Friends Forever

"Why have you come here?"

There was a nervousness shaking her voice. I could see the glint of tears beginning in the corners of her frightened eyes. I was the last person she expected - or wanted - to see.

Instead of answering her, I strolled past as she stood stiffly at the front door. I grazed her shoulder as I passed. I could feel her recoil at the touch. I smirked, a wicked and knowing twinkle in my own eyes.

"You...you can't be here."

Her voice audibly increased in pitch - a sure sign of just how unsettled my presence made her.

"And just why can't I be here?" I taunted her. "After all, I lived here for many, many years."

I slowly walked through the grand foyer of the mansion that I had once occupied. I looked around with distaste.

"You've changed things," I stated. "I don't like it."

She regained some composure and shut the door before turning to watch me. Her eyes were wide, and her breathing was quick.

"It's my house now. My life."

"Ha!" I sarcastically scoffed at that declaration. Her house. Her... life...

"I don't know why - or how - you're here, but..." She shook her blonde head frantically like a sad little buttercup in a storm. "...you have to go!"

"I have to? No. I don't have to do anything. Why should I? I belong here more than you ever could."

She followed me as I walked into the elaborate living room. I ran my fingers over the soft velvet of the overstuffed, mauve sofa. I missed sitting there with a fire going in the fireplace, a glass of wine in my hand, and a good book on my lap. My faithful golden retriever would lazily snooze next to me as I sipped and read. It really was a perfect life.

As if on cue, the golden pup trotted into the room. I smiled instantly, but my furry friend seemed shocked. He lowered his head and whimpered, tucked his tail, and backed out of the room keeping his eyes on me until he felt he was safe to turn and bolt. Sad. I really did love him. I guess he just couldn't deal with all of the changes. Very unfortunate.

"What do you want?"

I turned to see her still staring at me. Her fright was tangible. It was delicious! Oh, how I loved seeing her this way. I wanted to prolong it for as long as possible and squeeze every drop of enjoyment from this moment.

"What do I want? That's a good question," I answered. "I've thought about it long and hard, and I think that what I want is..."

I paused and watched the anticipation, anxiety, and luscious fear twist her face. The tears that brimmed at the corners of her eyes now meandered down her face leaving streaks in her perfectly applied makeup.

I smiled and leaned in toward the terrified woman as I finished my sentence with one word: "Revenge."

I watched the blood drain from her face. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth dropped open as a gasp escaped.

"I...uh...I...but..." she stammered, unable to form a cohesive sentence.

I laughed. Even to me, it sounded hollow and dry. I could feel myself beginning to weaken. I needed to exact my revenge while I was still able.

"What's wrong, dear? Cat got your tongue?" I teased as I began to slowly step toward her.

"Now. You aren't scared are you? Of little ol' me?" I chuckled. "You weren't afraid when you decided to take my entire world from me. You weren't terrified to lay yourself down in my husband's bed. Were you scared when you married him a few days ago?"

Each step forward that I took was mirrored by her own step back. Slowly, we progressed as such across the room until she found herself with her back against the spotless beige wall. We stood nearly toe to toe. She shook that infuriating head of bleached blonde curls at me once again.

"I didn't take anything away from you. It's not my f-fault..."

"Not your fault?" I furrowed my brow and cocked my head to the side.

I felt a little dizzy. I was definitely going to have to speed this up. Though, I was enjoying the abject terror so much!

"I was your friend. Please. I didn't do anything wrong. I swear!" She was pleading now. Perfect!

"My friend. Well, my friend, you don't think that planning to get rid of me so that you could marry my husband and have my life was wrong?"

"I didn't plan anything! What happened was a-an accident! Really. Please?" she sobbed.

She was actually, fully sobbing. I laughed so hard that I thought I'd... well, I had to finish up soon. My head was swimming, and I was feeling terribly cold. My vision was becoming a little blurry, too. I didn't want to miss seeing any of this.

"You planned the ski trip. You picked the slope. You planned... everything. I really thought we were friends. That's the part that really hurts, ya know?"

"We are friends!" she protested.

"You're my friend?"

She nodded, the curls wildly bouncing around her face. She even tried to smile through her terror. The fake smile plastered across the tear-streaked face was both hilarious and maddening.

"Because all friends shove their best girly right off the edge of a cliff, huh?"

Her smile fell. She slumped against the wall like the breath had been knocked from her.

"That's right. I know. I know you picked the most dangerous location you could find for our 'girls trip.' I know that you had planned and plotted for months to get your filthy claws into my rich husband."

A strange mix of guilt and acceptance crossed her face. She opened her mouth but immediately closed it. She was searching for words that just weren't to be found. There was nothing she could say now. There was no need to deny anything anymore. Her mouth opened and closed again. I was reminded of the time I went fishing with my dad when I was young...the bass in his hand gasping and moving its mouth in vain as it struggled to live outside of its watery home.

Suddenly, anger took over my prey as she yelled, "He loves me! He loves me better than he ever loved you! This house, this life... they're mine now. You had your chance, and you didn't see how lucky you were. Yes. Yes, I shoved you! I SHOVED YOU!"

Her pretty little face was beet red. Spittle gathered at the corners of her smeared lipstick. Eye makeup mixed with tears made rivers that ran down her face. Her perfectly curled hair was now a mess of tangles atop her head.

"You had to know it couldn't last," I told her. "It's over." I placed a hand on each side of her head. "I'm back now."

Her eyes went wider than what seemed humanly possible. She resembled that fish from my childhood even more. Her once perfect skin was so white with terror that it was nearly translucent. Like a sheet...or a ghost.

I squeezed each side of her head, tightening my grip.

"Oh, yes," I reiterated, "I'm back."

"B-B-But..." she stammered before stating the obvious, "You're DEAD!"

I twisted her head to the side - hard.

"So are you."