Matilda

She could barely see the blood in the dim light, but its pungent, metallic smell filled her nostrils. The horror of what she had just witnessed replayed in her mind and each time the fear in her stomach rose in her throat, its bitter taste made her gag.

She had to keep running, she could not let him catch her or she too would receive the same fate.

Did he see her? Is he coming back? Her mistress was dead, her eyes vacant, the blood gushing from her throat, the wound open and gaping t was her husband who did it, quietly and without hesitation he crept up behind her, pulled her head back by her hair and ran the glistening blade across her throat, she did not make a sound, there was only the momentary thud of her body as it hit the wooden floor. 

Tildi had only gone into the closet to get fresh blankets for the Madam as she was about to retire, now the narrow space was her refuge. Hidden, she put both her hands over her mouth, she dared not breathe, far less scream.

After what felt like hours but could only have been minutes, he finally left the room, taking the blade with him. Making sure that it was safe, Matilda gently opened the creaking door, praying that the Master had left the house. She paused a few seconds and heard nothing, she bolted into the room and headed for her mistress, crumpled on the floor her light pink nightie drenched with blood, she was gone from this world. Nothing could be done for her.

‘Tildi made her way out the bedroom and down the stairs avoiding the creaks in the staircase, she ran to the kitchen, out the back door and into the cane fields as if the devil himself was chasing her. At home, she stripped off her bloody clothes, changed and hugged her children who were already in bed, she tried to be calm but sleep eluded her, she watched over her children all night, the death of her boss at the forefront of her mind, a young and kind woman, far away from her family, unable to have children, all alone and now dead…to be continued…