Suspense Short Story – Autobiography as Juliet Capulet
Photo credit: imelenchon from morguefile.com
The fog began to clear from my mind and I began to take in my surroundings. I panicked; where was I? I had a heavy weight in my stomach; something bad was happening. My lips parted as I took in my first conscious breath, in over 24 hours. My vision was still blurred, so were my thoughts. My memory began to filter back, my mind began to race.
Crystal clear visions of my night before I went into a deep sleep began to creep up on me, as I soon realized Tybalt; my cousin’s decomposing body lay not too far away from my recently unresponsive body.
A figure stood before me; with sorrow in their eyes and tears staining their porcelain features. Chills ran down my spine, “What’s here? A cup, closed in my true love’s hand.” I spoke with fear and doubt; this couldn’t possibly be happening. Tears filled my mourning eyes. It was Romeo who once stood before me, whose lifeless body is now strewn across my motionless body, his own body growing cold.
The pain in my chest was unbearable and the uncomfortable knots in my stomach only began to tie themselves tighter. A glimmering dagger lay in Romeo’s shallow pocket. With one swift movement, the blade lay across my fragile hands. Spotting the ring that enclosed itself around my delicate finger, it was a painful trigger, sending a shock of pain through my bones and veins, much like lightning or thunder. “O happy dagger,” my voice trembling and hands shaking; the words barely managing to exit my mouth. I began to caress my beautiful husband’s face, “This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.” A frown etched itself upon my pain stricken face.
The pain that erupted through my body was intolerable; as the reality of this unfortunate scene began to register in my stationary brain. Nurse had warned me; this boy was trouble. The whole Montague family was, but boy, oh boy; I never expected this to be the definition of ‘trouble’.
The darkness in which once surrounded us, began to consume us as I began to press my lover’s dagger, into my heart.
When people say your life flashes before your eyes before you pass away; they’re not joking. I watched this slide-show type film flicker before my eyes, as my body lay unresponsive. From the moment I took my first step, with the Nurse by my side, to my first ball, which my father held. When I didn’t think I could feel any more pain; my first conversation with Romeo began to play like a slow motion film. That’s when it all stopped; the flash before my eyes, the breathing, the blood flow; but most of all the pain. My pain, as well as Romeo’s and I knew both our households would, benefit from this unlucky experience.
A love story gone wrong; was an understatement. Romeo lay unmoving on top of his wife, who was lying lifeless, beneath her one true love.
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