The Letter

The hidden story

            “I’m only telling you this ‘cause I know you can’t use it against me, anything you say will get your sister in trouble with me, so as long as you realize that you better keep your pretty mouth shut.

            “I met Ruth in a night club, she was dancing with a guy I owed money and he kept trying to feel her up but she kept shoving him off. I took my chance and went up to her to ask her to dance, she said she couldn't or he’d come back and hurt her. I decided then to rid us both of the same problem and she agreed to lure him to the back alley where it was so dark and no one usually goes there, those who do are too drunk to care about what’s going on around them anyway. He’d had too much to drink and she gave him the idea that she’d let him have his way with her if he went with her, so he did. He was too busy kissing and feeling her up to notice my presence. Before he knew what happened I had slashed his throat and he fell down dead at our feet.

            "It was quiet easy, I’ve done harder jobs before but she was impressed. She kept babbling about how I’d freed her from that monster, she spit on him and turned to go. She was shining from head to toe in a way that spelled money so of course I went after her. We came here that night and spent it together. And with every word she said it became clearer that she came from money which is all I cared about.

            “Little by little I took from her as much money as I could without turning her away. I needed her to pay my bills. One day, almost 3 months later, she came to me saying she needed my help; that it wouldn’t be as hard as some jobs I had done before. That it was a small favor for her and I’d get a big sum out of it. She started telling me about her nearly perfect sister that had it all and how it was so unfair to live in her shadows and never quiet able to reach her parents’ approval because of her sister. She told me how she was in love with her sister’s fiancé and wanted him all to herself but nothing she tried on him worked and she needed something effective to separate them.

            “I told her I would do whatever she wants if she can come up with a good sum. She offered me 3 grand as a temptation and 7 grand when the job was finished. She was t0 drug you with something weak so that you would be awake yet not really conscious so you wouldn’t resist. Then she’d bring you here where I’d be waiting and then I’d take off your cloths and mine and wait till she brought your fiancé here then rape you yet make it look like you’ve been cheating on him.

            “At first I was doubtful that it would really work but she assured me that he’d take it the way she wants since she’d been preparing him for months. She has been sending him messages from an anonymous number that kept warning him that you were cheating on him so that all was left that he could see it with his own eyes.

            “But it went wrong didn’t it? Yes he believed that you were cheating on him but he couldn't take the shock and committed suicide that night instead of running off to Ruth’s arms as she was expecting. Then you went into a coma and she came to me complaining and saying that it was my fault that this mess happened and that I had over done it. Over done it?!! HAH I went by the plan but she fought and fought and threatened to tell the police. I told her to go ahead and tell them and she’d find herself in the cell in front of mine. That scared the shit out of her and she said she wouldn’t pay me and left. Since then she hadn't been answering my calls but I'm not going to leave her alone till I get my 7 grand.

            “Hey where are you going?!”

            That’s when I ran off. I ran and ran and ran not knowing where I was going, just knowing that I had to get away from that place. From him. from his lies. Because that was all he said is. Lies. Ruth would never do that to me. Never. We are sisters. She wouldn’t betray me and hurt me and harm me this awful way. No no she wouldn’t.

            I found myself at the lake where my James died. I sank down on the sand and sobbed, covering my face with my hands. James, is he saying the truth? Or is it all a lie? Why did you leave me? I need you, James, I need you so much. I took a piece of paper from my bag and a pen and sat writing him a letter, describing all that has been told to me today. I told him everything and signed it “I love you” and gently laid my hand in the lake and let the water carry my letter away, hoping that it would take it to my James. Wishing that he can answer me, but knowing that now I was totally alone.