  • Speed: 10
     
  • Health: 13
     
  • HP: 10/13
     
  • Intelligence: 0
     
  • Books Read: 0
  • Food Eaten: 0
  • Job: Unemployed


There are two sides to every story.

I don't want to hear his, I can't anyway. He's gone and I don't feel a thing. The doorbell rings again. Someone is hugging me and crying over my shoulder. My house is filled with people I do not care about and they're trying to console me. I do not need to be consoled.

It's two days after Valentine's Day. My husband has been missing and the police are all over it.. or so they would like to think. Nothing has turned up and nothing ever will, because they don't know how to do their jobs, let alone find him. I have been asked all the questions that don't matter.

When was he due home? When was the last time you saw him? Has he ever received threats before?

Of course I know the answer to these, I am his wife. But these are not the questions worth asking. Why can't someone ask the real questions?

Why did he cheat on you? Who was the woman? Was a stupid affair worth ruining a ten year relationship?

Nobody asked me these things, nobody cared. Everyone thought John was the victim but the truth is, I'm the victim. I feel deceived, pathetic and lonely. So forgive me if I don't care that he's missing. Spare me the kind words and flower baskets. Rid me of the comfort food and cheap plastic containers.

He's not missing. He's dead. I would know because I killed my husband.

~*~


Two weeks earlier:

"John, I'm going out!" I call out as I tie my scarf around my neck. It's two weeks before Valentine's Day and I can't hide my excitement. I'm trying to play it cool but I have it all planned out: the perfect gift. This time, I wanted to do something different, a little game for my sweetheart. A treasure hunt of sorts.

He blows me a kiss from the kitchen and I head out. I told him I wanted to buy a few things for his mother who is due to visit next month. As much as I like his mother - or try to - this was a white lie. I need five undisturbed hours of V-Day shopping because I have a lot of work to do.

John and I live on the sea side in a beautiful beach house. It's literally everyone's dream house, complete with a spa, jacuzzi, pool, gym and a beautiful french window balcony with a sea view from the first floor. We have a boat, too, and have spent countless romantic nights out on said boat. John writes for our city's daily newspaper. He is a celebrated writer and everyone in the area knows him. I'm a housewife which suits me just fine. I am the kind of woman who loves to cook for her husband, tidy the house and indulge in small hobbies to pass my time. A nest bird.

I make my way to the antique shop downtown. It is a dreary old shop with hazy windows and a clutter of odd items. On many of our dates, John stops at the window of this shop to look at the beautiful antique Hamilton gold pocket watch but today, it's not on display.

I enter the shop and the old shopkeeper looks up from the register and smiles, beckoning to me. He hands over a neat little package with a gold bow. I admire his efforts openly, thank him, pay and leave. I move on to another store to purchase chocolates, candles, roses - the usual. Between us, I'm the romantic one, and I don't mind. I know John loves me more than anything in the world. He expresses it in many ways. I'm not the kind of wife who expects her husband to surprise her with expensive gifts and a romantic night, I would rather plan the whole thing myself and surprise him.

My last stop for the day is rather special. I enter the store and take it all in for a moment. The next time I enter this store, John will be with me and once again, my thoughts go back to his reaction when I tell him. I browse through some of the clothes and find the perfect T-Shirt. It says "World's #1 Dad". I smile and make my way to the cash register. My work for today is done.

One week earlier:

John has been busy these days which suits me fine, since I'm busy preparing this treasure hunt when he's away. Sometimes, it all becomes too overwhelming. He comes home late, tired and irritable. Sometimes so much that he yells at me if his food is too hot. I try to be patient with him because I know his work is stressful and he's trying to catch a break but a small part of me feels like telling him what I'm going through and that he should treat me better.

We have not spoken much all week. When he comes home, I take his coat and bag. He goes upstairs to take a shower, we eat in silence, he goes into the office to make calls or type away on his computer. When I'm too tired to stay awake, I bid him goodnight, he replies with a grunt, without even turning to me. I shuffle upstairs to bed and I fall asleep alone. I doubt tonight will be any different.

I glance at the clock. 11PM. I'm done with the last clue for the treasure hunt. I fold the square pink paper in half and recap the glitter pen. I read the clue again.

"We started our lives in a basement and in the same place, we're starting a new one."

Would he figure it out? It does mention the place. I've hidden the gifts in the basement so that he won't stumble upon them accidentally. I'm taken back to the first few weeks after we moved in together, into a dingy basement on rent. Both of us with our hearts full of love and our pockets empty. When we moved in together, John promised me we would live in a beautiful house one day. Of course, he had lived up to it. I walk around our bedroom, deciding where to hide the clue. I've been keeping the clues in easy places so that John does not give up finding them. I walk over to his side of the bed and open the bedside drawer and place the clue there.

Something odd catches my eye. I bend and fish it out of the drawer. It's a bracelet. Nothing fancy, cheap beads, the kind of imitation bracelets that young girls wear to parties. It does not belong to me. For a second I think it's meant to be my gift but it looks old, tacky and used. I know John and he would not gift me this. I know John? If I know John, whose bracelet is this?

Five days earlier:

I cannot believe my eyes. I really wanted to be wrong but I hate the fact that I'm right. I'm sitting on a park bench, wearing a scarf on my head, sunglasses and a coat. I probably look silly, considering it is not very chilly outside but I don't care. My eyes are fixated on a street cafe across the park. John has been sitting there for fifteen minutes, reading a newspaper and drinking coffee. He told me earlier that morning that he was going to be busy all day due to a business meeting and I had to know what was keeping him busy - especially after finding that bracelet.

I did not want to confront him because he would lie, he would try to convince me, and I would fall for it. A lot of the things that John had said, I brushed off. Now, everything is starting to make sense. What kind of business meeting takes place in a roadside cafe? Clearly, this is a setting for a date. I hate this gut-wrenching feeling. I'm trying not to cry. I keep telling myself it's not what I think it is.

A young girl makes her way to him. She's beautiful. Tall, lush black hair, legs that go on for miles. She looks like a younger, more polished version of me. John stands up, waving, smiling from ear to ear. I cannot remember the last time he smiled at me that way. They hug. I turn away.

Valentine's Day: 10PM

I've spent the entire day alone. I wanted to. I could barely look at John when he left the house this morning.

"Wait up for me, I've got a surprise for you!" He said, kissing me and heading out the door.

That was twelve hours ago. I do not want to imagine what he is doing right now. I'm in the basement, waiting for him to come home. I feel numb. I've been crying since that day, trying to figure out how I failed as a wife. John and I have been together since college. I thought he was my soul mate. I still think that. I cannot imagine being that way with anyone else.

I have tried imagining all the possible scenarios in which the girl means nothing to him. Maybe she's just a friend, a colleague. I tried dismissing the fact that John has always introduced me to all his friends. My thoughts went back to my little discovery in the afternoon.

After lunch I had gone to John's office to confront him. When I asked for him at the front desk, the receptionist looked surprised.

"He's not coming in today.. I...I thought he was spending time with you."

John lied to me. He wasn't in his office, he hadn't even shown up. He was out on Valentine's Day with someone else. I apologized and left the desk, flustered. On my way home I told myself it wasn't as bad as I was assuming it to be. Still, I had to make sure. When I reached home, I checked around the house, trying to find answers. Evidence. More cheap jewellery, clothing, things that I had never noticed before. I checked his sock drawer, his briefcase, the attic, the basement, even the pool house. Nothing. Then, I went into John's office and carefully sifted through his books, papers, notes and articles. Nothing of importance. I logged onto his computer and went through his email. There was an email from candiygirl_102.

Hi, John!
I really enjoyed your company last night! I can't wait to meet you again! Don't tell Lizzy about me just yet. Remember, it's our secret! I can't wait to see the look on her face! I want to be there when you tell her about me!Waiting for your reply!

I am Lizzy to her. Lizzy the fool who has no clue about her husband's whereabouts. She can't wait to see the look on my face when John tells me he's going to leave me for her. For candygirl_102.

I hear footsteps. He's home. I left the first clue on the front porch so that he would find it. The clues leading up to the final one are in the office, kitchen, dining room, our bedroom and finally the basement. He will take a good half an hour to find me down here.

I have still not decided how I want to talk about this. I don't think I can handle it. I hug myself and the tears start to spill again. I wipe them off stubbornly and force myself to stop crying. It's his fault. This whole thing is his fault. I hate having to fight this internal struggle with myself.

Is he good? Is he bad? Why didn't he just tell me?

I am annoyed by the fact that John values her more than me. He is being inconsiderate by keeping her from me, whoever she is. No, I know John can't keep things to himself unless it's a matter of life and death. She is his mistress. I just know it. I tightly hold the cold metal in my hand, the blade cutting into my skin.

He comes down the stairs of the basement and stops for a second when he sees the wrapped presents. I am still out of view but I can see him. I watch the gifts being unwrapped hastily.

"Oh, LIZ!" he exclaims, holding up the watch. "It's beautiful! You're crazy! I can't believe you would get me this!"

I imagined this moment in a million different scenarios but it feels nothing like it's supposed to. I almost want to stop him from opening the other package. I move out from behind an old tool shelf and stand behind him. He is looking at the T-Shirt. He is holding it up and reading the words over and over.

"World's #1 Dad"

I move closer, hands behind my back. He hears me and turns around. He has tears in his eyes. His eyes move to the ten-week bulge in my stomach. I can tell he feels sorry for not noticing it before, apologies at the tip of his tongue. He moves to embrace me.

"Liz, I-"

We hug tightly. His cheek rests against mine. It's cold. The metal between me and his chest is cold. I hug him tighter, twisting my grip. I can feel his warm blood running down my arms. I can taste the salt in our tears.

~*~


My hair is whipping against my face. My eyes sting in the cold air. There is nobody on the beach, not a soul. Our night was supposed to end on this boat and so it has. I leave the knife in him. I look at his face one last time. The only man I ever loved and gave my life to has betrayed me. I am carrying his child. I promise myself that I will not let her make the same mistakes as me.

I place both my palms against my husband's side and push, rolling him over the side of the boat. There is a splash as he falls in. An insignificant splash compared to the crashing of the waves tonight. I see his face linger just below the surface of the water. I wait until he disappears.

Goodbye, John.



Story by Chii
Art and profile by chi

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