Simply Sinister
Sitting still so some solitude settles, Salome speaks.
"Stay."
Susannah swallows some Syrah. "Sorry?"
"Stay," says Salome softly.
"Supper’s soon," Susannah says.
"So?"
"Suppose Samuel stumbles..."
"Silly," Salome soothes.
"Sex surprises some spouses, ’specially since Samuel suspects…"
"Samuel suspects some standard, sultry situation," Salome says sternly.
"Surely..." Susannah starts.
Salome stops speech — soft shapes strategically stroked, sweetly smothering Susannah’s solicitude.
Subsequently, Susannah succumbs. Salome smiles smugly, stroking Susannah’s supple sun-striped silver skin.
"Samuel," Susannah sighs suddenly.
Salome stills. "Samuel?"
Susannah stirs, satisfaction spoiled.
"Samuel?" Salome sibilates.
"Salome," Susannah says.
Salome’s secret sphere shatters. Samuel sullies something special.
Simple solution, Salome supposes.
***
Samuel scales stairs, stops -- something serious, something suspicious, something sinister...
***
"Something," says Sergeant Simmons.
"Senseless slaughter," says Sister Sarah somberly.
"Stabbed," Sergeant Simmons says, studying Samuel's stiff.
Sister Sarah sighs sadly. "Slaughter sprouts such sorrows."
"Simply sinister," says Salome, slyly. "So surprisingly savage."
"Sinful," says Sister Sarah.
"Suspicious," says Sergeant Simmons, studying Salome.
"Sad," Salome says simply.
Simmons suspects Salome’s suffering’s spurious. Salome simulates sobbing, seeks Sister Sarah’s sympathetic support.
Simmons supposes sinners slip sometime: strategically scrutinizing stories starts spilling secrets sinners safeguard.
Simmons sits. Salome’ll slip soon. Simmons’s stoic.
***
Simply sinister, Salome’d said. So surprisingly savage.
Simmons sees Susannah spread -- silent.
"Strychnine?" says Sergeant Simmons.
"Strychnine," says Stephen. "Swallowed."
"Symptoms?"
"Spasms, seizures. Slightest stimulus strengthens spasms," Stephen says, scrubbing scalpels, slab. "Suffocation stops sentience."
"Standard substance?"
"Scarcely," says Stephen.
"Strange," says Simmons.
Stephen stops. "Servants," Stephen says, "sometimes snuff squirrels. Strychnine’s simple — standard solution."
Simply sinister, Salome’d said. So surprisingly savage.
Spasms, seizures, suffocation. Simmons sits, significant specifics silently spurring succeeding steps. Salome’s sinful, sordidly slaughtering Samuel, Samuel’s Susannah.
Salome’s sin’s surfacing — soon Simmons’ll seize Susannah’s sinner.