Death by Chocolate

Emma pressed her back against the massive oak tree, wishing with every ounce of her being that she could just disappear into the depths of the 100-year old trunk. Listening intently, she tried to catch her breath silently, not easy as she had just run across the expansive lawns that sloped away from the house and down to the orchard.

She could hear that he was very close; she could hear his wheezing breath and heavy boots thundering down the mossy grass. But then there was quiet, as quiet as a bark's breathing. She froze as something caught her attention a few yards off to her right, the sound of a twig splintering under foot, breaking his cover.

Suddenly his gravelly voice bellowed out, jarring the stillness… “I know you’re here cos I saw you running!” A moment of silence. “You might as well show your face, I’m gonna find you either way.”

Emma trembled, anxiously looking around for some form of escape. The majestic oak tree she was hiding behind stood at the bottom corner of the garden and an icy blade of fear flicked across her chest because she knew he was right… she had nowhere to go.

Unless… She pushed harder into the oak and into her past. It knew what she knew. They shared a history, well, the better parts anyway. Emma remembered when she was younger and best friends with the girl next door. They would climb through the “Secret Door,” as they used to call it, to visit in each other’s gardens.

She looked across the lawn and, sure enough, there it was - a small hole in the hedge bordering their garden from the next door neighbor’s house. It was her only chance and she had to act now!

Taking a deep breath, not looking around, she tiptoed across to the hole in the thorny hedge, her heart beating fast as she dropped to all fours and quickly pivoted 180 degrees to avoid shredding her skin into ribbons. Slowly, she began crawling backwards, inch by inch, chin to chest to protect her face, hands pressing down into the moist soil, the sharp hedgerow catching in her clothes and hair.

She was just halfway through, when she realized she was stuck fast. She was unable to move, and his voice tore through the quietness again, louder and more menacing, with no-one else around to hear or to save her. “I’m out of patience. Come out now or I‘m going to take a chain saw to every tree and cut you out!”

With all her might, Emma pushed back, sacrificing her cardigan to the thorns, before gasping in surprise as the earth gave way and she was falling, the air whooshing in her ears, before landing in a deep muddy pond of... what on earth was this?

She surfaced, covered from head to foot in brown goo, spluttering in shock, the sticky fluid in her eyes, ears, up her nose, and on her lips.

Everything about the situation should have terrified her, but instead of being disgusted she felt strangely calm. Along with the scent of vanilla, she licked her lips and a divine taste of creamy, smooth chocolate swept across her tongue, dribbling down her throat, in silky ribbons of pure deliciousness.

Was she really sitting in a pool of chocolate? I must be dreaming, she thought to herself as she clambered out of the thick brown pond, looking up to the hole in the hedge - 15 feet above her.

Impossible, she thought. The two gardens used to be level! Her childhood friend had moved to America with her family a few years ago and the house had remained empty until one month ago when someone had quietly moved in whilst the town was sleeping.

Emma’s parents had knocked on the door a few times over the ensuing weeks to welcome their new neighbor with a gift of homemade cookies, but no-one ever answered the door.

Occasionally a car was seen driving in or out of the garage by a woman with long, glossy, dark hair and oversized sunglasses, but she never appeared outside in the front, and the property was bordered heavily with shrubs and trees, making it impossible to see through to the house or garden.

Emma looked around in wonder, not recognising it as the place she used to play. The sunken garden carved deep into the earth’s surface and was stunning to behold. The chocolate pond was centrally placed, housing a stone fountain which spurted out a steady stream of dark chocolate. How she had averted landing on the fountain when she fell, Emma would never know!

Freshly mown grass fanned out in a star pattern, the points grazed the glorious vegetable beds, crammed full of lettuce, kale, beets, carrots and the most amazing tomato plants, 10 feet high, wavering against bamboo poles, neighbors to spring peas, their delicate tendrils dancing in the breeze.

She could hear the sweet sound of violins coming from the house and she found herself walking across the lawn, again admiring the borders filled this time with exotic plants, definitely not suited to this climate but thriving, none-the-less!

That’s when Emma saw her. The lady with the long, glossy black hair. She was sitting on her patio in a lovely carved wooden chair in front of French windows, opening from a living room filled with natural light, with pretty classical music playing softly from a record player in the doorway. The patio was filled with baskets overflowing with flowers, the scent exquisite.

The striking woman was wearing a silk kaftan in gorgeous shades of peach and gold, and pouring tea from an eggshell blue china teapot. She hadn't yet seen Emma, who came from a direction out of her vision. She was hesitant to approach, she didn’t want to startle her but also couldn’t just stand there staring. Emma felt like an intruder, wanting desperately to both leave and stay.

As if reading her mind, the woman slowly turned and smiled at Emma, as if she had been expecting her. “Hello my dear.” Her voice was gentle and warm with a slight accent Emma couldn’t place, but from just those few words, Emma instantly relaxed and could breathe again.

“My name is Jada. Would you like some tea Emma?“

Did I tell her my name? Emma thought. “Erm… I’m not really dressed for tea, I’m a little wet.”

“Yes, I can see that," she laughed. The sound was clear like a gurgling stream. "You took a swim in my chocolate pond,” she smiled. “Taste good?”

"Incredible actually. It was an accident though. I erm…I, I fell from the next door garden,” she stammered.

“Hmmmm, I see. Not easy to do, with all those thick hedges?”

Emma bowed her head, reluctant to say anything about her pursuer.

”There is a robe there on the chair for you. You can change in the bathroom at the end of the hall.” She gestured inside, and Emma did as she was told, wondering why a robe would be waiting for her.

When she came back onto the patio, Jada was nowhere to be seen.

Emma sat down and waited, looking in wonder at the delicate plates of little sandwiches, beautifully presented, filled with smoked salmon and cucumber or roast beef and horseradish.

In the centre of the table was a chocolate cake, covered in dark chocolate frosting, and decorated with white chocolate roses and a fine sprinkle of icing sugar. It looked divine. She was curious to know if Jada had gone to all this trouble just for herself, or had she been expecting a guest? It was a mystery that Emma hoped to solve soon.

At that moment Jada came striding across the lawn, carrying a jug of warm chocolate. “Straight from the chocolate fountain, perfect with dessert, and I think we’ll have it first as it is the perfect temperature,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Lo and behold, the cake was cut and the most perfect piece of chocolate cake was placed in front of Emma. Raspberry jam and thick cream oozed from the center of the delicate sponge, the dark chocolate butter cream frosting glistening in the sun.

“Emma my dear, I just wanted to say this - you do not have to worry about going home now, later or anytime in the future,” Jada said as she poured a gentle stream of chocolate over her slice of cake. “I took care of the problem, and you won’t be bothered again.” She glanced up from under her dark lashes and held Emma's gaze.

Emma tried to look away, unsure of herself and what she was hearing, but she was drawn back and in the stranger's eyes she saw a wisdom, compassion and determination so pure that she was finally able to take a deep breath, and as she slowly exhaled with sheer relief, she realized it was the first in a very long time.

She was dying to ask but couldn't find the words... What did she do? How did she know? Where was he now?

In the short time it had taken Emma to change, Jada had been very busy it would seem. She peered into the jug, did she melt him into chocolate?” At this point, nothing would surprise her.

Questions could be asked later, but for now, in this moment, her focus lay very much on the plate in front of her. Taking her first bite, heavenly hints of the vanilla with the decadence of the dark chocolate and sweetness of the white rose exploded across her tastebuds, causing her to sigh in total pleasure.

Would she risk falling to her death again if it brought a single bite of the most divine chocolate cake ever made?

Would she fall into chocolate if she knew it would bring her back to life?

THE END.