Tears Of A Ribbon

I stepped out of the cab, handing a twenty dollar note to the driver.

‘Keep the change.’ I said to the middle-aged man. He cracked a smile before driving away.

Walking on the doorsteps, I thought about my sister, Monica. She was my precious sister, the only relative and family I’d left. The rest were either dead or abandoned us, but we still had each other. I would never hurt her.

Until now.

The rain poured down on me as I pressed the doorbell. The cold rain prickled my exposed skin, sending chills down my spine. My short dress was soaked, my brown hair wet. Yet, I did not leave the door, waiting for the host to answer it.

Colors seemed to die away in my eyes. Everything I saw was black and gray. The streets were silent as the dead, not a single stray cat ran by, not a single breeze brush past. The atmosphere was somber and sad, a perfect night for my plan.

I took in a deep breath, washing the excess emotion away from my soul. Everything now buried deep inside of me, only the cold font left.

Monica was weeping again. She lied on her bed, curled into a fatal position. She looked like a fragile kitten, lost and alone. I sat beside her, handing her tissues to wipe her tears.

This was the third time this week. Monica had become so sad and miserable since she started dating Derek. At first, they seemed to be the perfect couple, loving and adorable. But then, Derek showed his true colors. He kept asking Monica for money to gamble, or for drinking. He was cheating on her too. I saw him with an arm around a hooker-like woman, walking down the street in a drunken state. He even attempted to court me.

I tried to tell Monica but she wouldn’t listen. I knew that a part of her knew the truth, yet she still foolishly listen to Derek’s lies.

‘Miranda, what should I do?’ Monica wailed. ‘I love Derek so much.’

I hugged her, brushing her tears away. ‘Everything will be alright soon, Moni. It’ll be alright.’

I had no choice but to save Monica. My way. It would sacrifice all the things I knew, but what could I do? I was forced to let go, for Monica.

‘Hello there,’ Derek said, opening the faded red door, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. He inspected my attire, his eyes wandering from my head to toe, then back to my face again. His smirked held undisguised lust and desire. I surpassed a shiver of revulsion.

‘Hi, Derek,’ I said as seductively as I could manage. His grin widened.

‘Come in,’ Derek stepped back, giving me a way to enter his house.

I walked into the living room, looking everywhere. The room was in creamy color, the furniture was made of polished wood. Two glasses of beverage were placed on the table. I sat on the sofa, my eyes following Derek as he walked leisurely to his seat. The lusty smirk never left his face.

Oh, how I wanted to punch him and wipe the smirk off his face.

He sat next to me lazily, crossing his legs. We held our gaze for a moment, until he began to speak.

‘So, what makes you change your idea?’

‘When I discovered I could leave the silly sister of mine and have you,’ I lied through my teeth, disgusting myself in the process.

‘Really?’ he raised one of the eye brows in amusement.

‘Please, Monica, listen to me.’

‘No! You’re just jealous that I have a boyfriend but you don’t.’ Monica screamed at me.

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Moni. He’s lying---’

‘Shut up, shut up! I hate you!’ Monica removed the black ribbon hold her hair. She threw it at me, and slammed the door in my face.

I touched the ribbon around my hand at the memory. She was so mad then. The ribbon was the birthday gift I gave her when she was young, and she had treasured it since. We had never had a fight like this before, till Derek appeared.

‘Really,’ I whispered, leaning closer to him. My hands went for the drinks, switching them. I wasn’t enough to be oblivious to the spiked drinks.

Suddenly, he kissed me, forcing himself onto me. I tried not to push away, but failed. He looked at me with shock and surprise.

‘I’m shy,’ I quickly made up an excuse.

The look of revelation melted, changing into want and craving. He pulled back.

‘Of course, or else why would you have refused me?’ He said arrogantly. I held back a scream of anger. ‘Have a drink.’

He drank his drink swiftly, not noticing the difference in it. I smiled, the plan was going smoothly, like I had expected. I followed suit.

I pretended that I drank the spiked drink. ‘Derek, it’s getting hot in here, and I’m dizzy and a bit sleepy.’

‘Let’s go to the bedroom,’ he suggested.

I followed him to the bedroom, walking slowly and faked wooziness. He pulled me onto his bed, his movement was clumsy. I fell onto him, attacked by his mouth. Lying on top of him, I responded to his fevered kisses.

I removed the ribbon on my wrist, circling it around his neck as I wrapped my arms around it. Derek was not aware of anything out of ordinary. I laughed at his stupidity. When his reactions became slow enough, I knew it was the right time to strike.

I leaned back, tightening the ribbon on his neck. Derek’s eyes widened. He tried to struggle, but it was futile since he drank the spiked drink he prepared for me. He tried to hit me, yet the hits were wear and pointless. He was defenseless.

‘Why?’ he choked out.

‘Because you toyed with my sister’s heart, you son of a gun. You’ve made her depressed and brought her sorrow. This is pay back, darling,’ I sneered. I tightened the ribbon for one last time. He ceased struggling, his head stayed limp. I stared into his still widened eyes, feeling a bit horrified.

For Monica, I told myself, for Monica.

I left the house.

…
Everything will slip away,
Shattered pieces will remain,
When memories fade into emptiness.
Only time will tell its tale,
If it all has been in vain.

Your Sister,
Miranda.

I sealed the letter, handing it to the guard nearby. He examined the letter carefully before nodding his head.

‘Thank you,’ I whispered.

I remembered how Monica looked at me in the trial, shock beyond comprehension. Tears fell from her blue orbs. I didn’t know was it out of rage, or sadness.

She told me I was frozen, but what could I do? I couldn’t possibly tell her that the reason was I did it for her. But when she received the letter, when the lies turned into truth, she’d know I had sacrificed for her, whether she understood or not.

‘You’re frozen…’

I breathed deeply, drying my tears, and stepped into the execution room.