The Foretelling - Intro

As he lay in bed, listening to the thunder, Robert smiled. His life, as far as he was concerned, was perfect. He was well aware that this wasn't his bed, the house he was in wasn't his house, and the woman lying beside him wasn't his wife. Yes, Robert's life was perfect.

Robert had a good job at a large company in Seattle. He made a large amount of money, and lived a relatively wealthy lifestyle. Each morning, Robert would wake up, take a shower, get dressed, and walk downstairs to the kitchen. His wife, Emma, would kiss him on the cheek before leading him to the table, where his breakfast would be waiting for him. He'd eat his breakfast while reading the newspaper, then drive to his office. Robert would sit at his computer, reading reports and sending e-mails to clients. When six o' clock came around, he'd leave his building and go eat, mainly at local diners.

Some nights, after eating, Robert would return home, where Emma would be waiting. Others, he would call her and explain that "something urgent had come up", and that she shouldn't wait up for him.

Tonight was one of those nights. Nothing urgent had come up. Robert never felt guilty about what he did. As he ran his fingers through the sleeping woman's long, blonde hair, he was thinking about the new car he wanted to buy.