Red Velvet Shoes...Short Story

Walking along slowly, my feet numb with cold, unfeeling of the harsh roadside gravel underneath my bare soles. My handbag bumping against my legs as the cars drove by unseen.

One cut foot in front of the other.

Not thinking about the dirt and the blood that covered me from head to toe, I was just walking, each and every slow step getting me closer to home. Closer to him, thoughts of my husband had filled my head from the moment I had woken in the woods, for the first time in a long time he was my only priority. His smiling face seemed to haunt me as I staggered, His whispered words running though my head as my feet thoughtlessly led me through the darkened familiar streets that surrounded my home.

Nothing sounded or moved in the quiet sleeping streets as I stopped at my gate. My fingers curling lovingly around the wrought iron, as I stared at my home.

Not a light could be seen from behind the curtained windows, but i didn’t need it. The gate opened with a slight push, leaving a small trail of dirt as i crossed the porch my hand turning the door handle silently as I stepped into the hall.

My bag knocking a stack of papers flying as I steadied myself. Something was wrong was with me the pounding in my head was worse, my stomach twisting painfully in knots.

why I couldn’t remember anything?

Lifting a weary foot I moved slowly up the stairs, I was so close to him. Once I found him everything would make sense. It always did when he was around.

Pausing at my bedroom door, my palm pressed against the wood my body shuddering. The soft sound of pleasure coming from beyond had to be my imagination. Pushing the door open I stared at the bed. Their bodies entangled in my sheets as they moved together oblivious to the fact that I had arrived home.

Waking up in the woods with no memory was better than this. Not sure what I was doing I moved into the room, standing by the bed I looked down, feeling the icy trail of a tear run down my cheek as I dropped my bag.

"Holy shi..."Joel swore as he rolled off the bed, too horrified to cover himself, as he stared at me from the other side of the bed. His hand reaching out and pulling Lisa, my secretary and so called friend, safely behind him. Naked but for the red velvet high heels she was wearing.

Tilting my head to the side I stared, my mind working overtime as memories rushed back in a torrent.

"Rebbecca?" ignoring him my eyes on the shoes, my shoes, I had saved for months to buy them after seeing them in the boutique window. The most expensive things I had ever owned.

"Oh god it is her" Lisa whispered against his bare back, her voice trembling with fear as she stared at me.

Grabbing a towel off the floor, Joel frowned at her as he wrapped it around himself, edging forward slowly.

"Honey, are you alright?" his hands held out in front of him, ready to ward me off.

Looking up with a raspy laugh, I shook my head from side to side. I was far from alright.

"You killed me" the statement of truth hung in the air, a dark secret let out of its cage. All the horror of that night rushing back to reclaim me, Lisa had kept my drink full that night, the work party stretching into the early mornings; I had been so tipsy i hadn’t questioned her turning to drive deep into the Indian reserve

But Joel was waiting for us. dragging me from the car the moment she had parked. Screaming I had fought him with everything I had, shocked that he would turn on me so savagely, but as his blade slid under my ribs he had smiled at me, crumpling in his arms his name on my lips, his blade plunging into my flesh four more times

“Thanks for the insurance, it was a great idea babe,” He had whispered, kissing my mouth once before dropping me to the dirt at his feet.

Left to bleed out on the forest floor, I had watched gasping for breath my blood pooling around me, as she walked away with him, wearing my red velvet shoes.

Without warning I moved, faster than even I could comprehend. Throwing Lisa at me Joel ran for the door. Falling together, my thoughts as chaotic as her screams. my mouth clamping down on her flesh, my elongated fingernails tearing into the soft flesh of her stomach as she thrashed.

The burst of blood sending me to the edge of madness as her life I tore out between my teeth.

The force of the bullet, sending me off her in a tumble of hair and blood, staggering to my feet I looked at him, his hands shaking, as he held the gun high in front of him.

Snarling, I fell into the feral madness, charging him. My body barley flinching back from the two other bullets that struck me before I reached him, the spray of his blood coating the walls in my first attack, screaming he fell under my second attack, helpless against the force of my blood frenzy. His useless blows growing weaker as I feed, my hands and teeth ripping him apart, the rage slowly subsiding as I sat back on my bare heels.

Licking my fingers clean I stared at his body, ripped open like an overripe tomato, and I felt nothing, not hate nor remorse. Standing I swayed slightly, but already the pounding in my skull was gone.

Moving slowly up the road, blood dripping from my ripped party dress, I couldn’t help the smile that cracked across my bloody lips, as I clutched the red velvet shoes closer to my chest.

© K.A.E Grove