Read Online Half Life by Heather Atkinson - Free Book Online Page A

cheese burns. ”   She glared at Sabrina rebelliously.  “ And you ruined my brand new Karen Millen dress. ”
      There was a moment of silence as they all watched Sabrina cagily, uncertain of what she was going to do.  However she just stared at Anna, a half smile playing on her lips as she twisted the stem of her wine glass absently.
      “ For God ’ s sake say something, ” exclaimed Anna, unable to tolerate the silence any longer.
      “ You really want to know, do you? ”
      “ Yes because this has gone far enough.  Dale dropped a carrot under the table earlier and he ’ s too scared to tell you. ”
      “ Anna, for Christ ’ s sake, ” said Dale, trying to pull her back down in her seat but she shrugged him off. 
    “ Well I ’ m not scared of you.  Your pastry was dry, do you hear me?  Dry. ”
      There were shocked gasps from the other guests while Dale screwed his eyes tight shut, as though he couldn ’ t bear to watch.  Everyone subtlely shifted their chairs back from the table in case they needed to get out of the way quickly.
      But Sabrina merely leaned forward in her seat, wearing the same creepy half smile.
      “ Alright. I ’ ll tell you. ”   The smile disappeared and her eyes turned cold.  “ I saw you Anna.  With Peter. ”
      Anna flushed bright red and her eyes widened momentarily before she recovered and decided on denial.  “ What do you mean? ”
      Sabrina ’ s gaze remained steady and hard as she continued.  “ I mean I saw you both together in our bedroom.  On.  Our.  Bed. ”
      It went so quiet it seemed all the sound had been sucked out of the room.
    “ What do you mean?  What is this? ” demanded Dale as his wife slumped back in her chair, eyes filling with tears.
      “ I ’ m so sorry, ” Anna wept.
      Slowly Sabrina turned her gaze on Peter, her husband of twenty years, who looked completely dejected. 
      “ I don ’ t know what to say, ” he muttered weakly. 
      “ I ’ m not surprised.  I waited and waited for you to work up the nerve to tell me but you never did, you pathetic gutless little worm, ” Sabrina snarled, the disgust clear in her voice.
      Sweat broke out on Peter ’ s brow and his hands shook.
      “ Twenty years of my life I wasted on you, ” she continued.  “ I even let you give me a nervous breakdown.  Well no more Peter.  We ’ re over. ”
      “ Sabrina, please …”
      His words were cut off as he clutched at his stomach in agony, face paling. 
      “ I put poison in your beef Wellington, ” said Sabrina icily.  “ Just yours, ” she added when she saw the panicked expressions on everyone ’ s faces.  “ I warned you when we first married Peter, don ’ t ever cheat on me. ”
      He released a horrible choking sound before falling forward onto the table, his head connecting with the wood with a loud thud.  As he fell he knocked over the crystal water glass which broke, making Sabrina wince.  Even dead he still had the ability to get on her nerves.
      “ At least I ‘ ll always know where you are at night now, ” smiled Sabrina at the corpse.
      She leaned back in her seat and sipped her wine while her guests stared at her in horror.
    THE END

 
    SNOW DANCE
     
      Michael took another swig from the vodka bottle as he stared up at the Christmas tree, which blurred as fresh tears filled his eyes.  It was a huge living pine reaching right to the ceiling, decorated in reds and golds.  Adele had wanted a Victorian tree this year and she ’ d done a wonderful job, it looked beautiful.  Now she ’ d never get to see it on Christmas day, not unless a miracle happened and she woke up.  She ’ d been hit by a drunk driver a week ago and left to die on the road.  Now she was clinging onto life, swimming in a coma and no one knew if she ’ d ever wake up.  He ’ d spent the last seven days at the hospital, refusing to leave her side until both their families had intervened and