He always put me in a good mood when I arrived back at the house. Even on my worst days, he�d manage to cheer me up. The thought of my husband made me smile, and urged me to pick up speed. I seemed to be flying now; the world blowing past me in a blur. It felt good--I knew I�d be hearing the crunching sound of my driveway�s gravel very soon.
Krelka Drive. I read the street sign to myself. I�m almost there. Just a bit longer, Rakikai. I�m coming!
Five minutes passed. At last, I could see my charming yellow house sitting comfortably at the end of the road. I smiled as I heard the most welcoming sound I had heard all day: The �Crrrshhh�. Shruuuuush�� of tiny pebbles under my wheels.
�I�m home!� I exclaimed, and quickly turned the car off. I yanked the door open, and burst into the dining room, not even caring to take my umbrella from my minivan. �Rakikai, I�m back!� The words I�d wanted to say finally flew through the air.
Instead of the normal greeting, the reply I got was dead silence. It seemed as if the house were completely deserted. I hung up my coat, and called out again.
�Rakikai?� Once again, there was no answer. Worry replaced my excitement. I hurried to the living room to see if he was asleep on the couch after a day of drinking. Sadly, the sofa was still neatly arranged, pillows leaning on each arm. I swallowed hard, and continued my search.
The entire downstairs was empty. There were no signs of life anywhere. Usually, Rakikai would be sitting at the table or in the living room waiting for me. Of course, there were those times where he�d be napping, but my calls nearly always woke him up.
My legs trembled as I walked upstairs. One more time, I forced out another cry. �Honey? Please answer me�� Our bedroom door loomed at the end of the hall. For some reason, I felt as if whatever I found behind that door, it wouldn�t be something pleasant after a hard day at the office.
But I still reached my hand out� still turned the handle� still pushed myself inside� and choked on my breath when I saw him sitting there�
Rakikai�s trench coat had been carelessly thrown across the room, leaving him shirtless on the bed. Blood poured from open wounds on his limbs, staining our sheets a sickening ruby. His tattered jeans showed that the knife had been forced into his leg numerous times, and the slash marks across his chest seemed to have been formed in the same vicious manner. The poor thing just sat there limply, dull eyes matching the color of his blood almost exactly.
Instead of screaming, I ran over to the foot of the bed, my body shaking violently. �Rakikai�� I said gently, trying to get his attention. �B--baby, please answer me.� Now I was pleading. Silently in my mind, I was praying for him not to be dead. �Rakikai!� I screamed.
Soft cackling caught my attention. I looked around the room, prepared to see an assassin with a bloody knife standing there, but I saw no one. Suddenly, the petrifying truth struck me like lightning.
�Honey�?� I whispered.
Rakikai lifted his head, pearly white bangs now stained scarlet with spattered blood. �Hello, darling,� he said; a nefarious smirk on his face.
�What happened? Who did this to you? Tell me!� He just continued his sadistic laughter. I climbed onto the bed, and sat down beside him. �This isn�t funny! I need to know what happened to you! What--� Rakikai slowly stretched his hand out, and placed it over my mouth.
�Don�t worry, my love. It�s alright��
I brushed his hand away, and continued to speak. �It�s far from alright! Whoever attacked you could be miles away by now!�
�No he�s not, Gabriel. I�m completely sure.�
�What makes you so convinced?� I asked.
�Because,� Rakikai hissed, �it was me.�
My eyes widened. My faced paled. I couldn�t breathe�
Please tell me this isn�t true! I thought desperately. Please tell me this is all a dream!
�W--why?� I murmured. �Why!?� Tears welled up in my eyes, and streamed down my cheeks. I collapsed into my husband�s arms, letting out loud sobs, and incomprehensible questions.
He snickered softly as he brushed his fingers through my wine-brown hair. �Hush. This is what I wanted��
�But how? What made you want to�� My voice trailed off.
�Lovely�� Rakikai said, as if this would clarify everything.
�What?�
�It�s beautiful� like rubies�� I clenched my fists as he continued. �Rubies in the snow.� He paused, letting me absorb his words. �I love it, Gabriel; the taste, the smell, the splendor, the pain��
I didn�t feel sorry for him anymore. In fact, anger rushed through me now. �You lost it, Rakikai,� I rebuked, and tore myself out of his embrace. �This is sick! You find hurting yourself pleasing!? We have to get you to the hospital!�
�NO!� he cried, just as I got up off the bed. �Don�t you dare call those infernal fools over here! I want to feel this!� Halfway across the room, I froze in place. �I want to remember what it felt like to be hurt� to bleed��
I turned around, and was surprised to see him crying. �Rakikai?� Instead of leaving the room, I walked back over to him.
�Get away from me!� he snarled. �Just get away! You think I�m crazy! You think I�m insane, don�t you? Don�t you!?�
�Shhh� calm down,� I said.
�You think I�m--�
�I think I should get you bandaged up before your wounds become too severe for me to treat,� I finished.
Though a low growl rumbled in his throat, my husband nodded, and allowed me to tend to him. Soon, he was able to put on a fresh change of clothes, and meet me downstairs for a late dinner.
Once we were finished eating, Rakikai stood up, and put on his black trench coat. �I�m going to the bar for a drink, Gabriel. I�ll be back in a couple of hours,� he announced.
�But it�s still raining,� I protested.
�Your point?�
I sighed as he made his way toward the door. He opened it up, and a burst of cold wind entered the house. �I love you,� I said, just before he stepped outside.
�I love you too,� he replied, and blew me a kiss. Then, he walked out into the murky night.