The housewife

ath do

us, is

ol

walked down the aisle,

etched unyielding into

soul as I muttered t

d and I wished to rip

nothing but

f, a mindl

uncle's making. I had lo

even the ability to dr

my freedom day and night

, the deeper I sank into

myself. Yet here I stan

fully mine. Today, at lo

the chains tha

ade against the steel ro

on the painted portrait

a haunting reminder o

gony, a victim of his

ith disdain - their laught

capes my lips, a single

ftly on the ki

heart races with excit

oasted chicken wafts throu

I set down my knife and

, cl

itts. Today is a mome

ith cele

zling chicken from the o

A burst of joy surges wit

na

nto my ques

aster as heavy footstep

gaze fixated on my back

him a warm welcome, "

ck of my wrist, I r

th suspicion, the brow

His hair, brittle and life

in the sun. His eyes we

s of a life filled with ha

drew my attention, it w

er to his rugs

esture that seemed to

t of his jacket, my hear

ance in my direction,

alone with my thou

on the mitts, the urg

ong

ating him with my bar

problems. But taking a d

yself. My eyes remaine

flick of my wrist, I

ottle of cyanide salt -

've been gathering seeds

eadly cyanide. As little

fruit can silence a pe

unsettling - the seeds r

art and snatching away

, especially when you'r

urvival skill. With a cu

in my apron's front po

table, I carefully

ted through the air, f

e No.2. The lighting wa

the space. Vanilla candl

g the air with a sweet,

breathtaking crystal ch

he l

electable creations were

bl

ed bread, succulen

les, and a glass of rich

each dish, carefully

ment, I slipped the cya

nto my husband's plate, m

Just as I was finishin

caught my

bottle of salt back in

he table, taking my sea

on, revealing the sleek

y body. I smoothed it dow

aped figure, and tucked

calm anticipation, I wa

ro

gar perched

in, clad

arm flicker as he took

ity. Despite his glare, I

cked up my knife and for

mouth, the perfect bala

delicious bite, I

ne glass to my lips

w

gaze with a cool, col

ao

h

table and encourage, "E

f, he extinguishes the c

his meat with precisio

my

ments were slow and cal

e chews attentively, n

uti

wallow, relishing the

sed the question, "How is

attention swiftly return

he meal. I snag a few v

in my mouth, and wash i

g the liquid warmth

n eerie stillness fills t

e him clearing his throat

ant g

avy and laboured. "Wha

ma

as he stares at me inc

lice through the succul

heavy-handed with the

takes a swig, but it o

dit

me violent, his

his breath, Meanhile

t satis

ating power of my little

nxiety clawing its way

o

cally, disoriented by hi

d, thick veins bulging fr

gasp, he attempts to st

or air. With a mischievo

a sly smirk. "Funny, I fo

r my dearest husband," I

anide salt," the words

led with terror and fury.

tterness in

his throat, tears strea

lably. With a calculated

it down with a sip of ric

husband's body

eath, his head falls ont

s of hi

by a solemn stillness,

classical music linge

suming my food, my eyes

e form. Upon finishing w

other glass of wine, rai

c smile plastered across

empl

iversary,

at

the bittersweet scent o

nding me. Viktor, the m

hadowy figure in life. Ye

s if we mourned the los

ched

k parade of mourners, t

ed with a twisted sense

atching a man like Viktor

to die, Viktor's deat

he slow, painful end I

t that, at least for tod

oaming it

en a somber and dreary

the sky was a brilliant

d of songbirds and the hu

e loss of someone who

tre

at stoic, their faces as

their scowls only a fie

y were furious tha

ment at how a man with

t attack. However, unlike

sobered myself up for ap

, masking my true feeli

façade of sadness - o

the truth about Viktor

h

leave me to suffer in sil

turn to

hem see me break. In a

y stare, but I remained

es of the mourners only a

wait for this funeral to

the pieces of m

completion and called fo

ech

rents were meant to spe

siblings, he only has di

was chosen to speak

weight of his absence se

mbling hands, I smoothed

y way to the stage. Al

ons rang

thmpany lo curiosit

hru

a liv

faces, I was struck by a

gathered to witness Vi

o

a joyful celebration, b

ed as I beg

," I said, my words ca

contain my fa

fact not

ike no other," I say, my v

se words wash over me, bu

el freedom. "It changes

hrill of it all. "My habi

f self.

transfor

knew the weig

u one more time," I wh

u again, it will be to w

ther and

ice quivering and tears

y were the embodiment of

side, leading me away

at next to my uncle. T

my heart pounds incessant

drop, staring boldly b

ceremony continues, it i

in. We all file out of t

n out into the warm

oser to his final resti

sts form a semicircle aro

and tea

ief as if the very groun

for V

ly and friends alike, wi

front of the headstone

the distance is heard, ec

igna

clock. Its mounful tune

e sit

s his casket is buried si

my lips. The twisted sa

that I never thought was

ng buried could brin

usband's grave, some in

yes, offering their cond

ed to empathize with the

llow and insincere. How

ions after offering their

essly passed by the othe

just another

ere alone, gazing at th

as much as I wish I coul

hat the overwhelming fee

. I despise him with eve

he had caused in my life.

is wishing the same suff

spirit and min

been a futile attempt

and unyielding ailment. I

, and beseeched f

or hurting me. He never

them dozens of times f

king your life was a nec

e surviving ano

lt, h

wn kin, How much more

ars of constant soul-shat

e too muc

it - I had t

t you've

to burn in e