The perfect way on how to take away my decaying life filled my grave mind as I celebrated my 49th year old birthday yesterday.
The poisonous substance glared at me, daring me to consume it. Whispering to me to swallow everything without a single drop left.
I failed again for the twentieth time.
Finally, I settled for a tranquilizer. I must have slept for over twenty-four hours before the loud knocks and screams from the Anderson’s threw me up from my sleep.
I am a psychologist, a motivator, a counselor.
This is all you will know about me for now.
THE STORY
The Anderson’s have been my neighbor for close to two years now. Laura Anderson is still much the same as I met her six years ago when they came newly as tenants into my apartment.
Nothing has changed much about Laura’s physical appearance. She still has the same slim and very appalling figure. Her smile is still much the same as the beauty of a peacock in broad daylight.
But her eyes…. They have lost the gayness that used to be in them. Now, deeply colored with so much fury and bitterness.
She now walks with a certain roughness. Throwing troubled hands and legs in an uncomfortable way.
I was there at the early stage of their marriage, when they would go out together, clinging to each other and they would return late in the evening filling the street with their pretty laughter.
But Laura soon became a tigress. Daniel Anderson became a hungry lion too. Their marriage fell apart.
They craved to rip each other apart with screams, tears and well -designed blows.
Despite how tired I was, I rushed down to their call. My legs were heavy with fear as I ran down the stairs to attend to the couple, seeking to suck each other’s blood.
When I got down. It was a terrible sight.
Laura was covered in a torn towel revealing sexual parts of her body while Daniel had his singlet folded in Laura’s thirsty hand.
I had barely said a word when Laura broke into her heartbreaking tears. She ran into my opened hands and wept all her fears and anger.
When she was done, she jumped with an indescribable fierceness.
“I should never have married you. You make my life a living hell”
Daniel replied angrily “Laura, you are not the woman I married. You have become so cruel. I am almost forced to say you are a witch”
At his words, Laura ran towards him and flung herself on his body.
“You are not the man I married too. Nothing that I do seems to please you” Laura cried harder.
“Mabel, do you know this thing I call my husband hasn't spoken to me for days” This time she screamed harder. A thick bead of sweat quickly streamed down her face and neck.
I watched them dig out memories from the past, the present and they had even painted stories about their assumed bitter future.
After an hour, the argument died down. Weakly, I walked into my room and came down with two boxes. The boxes were filled with pieces of paper.
“Write out all that you have against each other. Write down each other’s offences. Everything. Don’t leave anything out” I said, peering into the sad eyes of the couple.
“I am sure we will get to the root of your problems” I quickly added before leading them to their separate rooms.
Three hours later.
The fuming couple came back into the sitting room with their boxes.
“Sit together” I started.
“No” They barked angrily in unison.
“Who would go first?”
None of them replied but after staring and studying them for few minutes, I picked Laura.
patiently, I gave out the rule. Daniel would open Laura’s box and read her notes while Laura would do same for Daniel.
The couple agreed. The tournament began.
Clouded with fear, Daniel opened Laura’s box with trembling hands.
Laura’s box had over a hundred offenses. In her box, she poured out all he had ever done to her. All the times he hurt her, got her angry, made her feel she made the wrong choice in marrying me.
As Daniel read her notes, his lips started to tremble until a sad tear escaped his eyes.
I knew exactly what he was thinking, he couldn't bear to imagine he had hurt her that much.
After an hour, we read all Laura’s note.
“My turn” Laura barked, dragging Daniel’s box.
Impatiently, she ripped the box apart and turned it upside down but nothing but a single piece of paper crumbled out.
I watched Laura intently: She rose to her feet in a shock. Her weak legs failed her so she fell to a kneel. Briskly, her hand reached for the single piece of paper.
She read it in a stammer…
“I LOVE… YOU TOO MUCH THAN I WANT …TO REMEMBER ALL… YOU EVER DID… I FORGAVE YOU...EVERYTIME”
After reading, she let out a piercing scream before bursting into dark hurtful tears.
“I am sorry. I am sorry” She repeated and repeated till I lost count.
“Welcome to me baby, welcome baby. You should know I love you too too much” He wept before carving a kiss on her forehead.
“It is my fault, Laura” Daniel pleaded.
Love is powerful, it is capable of melting an iron mountain. Sometimes silence is necessary so you can see just how much their hearts beats for you.
“No, Daniel. It’s all my fault. I take the blame”
“I take the blame too”
I knew they loved each other so much but their screams and constant fighting had drowned the feelings. They couldn't hear their heart beating for each other anymore.
“I love you too... a lot... too much” She wept.
A new couple was born. A reunion. A sweet rebirth.
I watched them cuddled in each other’s arm and deep in joyful tears before running up to my room as if I was chased.
Too weak, I fell flat on the floor before getting to my bed.
I performed my usual rituals of pulling my hair monstrously, gnashing my teeth and staring with pained eyes into the mirror, wishing I could just be as lifeless as myself in the mirror.
(A lot of people save others but they cannot help themselves. This situation weighs me down a lot.)
I, Mabel, I glanced at the bottle that contained the substance that could take away my life in just few seconds.
I reached for it. I failed again. The only reason why I failed this time was because at least I wanted to see the seed I had sowed in the couple grow.
I replayed the couple scene over and over in my head but slowly it just exposed how awful a live I had, I am living and will live.
“My tranquilizer” I coughed like a ghost.
Few seconds later.
“Mabel, we are on our way! Thank you! We love you!” The couple chorused happily.
She did not hear them. She was already deep in a deadly sleep.
IMAGE IS FROM PINTEREST.
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@camzy made this adorable toon for me.