A Love To Die For

Lisa had been finding little notes for over two weeks now. They were in her shoes, stuck to the fridge, slipped into the pocket of her favourite blouse. Everywhere.

The thought had crossed her mind to be a bit scared. But, she had dismissed that quickly. They were such lovely notes, surely their author could mean her no harm.

As she pulled on her jacket, ready to go out for the day, another one fell out and landed at her feet.

“Roses are red, violets are blue, even the stars aren’t as mesmerising as you” she read out loud, in a soft voice. The note gave her a glow inside her belly. Pushing it back into her pocket, she smiled into the mirror, before stepping out the door.

It was about an hour later when Michael entered Lisa’s apartment. He could smell her perfume in the air. He didn’t like the fragrance. Wrinkling his nose, he quickly scribbled a note, and left it in the bathroom cabinet. Removing a small package from his jacket pocket, he set it down on her dresser before leaving.

Lisa woke up, stretched out on the sofa a few hours later.

“I guess I must have tired myself out today.” She said to herself, as she ran a hand through her hair, and yawned. “A nice cool shower will wake me up!”

Making her way into the bathroom, Lisa saw the note straight away. Stuck to the mirror of the bathroom cabinet, the bold lettering stood out clearly. Three simple words, that made her heart jump onto her throat with nervous excitement.

‘SEE YOU SOON’

Her shower now forgotten, Lisa pulled the note down, and stroked the soft paper, feeling the indents from the writing, as though she were reading Braille. It was then that she noticed the watermark on the paper. It was the special one she had bought on holiday, as a souvenir. A bubble of laughter escaped her lips, as she imagined her admirer sneaking around looking for a pad of paper, after maybe forgetting to bring his own. She just hoped he didn’t forget to tell her where and when to meet him, though.

“I wonder what he looks like,” she murmured gently, walking across the room to her dresser. Her apartment was painted in warm creams and golds, with soft furniture upholstered in Baroque designs. The whole place was aglow now, at dusk, with a wonderful golden light, making her feel like an angel as she glided over the polished wood floor. Her dresser sat against one wall, next to a large pot plant in an ornate gilt stand. She fondled a leaf as she sat down on the dressers stool. Picking up a hairbrush, she began running it softly through her long auburn hair. A small package caught her attention, sitting on the edge of the dresser. Reaching for it, she discovered it contained a bottle of perfume, different to the brand she normally wore. With shaking hands, as she knew the gift must have come from her admirer, she removed the elegant crystal stopper, and breathed in the scent. It smelled of lilies, and ginger, and far away places, and she loved it.

Michael gazed down at the bed, with its soft eiderdown cover. He ran a hand over the body-shaped indent. It was still warm. He knew he couldn’t let her find him yet, not just yet. He had to wait just a little longer. There was a new scent in the air, and on the pillow. He smiled to himself. She was wearing her new perfume.

He moved across the room and entered the small kitchenette. A couple of dishes sat in the sink. A small vase of daffodils stood on the tiny windowsill. The walls were painted a familiar shade of lemon. Michael stood still for a moment, allowing himself to just breathe in the place. A wave of excitement almost took him over, and he shook his head.

“Not yet, not yet, not yet.” He repeated, like a mantra. Oh, how he loved this place, and Lisa. It would be so easy just to do it now, to let her see him, know he was there. To be with her forever…….

But he mustn’t.

He was getting better though. Better at not letting her suspect he was there. He was able to visit whenever he wished now, and she never knew, apart from the notes he left, that he had been there. He hadn’t been caught. And he needed only a short while before he was strong enough to be there permanently.

With a sigh of happiness, he went to the bathroom and took a small bottle from the cabinet. That was the last thing he needed to do. Now he just had to wait……

It was a couple of days later that Lisa found another note. She was so relieved when it fell out of her mail as she scooped up the envelopes from the doormat. She had thought he may have forgotten about her. Or given up on her. Or didn’t love her anymore. And that scared her. She had grown to love this stranger, who sent her such touching messages, and made her feel so special. Unfolding it eagerly, she read the message aloud, as she always did, to make it more real.

“Tonight, my love, 8pm. Tonight, we shall become one.”

Lisa barely remained standing as she read. Her emotions crashed through her body, as the excitement boiled up. She had slept in late that morning. It was already one in the afternoon.

‘That only gives me seven hours’ she thought to herself.

She began by laying out an outfit on her bed. A crimson dress, with ruffled sleeves, that always made her hair look resplendent. She added a matching pair of high heeled shoes, and a gold belt. She would slip into them later, once she had made more preparations.

A shower was next on the list, and she made her way into her little en-suite. She twisted the knobs and let the water begin to flow and heat up as she undressed and brushed her teeth. As she brushed, she had another look in the cabinet for her pills. She had lost them a few days ago. They had just disappeared. She wasn’t too worried though. Her illness didn’t seem to be affecting her without them. And she could always just get some more from her doctor.

She stepped out of the shower ten minutes later, and wrapped herself in a soft aqua green towel. Once dry, she slipped into jeans and a shirt, and set off for town to pick up some ingredients for a meal she would cook later.

Michael stepped into the apartment moments before Lisa returned. He knew he shouldn’t be there, he knew he should have just waited a couple more hours….. but he couldn’t resist. The place looked so cosy and inviting. She had gotten new curtains, to match the pattern of the sofa, and a new ornament adorned the small fireplace. It wasn’t really to Michaels taste if he was honest. He carefully took it down and put it away in a cupboard.

Walking into the bedroom, Michael took a moment to admire the dress. The colour was so striking, the fabric so silky. It was wonderful. He could barely contain his excitement at having Lisa as his own soon. With a soft, barely audible moan of anticipation, he slipped back into the background to wait…..

Lisa was ready. She had been dressed for ages. Her hair had been brushed till it shone. Dinner was cooking slowly in the oven. The apartment looked neat and tidy. All she had to do now was wait.

The clock struck eight, and made her jump as it delicately chimed the hour. It was then that she heard the voice.

“Hello Lisa.” It was barely more than a whisper, yet it was clear in her ears. It came from INSIDE her.

“Wh…what? Who’s there?” She asked out loud, swinging round to see if anybody stood behind her. There was no-body there.

“It’s me Lisa. The one who sent you all the notes. It’s eight o’clock. Time for our date.”

It took Lisa a moment to realise that her mouth was moving, that it was SHE who was speaking. Confusion overtook her, and she sat there like a rag doll.

“Lisa, don’t be scared. You know how much I love you. I want to be with you!”

She finally found her own voice. “What’s happening? Am I asleep? Is this a dream?”

”No Lisa, this is no dream. You remember when you went to hospital? You were there a long time, Lisa. They were trying to help you stop hearing voices. Do you remember?”

“Ye….yes, I remember. Is that what you are? One of my voices?”

”Yes, if you want to look at it like that. I am the one they couldn’t get rid of.” Her own laughter sounded alien to her ears.

“What do you want? Why have you come back?”

“I want YOU, Lisa. That’s all. And I haven’t come back. I never went away. I was simply biding my time. Making sure you were weak enough for me to return. I took your pills, Lisa. They made me weaker, so I took them away.”

Lisa could almost feel two brains inside her head, fighting for space. She was dimly aware that she was not moving, yet her own hand was running through her hair. She tried to move it away, and found she couldn’t.

“Shhh now. Don’t fight it, Lisa. I love you. I want to be with you. I want to be in you. I want to BE you.”

Lisa lost the fight, as Michael gently eased her subconscious back inside her mind. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to fill her completely. He tested the body, by standing up. It stood. He spoke out loud “I am Michael” and heard her voice, HIS voice, ring clear. He smiled. It was over, he had won.

Walking back into the bedroom, he once again admired the dress. Such a beautiful colour, such a wonderful feel. He loved the way it caressed every curve of his body. It made him feel so feminine. So like Lisa.