MY ESCAPE
1092 Words
Emily had come to 'check on me', though I knew better.
I stood staring at Damian and his mistress, holding each other passionately, the nurses at the hospital congratulating her on her unborn child and of course, none of them failed to refer to her as Mrs. Armstrong and me some injured lady whom they came to see.
Damian played along well, he didn't for once call me his wife.
Deep down, I felt miserable but I didn't flinch.
I couldn't allow them to know my true emotions, I simply couldn't.
Not long after we met briefly, the three of us left for home, or rather to the place Emily had now claimed to be hers.
Two days passed by, each one heavier than the last.
Still my husband and his mistress did not sieze to torment me, each night they enjoyed each others company, acting as if I didn't exist.
The man I married had totally changed, I could no longer tell who he was.
When we bump into each other at home, he would greet me like I was one of the maids then ask if I'm doing alright before going to meet the woman he craved.
That afternoon, as I wandered the garden, Emily approached me with her usual sickly sweet smile.
‘‘Isn’t today just lovely Elsa?’’ she purred.
Disgusted, yet amazed at her courage, I gazed at her.
"It is"
She twirled a strand of her blonde hair and said, “You know, I just remembered something.”
I raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“Last summer, when you were grieving over your grandmother’s passing, Damian and I were enjoying a wonderful time in the Maldives.”
Her words hit me like a slap, but I kept my voice steady.
I turned to view her face.
‘‘You called sometime that week, didn’t you?’’
Last summer, after my grandmother passed away, I felt wounded inwardly, like a part of me had been ripped out, I really needed Damian then but he wasn’t there to comfort me.
He told me he had a business trip and wouldn’t be back till a month’s time. When I couldn’t take it anymore I placed a call, hoping to see his handsome face and hear his charming voice. Hearing him tell me not to cry, that all would be well would have been enough to lift my spirit and cool the burn within, to my surprise when the call was picked I didn’t see my husband, instead I saw a naked Emily Widget smiling and greeting me cheerfully.
My mind became numb, I could barely feel my bones, suddenly Damian climbed the bed where she sat, grabbed her then they started kissing passionately right there in my face like I wasn’t there.
Emily picked on purpose, she wanted me to see that truly she had my husband and I didn’t. Eventually, I ended the call myself when I couldn’t take it anymore.
‘‘How could I forget?’’ I said quietly, my voice laced with quiet fury.
Emily’s expression changed, she seemed troubled in some way. She wasn’t expecting such a response.
‘‘I’m glad you remember.’’ She whispered.
I moved towards a group of sunflowers, plucked one to have a closer view and smell it.
She lingered, but eventually turned away, defeated for now.
“You should be proud of all you’ve achieved,” I called after her.
That week, living under the same roof as my husband’s mistress became unbearable.
Subsequently, Emily would confront me for one outrageous reason or the other or just tell me something terrible to make me jealous of her and feel bad for myself.
After living under the same roof with my husband’s mistress for a weeks, she didn’t stop trying to pull my legs.
She somehow convinced Damian to let her move into my bedroom and suggested that I move in to the guest bedroom instead and he granted her wish without hesitating.
In my own home, I was now treated like a stranger.
Later that day, our rooms had been switched and my things were placed in the guest room and left for me to arrange by myself which was very unusual because when guests are around, the maids would ensure that their things are properly arranged before they could move in.
Apparently, Emily had given them orders to leave my things that way.
I found it difficult to believe that Emily Widget had colonised my home so fast.
"Am I not Mrs. Armstrong or have they all forgotten?" I wondered.
In my troubled state, I remembered my suitcase.
The suitcase I had packed on the day of my anniversary was behind some stuff just around a corner in the room, I went for it, opened it and behold my clothes had been ripped to pieces.
I could hear footsteps becoming louder, someone was coming, so I turned.
‘‘This is more fitting for you, giving your current status.’’ Emily said, leaning on a dressing table close to the entrance of the room.
Not wanting to listen to her dirty stories, I started walking towards the door but before I could leave I felt my hair sprouting from my scalp like it was being forcely uprooted.
Emily had dragged me by the hair, she bent me over causing my face to face hers then said,
‘‘Listen…’’
I broke free, got a hold of her neck, squeezing it tightly, I said,
‘‘I should kill you right here and now you brat.’’
Struggling to breath, she slide her hand across the table trying to find anything that could aid her but instead she hit a row of lighted candles which fell towards a curtain and lit it on fire.
Seeing the flames, my grip weakened, then I took a hit in the head and fell face flat to the ground.
Emily had found a wooden ball one the table which was actually deco for the room and had used it to save herself, she rushed out at once leaving me in the Smokey flames.
I could hear Damian shouting, calling my name as if he was on his way to save me but before he could get to me, Emily presented herself coughing and acting like she was about to faint so he carried her to safety while giving orders to the maids to save me from the flames.
I found my way out of the house that day, narrowly making it safe to the airport.
- Writer
