Marriage Chronicle

Chapitre 7: Seven Deadly Sins; and She Did One

The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight-hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whiskey. Fresh ice cubes in the thermos bucket.

Sakura was waiting for Syaoran to come home from work.

Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come.

When the clock strikes right ten o'clock, she began to listen, and a few moments later, punctually as always, she heard the tires on the gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the footsteps passing the window.

She laid aside her sewing, stood up, opened the door, and went forward to kiss him as he came in.

"You're home," she greeted.
He only nodded.

She walked over and made some drinks, and soon she was back again in her chair with the sewing, and he's in the other chair, holding the tall glass with his hand.

For her, this is a blissful time of the day. She loved watching his every movement.
"Syaoran, shall I get your slippers?" she asked.
"No."
"Shall I get you some cheese?"
"Nope."
"I'll get you some crackers."
"I don't want it."

She moved uneasily on her chair, her emerald eyes still watching him. "But you must eat! I'll get you some food, then you can finish it or not, as you like."
"Sit down," he said, "Just for a minute, sit down."
She began to get frightened. She knew something is wrong.
"Listen, like I said before," he said, "I've got something to tell you."

She lowered herself back slowly into the chair, watching him with her bewildered eyes.
"This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I'm afraid," he said, "I've decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won't blame me too much."

And he told her. It didn't take long; four or five minutes at most, and she's still watching him with a dazed horror.
"I know it's kind of a bad time to be telling you…"

She didn't reply anything, and walked away. She couldn't feel anything at all; she couldn't believe the whole thing.She walked down to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and reached inside.
She took the first thing she found inside and opened the wrapping.
It's a cow rib. They're supposed to have cow rib for dinner.

She held the rib with her hand and walked upstairs. He's still there, facing the door with his back to her. She walked behind him.
"For God's sake," he said, but not turning around, "Don't make me any supper. I'm going out."

When he was about to bow down and pick his shoe, she didn't want to miss any chance. She swung the cow rib high and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head.

She stepped back a pace, waiting, and afraid if he's still alive. He remained standing there for five seconds, gently swaying. Then he crashed to the carpet.

The violence of crash, the noise, the small table overturning, helped bring her out of the shock. She stood for awhile, looking at the body, feeling cold and surprised, still holding the rib tight with both her hands.
"…All right," she told herself, "…I've killed him…"

She began thinking very fast. "I must cover this crime," she told herself again.
She carried the rib into the kitchen, put it on a pan, turned the oven on, and ran upstairs leaving it.
She sat down before the mirror after washing her hands and tidying up her hair. She tried a smile, but it came out peculiar.
"Hello Ogata-san."
The voice sounded peculiar too.
"I'd like some potatoes, please."

That was better. Both the smile and voice came out better now. She rehearsed it few several times, then she took her coat and ran to the grocery.
"Hello Ogata-san," she said brightly aloud.
"Oh, good evening, Sakura-san," he said.
"I want some potatoes please."
"You're not going out today?"
"Nope. Syaoran's tired and he doesn't want to eat out tonight."
"I see. Then you should give him a good dinner."

She paid the food and put on another smile, "Thank you Ogata-san! Good night."

She ran home, put the food down and saw him, still lying there on the floor. Even she's the one who killed him, it still shocks her.
All the old love and longing for him welled up inside her. She ran over to him, knelt down and began to cry her heart out.

A few minutes later she got up.
"It's not my fault," she said to herself, "If he didn't lie to me all the time, I wouldn't have to kill him."

She ran to Kurogane and Fye's house next door.
"Kurogane-san! Fye san!" she yelled, knocking the door for many times.
"Coming," Kurogane opened the door.
"What happened, Sakura-chan?" asked Fye after looking at her face.
"…Syaoran… he…!" tears dropped from her eyes.
"What happened to him?" Kurogane gets a bit frightened.
"I don't know…" she cried and pulled Kurogane's arm, "Quick! Come quick!"

Kurogane and Fye walked in, with Sakura following behind. Syaoran's body is still there, not moving even an inch.
"Is he dead?" she cried.
"…I'm afraid he is," said Kurogane.
"No… that can't be!"

"What happened, Sakura-chan? Tell us," said Fye.
Sakura tried to stop her tears and told them the story, "…Syaoran came home from work early and said he's tired… and doesn't want to eat out… so I went to the grocery and when I returned home… He's already… dead…"

"Okay. We'll try to find the murderer," said Fye, "For now you can sit down and calm down."
"…thank you," she sobbed.

Behind her tears, she's still looking at Fye and Kurogane with her cautious eyes. Her heart beats fast, she's afraid that they'll uncover her crime. And she's afraid because she just killed someone she loved.

"I think he's killed by a blow with a large heavy blunt instrument," said Kurogane.
"It's the old story. Get the weapon, and you got the man!" added Fye, "Sakura-chan, do you have any idea what is it?"
She shook her head, "If there's anything large missing from the house I might have known it."

The search went on for a few hours.
"Oh ya!" she stood up.
"What's wrong Sakura?" asked Kurogane.
"I forgot to turn off the oven," said Sakura, "I was in panic and didn't realize it all the time."

Then she returned with cow rib on a plate.
"Please have some food," she said, "It'd be a favor to me if you'd eat up. Then you can go with your work afterwards."

There was a hard time for Sakura to persuade Kurogane and Fye, but finally she made them to eat the cow rib.She stood behind the sofa, watching them cautiously. She looks nervous and afraid if they might blew up her cover.

"What's this?" said Kurogane, "A hair…"
Sakura gasped. She began to shiver, thinking very fast for a reply.
"I think that's Syaoran's hair," said Fye, "But how can it get here?"
"And there's some blood here, even a bit."

"Could it be?" said Fye.

Kurogane and Fye turned to Sakura. They couldn't believe what they've just realized.
"Sakura… how could you…"
"Please tell us the truth, Sakura-chan."

Sakura took a deep breath. They've found out what she has done.
"That's right… I killed him."

A/N: Yaaaay... I'm a weirdo. This is the end of Marriage Chronicle. Don't trust me? It's the truth! Joking... it's a lie. I can't end my story like this. Nooo, it's the truth. Nah, it's a joke. No, it isn't!
Ok, I'm becoming such an annoying writer, eh? Let's just hope that this is not the end of Marriage Chronicle. LOL.

Reviews, flames, rants, comments, suggestions, are totally welcome.

A little information: This chapitre is a parody of "Lamb to The Slaughter" by Roald Dahl.