The Solstice family were an odd bunch; murder, witchcraft, and funerals were integral parts of their everyday life. Elvira Solstice was no exception. Her parents married out of pure loathing, and spent their lives slipping poison into each other's f...
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It was a marvellous day to die.
Each tiny drop of rain resembled molten steel, the pavement looked like it was about to flood. Even the air itself felt grey. That colour was everywhere - including the decomposing corpse of Cousin Larry.
So, you see, it was a marvellous day to die...and Cousin Larry had stolen it from me.
I sat, perfectly miserable, on the sofa. It was lopsided and had a plethora of rips on its vantablack surface. I stuck my fingernail into one and wriggled it around until the hole tore open even further. The filling spilled out, quite similar to the innards of a freshly sliced abdomen. How wonderful.
"My dear sister..." A voice sounded from the other side of the room like teeth chipping against metal. "Are you still sulking about Cousin Larry?"
I crossed my legs, feeling the weight of leather, knee-high boots on my feet. It was an exquisite feeling - like being chained to a cannonball at the bottom of the ocean. "Of course I am. It was positively devilish of him to ruin my Death Day."
"Ah, yes, but how else would we describe our departed cousin if not devilish?" My sister smiled like a sly coyote feasting on the corpse of a rattle snake. Men had always adored that sinister grin of hers, with its lopsided tilt and crooked teeth. "You should not have told him that you had planned to depart on this day. You know how he adores ruining all of our family events."
That scandalous Larry was a handful, that much was certainly true. He had spiked our uncle's drink with cyanide one year, then robbed his grave during the following visit.
"That frown looks divine on you, Elvira, but you simply must get ready." She insisted. "To be late is customary, but we do not want to miss the coffin lowering. It is the best part of any funeral."
I chewed on my bottom lip, hard, and tasted the divine tinge of metal. Swiping my tongue across my lips, the blood coated them as vibrant as any crimson lipstick. "Quite right, Aurora. I suppose I will have to postpone my own venture into the Ethereal Realm."
Hearing the truth in my sisters words, I decided that if I was not able to attend my own funeral on this day...then I might as well go to Larry's. Despite his betrayal, we were still family, and he would surely notice my absence.
Per my darling sister's request, I lifted myself from the couch and sauntered towards the grand staircase. It had once been painted a vivid red, but over the years the layers began to chip away to reveal the white base. Personally, I preferred it this way. It looked like little bits of bone being drenched with crimson blood. I took that thought with me as I vanished into my room. I let it seep into my mind and evoke gore-ish images, and when I dressed, I thought only of what might compliment that blood-riddled bone best.
