Silence Takes Two

            The silence just made Albert sick.  Did she get off on not talking to him, what the fuck was this?  Albert and Sarah had been dating for a year and a half, and she still gave him the silent treatment sometimes.  He had hoped that it was something that she’d grow out of after a few months, but no.  He was very wrong.  Now he had to guess what the hell was causing this little fit.

            “For fuck’s sake, what did I do, Sarah?  Our anniversary is in 24 days, your birthday was months ago, I can’t forget MY birthday, I paid the electric bill today.  Do we really have to play this way?” he asked, running his hands through his hair to keep from balling them up.

            Sarah remained silent.  Acted like Albert wasn’t even there.  He wondered what was going on in her head.  Why wouldn’t she just let him know?  The only response he got was the chatter from that ass-hat in the tv infomercial.  Fuck that guy, too; Albert didn’t need any special towels, even if the order was doubled for free. He wondered if anyone really bought the things on infomercials, anyway. 

            “We’ve been dating for, what, a year and a half now?  You really aren’t going to talk to me? I’m not a fucking mind reader, Sarah! What’s going on?” She still didn’t acknowledge him at all, and he found himself getting up and walking to her without really thinking about it.  He crossed their small living room to the couch she was at, and shook her by the shoulders.  Her head rolled with her shoulders like a rag doll, and concern immediately flooded his mind.  Albert slid one of his hands from her shoulder to her neck to feel for a pulse.  He couldn’t feel a thing, but when he pulled his hand back, he saw a bit of blood on the fingertips.  Slowly, he pushed her hair back, and found a small, bloody hole behind her ear.  She must have been dead the whole time. How could he have been so stupid?

            “God damn ninjas!!” Albert shouted as he ran out the door as fast as he could.