Death of a Stalker

After waking up and having someone else`s clothes on me with one leg shackled to the floor, I knew I had under estimated Marion. I have to give him credit for being so cunning, I never thought I would ever get tased, especially by an old man, I have no idea what drug he injected me with or how long I was out.

Seven days, I am sure that is how long I have been here. Marion wants to play house? I will play house. I have been cooking, cleaning and sitting every evening on that lumpy ass couch beside his stupid smiling face, one foot shackled to the floor, right in the middle of this house with just enough chain to get where I am told to go.

I notice the graves out in the backyard when I wash dishes, I`m not the first one I can see, Marion a serial killer. I study the backyard, its small, neat and surrounded by woods, if he told the truth I am somewhere in the Ashland area. Under the windows I can see flowers blooming, annuals and shrubs in full bloom.

Marion preaches about marriage and that we have to be married before we have sex, he is planning a wedding and he will be the groom and the preacher, says I am the one, the one that doesn`t scream and try to escape that this is true love and after we are married he will take the shackle off. I smile and that seems to please him.

He leaves earlier today, says he has to keep up his appearances at the lake, be healthy for me, what he does not know is that I have dug at the floor around where the chain connects to the floor with a knife each day, careful so its not noticeable, and I make sure not to pull the chain to tight so that it comes loose.

Tonight I`m out of this dump, I cannot take another night and if he wants to have sex …. I shudder at the thought and wipe that from my mind, back to what I am doing now.

I will cook Marion what he said is favorite meal, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. A special Peach cobbler, old southern food, what I am best at cooking. A special floral tea if he will gather me the flowers.

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Marion comes back at the normal time, his routine I have learned, this time he has a package and tells me its a gift as he hands it to me.

I open it and its a white wedding gown, knowing what this means I look up and smile, Marion is pleased I am smiling at the sight of the dress.

“How perfect! I also made us a special dinner, all I need is the flowers.”

“What flowers are you talking about dear?” Marion said.

“I need a bouquet and I would like honeysuckle for our tea, the shrubs out back are beautiful, cut me a few springs from each, especially the deep pink bush. That would make today perfect.”

Marion smiles and said he could provide the flowers from his gardens.

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As I had expected this morning he was marrying us this evening, but first I will insist we have dinner before consummating this marriage.

He comes inside with plenty of flowers, I place them in the sink and under his watching eyes I make a small pretty bouquet and a vase filled for the table, the honeysuckle is steeping in hot water to add flavor to the dull black tea he buys.

I go and put this wedding gown on, not to big, not bad at all. I actually like it.

Marion dresses in a black suit with a red tie and preforms this ceremony. Then he moves in for the kiss I give him a quick peck and lets him know I am starved and the food is hot and waiting.

He has not taken the shackle off as promised but I say nothing and set the food on the table, serving him first, making sure he gets his milk and a healthy serving of everything, even peach cobbler is waiting in a side dish beside his full dinner plate.

Marion keeps starring at me all through our dinner, I chew my food slow and smile a lot, as I`m sipping my honeysuckle tea I offer Marion a cup and he accepts, as I knew he would.

I walk around his back, touching his shoulder gently as I set the tea down before him, allowing my hand to stay on his shoulder I move behind him once again, this time I give his shoulders and neck a soft massage, Marion relaxes and allows me this massage.

I bend over and I pull the chain slowly, not making much noise, the noise we are both used to hearing with each of my moves, I whisper in his ear “does that feel good my husband?”

When Marion leans his head back to answer I used one fast swing around than then another, the chain is around his neck. I fall backward to the floor pulling Marion on top of me, his back pressed to my body, I use both hand to pull the chain tight as I wrap his lower body with my legs to hold him still.

Right before I know he is about to take his last breath I whisper “Till death do us part.”

By Andria Perry

Photo by Andria Perry