As I walked through the door of my studio apartment, my heart dropped and the blood in my veins froze with the realization that I had forgotten our anniversary washed over me. Elizabeth hadn’t even reminded me. Why didn’t she remind me? The table was set with the good silverware and the finest Dollar Tree china, a new tablecloth spread neatly beneath it. The smell of her famous pot roast filled the air, and our song, Honestly by Cartel, played softly on the stereo. The lights were off, the room lit only by the flicker of candles in that ridiculous candelabra shaped like an octopus butler, the one that doubles as a wine holder. She had spotted it at the thrift store and loved it so much I couldn’t say no; she even named it Charlie before we’d left the checkout line. She’d gone all out,even splurging on that crystal wine set we had been eyeing at Walmart for months. And I was late,I had forgotten.

I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t even thought to call. I’d just said yes when my boss asked me to stay thirty extra minutes to help close. Just thirty minutes, yet I was late on our anniversary what an ass. By the time I arrived, the candles Liz had lit were nearly burned out. The food she’d prepared sat cold. Red wine stained the pristine white tablecloth, soaking it like blood, while shattered plates and broken glasses glittered on the floor and then,I saw her. The air vanished from the earth. Time stopped. It felt as if the most skilled torturer in hell was ripping my heart from my chest, splitting my soul in two.

“ELIZABETH!” I screamed, half wail, half breathless gasp, as I collapsed to my knees. Crawling across the floor, my hand slipped into her blood, cold and sticky. I didn’t care all that mattered was that I got to her. I pulled her lifeless body into my lap, cradling her head.only then did I notice the kitchen knife embeded in her neck to the hilt as sobs tore through me.

“Liz… I am so sorry! I should have been here!”my world was collapsing in arourt me Elisabeth’s blood soaking in to my clothes as I held her and wept I noticed someone on the couch. My head snapped up as they spoke

“Oh, that wouldn’t have helped, silly,” a familiar voice giggled from the living room. “I was actually hoping it would take less time for mine and Beth’s little ‘girls night’ to finish,” Janet cooed “But she had so many questions. ‘What are you doing in my apartment?’ ‘Who are you?’ ‘How do you know Tony?’ ‘What are you doing with that knife Gosh, it was soooo annoying. So… I killed her!” She laughed, high-pitched and giddy.

“Come sit down, honey. I’ll take out the trash later.” My head snapped up. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that! And don’t call me that, you psychotic bitch, we broke up four years ago!” Rage replaced grief in an instant, burning through me. “Oh, I know, baby,” she sang, her voice sugar masking venom. “But we broke up because that bitch stole you and dragged you across three different states.”

“You didn’t have to kill her… Why did you kill her?” I asked, my voice breaking, as I slowly pulled the knife from Elizabeth’s neck. Rising to my feet, tears streaming down my face, I kept the blade hidden from Janet’s sight.

“Of course I did, silly,” she chirped, smiling wide. “Because she was keeping you from what you really needed me.”Her grin widened, eyes alight with madness, as I drove the knife into her heart.