Silence

Maria sat alone in the library reading her novel. Silence was her only friend. It was 6pm and Maria had spent the entire day in the library. She didn't care though. It was the one place where she could be herself. It was the one place where she belonged. She appreciated the solitude and adored the fact that barely anyone ever visited her. She was in bliss.

Suddenly she heard a knock at the door. "Drats!" Maria snapped. She had locked the door purposely to isolate herself and keep out intruders. She got up cautiously and approached the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Harris." The voice on the other side said. Maria groaned. She knew Harris quite well. In fact, he was the only person in town she knew much about. He seemed nice enough but Maria quickly realized Harris had a hidden agenda. She revealed that he had a crush on her and often had dreams of her covered in honey and eating spiders. Maria shuddered at the thought. "Aren't you going to open the door?"

Maria often fantasized about murdering the mailman. The thoughts would leave her head as soon as they entered though. Maria was no murderess. She had to constantly convince herself that she was incapable of killing another being. Maria never truly believed it though, she was proven wrong in the past.

Opening the door slightly, Maria glared at the mailman. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to pop in and say hello." Harris said with a friendly smile. Maria saw right through the fake exterior and sensed the mailman just wanted to get a glimpse of his goddess.

"Hello. There now you've said hello." Maria said dryly. "Now if you don't mind… I want to get back to my book." With that said, Maria slammed the door.

Maria heard Harris sobbing from outside. "Maria… I'm sorry. I just… I don't know how to be around you. I wasn't staring this time was I?" His voice cracked and Maria grimaced. The whole situation made her feel uncomfortable. "If this is about the time I took those pictures of you and made that shrine… I'm sorry. I burnt it. I know you were freaked out by it… but I'm over that now, really."

Maria felt uneasy and the knots in her stomach weren't helping. "Harris… if I let you in, you have to promise me something okay?" It took a moment for him to respond but he said it was all right. "Okay. Harris, I don't want you to touch me. After the last time you were here… it didn't really go over that well."

"Maria, I only cut your hair to add to the shrine. I told you though, those days are over. I'm being serious here. Why cant you just forgive and forget? I need you."

Maria sighed. She tried not to show her distaste for the mailman but it she found it to be a difficult task. "I need you to promise me you wont touch me." Harris agreed and Maria opened the door slowly letting him in. "Now, if you don't mind being silent for a while… I'm really into that book. You're free to go off and look around if you wish just keep the noise down."

"Oh silly Maria, you know I'm not interested in books. I came here to see you." Harris smiled big. "You know, there's something fishy going on around here. No one is around. I mean, you'd think I'm just exaggerating but I'm not. There is absolutely no one out there. It's insane. Do you have any idea where they could be?"

"I haven't the slightest clue." Maria said shrugging. "Now, really…I want to catch up on my reading."

Harris pressed further. "But don't you find that just insane? Maria, I'm interested in your thoughts on the topic. Do you feel scared? Vulnerable?" Maria rolled her eyes. Harris looked at her suspiciously.

"I mean it Maria. It's a ghost town out there." Maria smiled at his choice of words; he had no idea. "We need to get out of here. It's a conspiracy! Maria, get your things…" He was interrupted when Maria clocked him over the head with a club. The mailman fell to the floor in a heap. Blood dribbled down his forehead and a sick grin appeared on Maria's face.

Maria cackled. "Oh shut up. You thought I didn't know you were watching me all those nights? You're sick. Even after all you've put me through I considered sparing you but no… you just couldn't keep your big mouth quiet. It's a library. What don't you people understand? Now… that's the last one. No one will ever disrupt the silence again. No one will disturb my peace." With that said, the librarian dragged his body into the basement. Bodies of the other villagers accompanied him. Maria sighed in relief. "I have this whole town to myself now." With that said, Maria headed back upstairs to continue her book. The prologue seemed promising…

Morbid and disturbing, no doubt. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out though. As always, reviews are appreciated. Thank you.