The Party Guest

"I'm lost without you." She whispered gently into his ear as they passed shoulder to shoulder through the crowded room. Had he heard? He hadn't shown any reaction--he just kept walking.

Her mind was racing. Rewritten memories and edited conversations poured through all at once. She had lost track of what had actually happened. All she knew is that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. Holiday music encouraged dancers, the room was spinning, and people were everywhere, but she was breaking down. She rushed out onto the balcony and drew her arms in for warmth. The night was cold and as she cried she could see her breath in uneven foggy puffs. It didn't matter if it was raining, everyone could see she was crying. She didn't care.

She composed herself and turned around looking into the party from the outside--the objective observer. The lit windows laced in dancing lights radiated the warmth inside. Smiles and tinsel were everywhere. She focused her observation on him. Had he heard her? As she looked at him, doubting herself, a taller man approached him, spoke a few words to him, hugged him, and silently stabbed him in the chest. The tall man gently set his body down in a nearby chair. No one seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary.

The tall man came out onto the balcony, where she stood horrified. He looked at her and raised his eyebrows.

Still affected, she drew her breath and whispered, "Nothing more. We need to leave now."