5 December 2012
A week before the winter solstice, a fire crackling merrily in the hearth and a hot chocolate in hand, she sat down upon the sofa and surveyed the festive scene before her. Katie had spent the last six hours wrapping gifts, stringing up lights, decking the halls and trimming the tree, and she was exhausted. But it had been worth it; her house now looked like the quintessential Christmas scene, and the large flakes of snow that were now falling past the frosted window promised to tweak it to perfection. Katie sighed happily, sipping her warm, sweet drink with satisfaction. It had been a long, difficult, and at times frightening year, but finally things seemed to be looking up.
A car rattled to a stop outside and Katie peered out of the lounge window, a familiar feeling of tension creeping into her body. She relaxed when she saw the red VW - it was just Rik, home with his Christmas shopping. He climbed out of the tired old car, stared up into the flutter of snowflakes, and stuck out his tongue to catch them. Katie smiled; after everything they had been through Rik still managed to hold on to his love of life. She watched as he loaded his strong arms with countless shopping bags, struggled to the front door and dropped his keys into the growing snowdrift, before getting off the sofa to help him.
Opening the front door had become a bit of a joke between them; Rik called it "breaking into the vault," as they had to unlock three separate deadlocks, a latch and turn off an alarm just to get in. At night they added a few bolts, just for good measure. It seemed somewhat over the top, but being in witness protection, they couldn't be too careful. 'Although if they find us,' Katie thought, 'all the bolts and locks in the world won't help us.'
Katie went through the long process of unlocking before finally letting Rik inside. He shambled in, dragging bags, snowflakes caught in his thick brown hair. He threw the bags in a pile and caught Katie in a hug, trying to sneak his freezing fingers inside her clothes.
"The house looks great," Rik smiled, "like a Christmas card." He kissed Katie's lips gently, his nose cold against her porcelain skin.
"I'm glad you like it," she said, pulling Rik closer, "I thought we deserved a real, proper Christmas this year."
"I bought you something," he said, reaching for a small, white bag. The handles were made of silver ribbon and there was a diamond embossed on the side in silver ink, "It was supposed to be for Christmas but I can't wait that long to give it to you. Close your eyes."
"Ok..." Katie closed her eyes tightly shut and bit her lip nervously. Could this be it? What she had wanted for so long?
"You can open them...now," Rik said.
What Katie saw when she opened her eyes was not what she had expected. Rik was not down on one knee and it wasn't a ring in his hand, but a gun. And it was pointing right at her.
"Rik?" Katie said, her voice barely a whisper, "What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry Katie," Rik's hand shook and he struggled to keep the gun aimed at her chest. "They found us. I'm supposed to kill you. If I do...they'll let me go."
Katie couldn't speak. After everything they had been through together, this was how it was going to end? She couldn't - wouldn't - believe it. Not Rik. Not like this.
"But I can't do that Katie," Rik swallowed hard, "I'd never hurt you. But they're watching us, they are outside right now."
"Rik," tears of fear and relief streamed down Katie's cheeks, "what do we do?"
"After three I'm going to shoot out of the window, I'm going to give you the chance to run. You know the escape plan. Get as far away as you can. I love you Katie."
"No!" Katie cried, taking a step towards Rik. He was crying too now, for the imminent loss of both his love and his life.
"Dammit Katie, for once just do as I ask!" He shouted, steadying the gun with both hands.
"No Rik," Katie closed the space between them in one quick stride, the muzzle of the gun pressed into her chest. "If I run, they'll kill you. And without you...they'll catch me anyway. You know I'm useless without you."
"Then what do we do?"
Katie looked into Rik's deep green eyes and kissed him, one last time. He knew what he had to do.
Two shots rang out, shattering the picturesque Christmas scene, and like the smashing of a snow globe, Katie and Rik's world was irreparably destroyed.
The police found their bodies side by side beneath the Christmas tree, an engagement ring pressed between their clasped hands.
Last Christmas • Opuss № I