A Disturbed Romance

A Disturbed Romance

A Short Story by:

Lance Ortego



A lonely cottage sat on a hill in a secluded forest. The nearest house was far beyond a stone's throw away. The wind and rain slapped against its hull like two sumo wrestlers in a fight to the death. Illuminated only by the pale moonlight creeping though the nebulus clouds, and a solitary light glimmering from the corner of the house.

Inside of the dwelling, on a sofa large enough for the Brady Bunch, sat a man and a woman;
newlyweds, that just purchased this house to get away from the dangers of the city. They were settling in for a "Family Guy" marathon to pass the stormy evening.

"Mark, is that the popcorn burning?" asked Natalie.

"Oh, crap!" Mark screamed as he sprung off of the couch and into the kitchen.

"Don't forget the drinks while you are in there hun," Natalie beaconed

"Of course dear," replied Mark.

After sifting through the popcorn for it's edible remains, Mark stumbled into the living room carrying a large bowl and two jugs of cola.

"Great timing babe, it just started," Natalie cheered.

The two sang in unison all the way though to the final verse: "He's our family guuuuyyyyyy"

Just then, a shattering boom, and a blinding flash shook both of them off of the sofa and onto the floor like fish in a shoe box. The lights where also not quite as bright as they were before. Now the only light they were afforded was the ashen moonlight that had battled its way through the storm front.

Mark hustled to his feet to retrieve a flashlight, a candle, anything he could use to find his way around the unfamiliar house. "I found some candles Natalie, but where is the lighter?"

"I think that I have one in my purse."

"Where, pray tell might that be?"

"In the car," Natalie timidly responded.

"Okay, I guess we'll just sit here in the dark, you don't know where another is?" asked Mark

"Oh oh, I found one in the couch!" exclaimed Natalie.

Mark atoned the lighter and began the hunt for as many candles that he could carry. In the junk drawer, china cabinet, and his bathroom, Mark feverishly searched for some parafin sticks.

"Aaaaaagggggghhhhh"

Mark heard a bone chilling scream and rushed back to the living room to find Natalie trying to catch her breath on the couch. "What happened baby?"

"I saw a shadow move across the window so I went to the window to look and something slammed against it...I..I..don't know what I was," Natalie panted.

"It was probably just a branch from the wind, it's blowing pretty fierce out there. Why don't you just walk with me while I light these candles," Mark said in a comforting tone.

Natalie and Mark hobbled around the cloaked house like siamese twins, each step in unity. Two candles were lit in the living room, one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen and two more adorned the long narrow corridor leading to the bedroom. The frightened sweethearts finally made it to their pitch black lovenest. As they enter they cannot help but begin to laugh at the absurdity of their situation. "Yeah, all I wanted was to watch something funny, and get me some," Mark sighed.


"AAwwwhhhh, how romantic, you butthole. It's not my fault the lights went out," snaped Natalie.

"Not your fault about the lights, correct", Mark said in a chuckle, "but did you have to scream loud enough for the neighbors to hear? You don't even scream that loud when we do get to have some alone time."

"And who's fault is that" Natalie quickly interrupted. "Plus I can't help but think of what that old lady said about the house yesterday. Do you believe her?"

Almost agrivated at the question Mark replied, "what,believe that old woman. Let's see, she's got no teeth, nappy head, and smells of tartar sauce for some reason, I don't think so."

The betrothed enter the bedroom and lay down on their would be bed. The two of them laid side by side, peering into one anothers eye's. Laughing and joking about the wrecked evening.

"It, by no means should be this hard for newly weds to spend a quiet evening together," implied Natalie. "I need to run to the kitchen for a quick drink, you need anything"?

"No thanks, can you handle it," chuckled Mark.

With the frame and headboard locked away in storage, Mark lie prone on the matress pondering a way he could salvage the evening. In the amber lighting of two peach scented candles, he blunders through packed boxes searching for his survival radio. "It's been a good two weeks, if thats not an emergency I don't know what is," Mark thought aloud. As he filtered through the inaudible squelch of impossible signals he came across an oldies station playing Marvin Gaye. Perfect, he thought to himself.

As though it couldn't get any worse, Natalie darted into the room looking as though she had just seen a ghost. "When I walked into the kitchen all of the candles were still lit. And when I came out they were all out. This is really freaking me out. I want to go to my mother's."

"Hey, hey, hey, leave your mother out of this. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for it. It was probably the breeze you put off when you walked by," reasured Mark.

"My butt's not that big," Natalie shreeked in return.

"You're acting crazy. Just sit down, catch your breath and listen to the music. I know you don't care for oldies but it's the only thing that I could pick up."

"No, that's okay, I don't mind them. You are probably right. Besides, all of these candles are kinda getting me in the mood," whispered Natalie.

Natalie and Mark again lied on the bed, with eyes locked on each other. They eased closer to one another until finally their lips touched. After a few inaugural pecks they turn to all out liplocking, like two adolescents in the back of a movie theater.

"What was that" Natalie asked?

"What was what?"

"I heard a creaking sound, and don't say it was the bed cause we don't have a bed, we have a matress."

"Then it was the house settling. Now where were we."

The two caressed, and restarted the olympic style kiss fest they had just paused. The moment heating up between them Natalie let out a moan then a yell.

"What is it now," Mark begruded.

"I saw a shadow, I know I saw a shadow. You are not going to talk me out of this until you go and check it out. Not one more kiss until you get your lazy butt up and make sure that I'm not going crazy."

"Okay, okay, since you put it that way." Mark heaved himself off the bed, after his third attempt at romance had been shot down. He stomped his way to the door jam much like a child throwing a temper tantrum. He looked up and down the dark hall, scanning all end points and saw nothing. He walked back to the bed and scowled Natalie for making him do such a preposterous thing.

"You happy now?" begged Mark.

"Yes I am, now come over here and I'll make you happy."

"Weeeheeee!" Mark screamed.

The love birds got back into it hot and heavy. Kissing and panting and sweating. All of a sudden Natalie got a premonition that something was watching her. She looked up and a distorded face came into view. She let out a blood curtling scream. Mark popped up furiously with his fists balled tightly, ready to take out his agression on what ever it was that had interupted his evening.

Once all the comotion settled, they saw what had been tormenting them all night long. It was Natalie's 7 year old son, who had been frightened by all of the panting and pawing. He snuck into the room to try to sleep with them and now was crying because of the two's reactions when they saw him.

Natalie bounced out of bed to console Steven and walked him into his bedroom. "Would you like me to sleep with you tonight Stevie," asked Natalie.

Steven replied in a sob, "yes ma'am".

Mark watched the two of them walk off candle in hand. He reached to turn off the radio and laid back down on the bed. As his anger began to subside he realized the humor of the situation and laughed himself to sleep. "I guess one more day won't kill me"

Lifesavor,
Lance

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