Love Is Sour

A girl kneels, crying in the rain, her silhouette perfectly shaped by the moonlight. She has her arms wrapped protectively around her shivering body. She gasps as the tears run down her cheeks, mingling with the dirty rain water. She doesn't really know how long she has been there. When a person is sad, they seem to lose all sense of time. All she knows is that the pain won't go away. Things will never be the same. Not now, not ever.

She thinks back to when they first met, two years ago. His gentle touch had always soothed her. Then his sweet kisses: passionate, but always tender. The way his arms enveloped her in a warm embrace...

"Karen?" She spins her head around, a look of fear in her eyes. She puts her hands up against her face, as if trying to protect herself.

“Don’t come near me, Darryl! Stay away!” she shouts. He shudders violently.

“I’m sorry Karen. I should never have told you…” he starts, noticing the deep red gash on her arm. He reaches out to touch it. She wrenches her arm away in disgust.

“Don’t touch me!” she screeches hysterically. Darryl sighs. He hated seeing her like this. But he can’t let her go on hating him without understanding. He kneels down beside her.

“I can’t…I wish…I’m sorry.” He can’t think what to say. She stares at him in disbelief.

“I’m…sorry? I’M SORRY?! How can that possibly make up for what you’ve done?” she spits.

“I…I’m…” It’s too hard.

“Let me guess! ‘I’m sorry’. She stands and turns towards him. She tries desperately to look in control, but he can tell she is hunched over, arms folded to comfort herself.

“Well…what else can I say?” he asks exasperatedly.

“This is more about what you could have said. You could have told me that every time you get upset you turn into a monster and lash out at anyone you see. You could have told me on our first date. You could have told me when I told you I love you. But when did you tell me? Just now, when you tried to kill me!” she screams at the top of her voice.

He starts to sweat.

“Please don’t make me angry!” he pleads. He knows what will happen if she does. She knows as well, but she can’t seem to stop. All that pent up anger bubbling away inside her just kept spilling out.

“Or what?! You’ll turn into Khash again, and try to kill me, again. Well go on then kill, me its better than living another day with you!” She stops watching in horror as Darryl’s skin starts to change. It bubbles as if something is breaking through to the surface. He lurches forward, hands clasped to his chest. He falls onto his hands and knees, jerking from side to side. Karen’s eyes are as big as dishes. Had she really pushed it too far? She hears that noise. That horrible sound of flesh mingling with blood and bone, as the transformation takes place. She wishes she could run, but where to? Into the forest, where he would track her down then brutally kill her? Into the house where she would be cornered and ripped to shreds? She has a better chance trying to trying to talk to him, like last time. She turns around to come face to face with Darryl’s monster form, Khash. He stands seven feet tall. He looks like he has a lions head, but instead of a mane, is a head of thick black spikes; one head-butt is all it takes to kill someone. His body is that of a human, but black and sleek in colour. His muscles can crush any living thing. This is Khash. And he is ready to kill.

Only moments later, Darryl kneels staring remorsefully at Karen’s lifeless body. He is holding his throat in an attempt to stop the choking tears. He is shuddering violently. Why her? The one girl who loved him, whom he had loved back and he had killed her. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t ask to be like this. He never wanted that impious Khash to be a part of him. Who would? If it wasn't for that stupid abortion... She killed his baby, so Khash had killed her. He leans forward to stroke Karen’s forehead. She was…so beautiful, even in death. He looks at her broken neck with self-loathing. At least he knows it had been quick, even if her heart was broken.

“I always loved you, Karen” he whispers lovingly. Then he stands up and walks away. There is no point in staying any longer. He knows she won’t be getting up again.