Ambrosia

by: Kimberly Chiquillo Water Color Art by: Christopher Jan Cioco

A pair of hands crawled around my waist as I finished cooking. "You smell delicious, oh I mean that smells delicious." He teasingly laughed as I turn around and pinch his cheeks. "Stop teasing and let's just eat." I just grabbed my spoon and fork as news of another murder case around our neighborhood was being televised again. "Man, it's getting scarier to live here. Haven't they catch the culprit yet? It gives me goose bumps especially because of our neighbor. We should get a new place away from here. " I just remained silent about his thoughts and looked outside the window facing our neighbor, Myrtle, who's known for the name Crying Myrtle. Yes, like the one from Harry Potter but not for the same reason. She was caught stabbing our neighbor's cat and killing someone's hamster last week and cried out like a siren after. And there she is, looking straight back at me. Smiling like a psychopath from a murder movie. I smiled back to not offend any delusional thoughts going inside her mind, and looked away. "I always love your cooking, love." He said. "Everything just tastes better when you cook it. "

I smiled sweetly at him. We are getting married soon and I'll do everything for him. Everything. By the way, love, did you wear a different perfume? " I looked back up. Every week he asks me this question. I find it funny sometimes. "Yeah, love. Strawberry scent." He grabbed a tissue as he was finishing eating. He shook his head. I guess his thoughts were wandering to somewhere. "I asked your friend, Kyla, what's her fave scent and she told me she likes strawberry scents. So I tried it out. Though I still preferred the one I tried last time. " I smiled at him. "I'd buy you more perfumes, love." He smiled. " Anyways, I'm worried. She's been lost for days now and the last time she was seen was while she was arguing with Myrtle." I got up to clean up the table. I looked back outside the window. She's not there anymore. But a note written in bold letters caught my attention. 'I AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR NEXT MENU. '

The next day, I went out to prepare and as I was walking past her house, I saw her sitting outside. Creepily looking at me. I just smiled. "Hi Myrtle." A thin, creepy smile formed on her face as her eyes are just focused on me. Ripping through the very core of my sanity. "I wonder how your next cooking would smell next." I just shook off the atmosphere forming and continued. A pair of hands wrapped around me. I smiled knowing from whom those warm backhugs are from. "You're wearing another perfume?" He asked as we sat in front of the dining table. I smiled. This was the first time he noticed it that fast. "I love the food tonight, love. It smells like vanilla. Just like you right

now. "

He kissed me before he went to our bedroom. As I look at him fading from my vision, I smiled remembering something. 'Oh-ugh. I love how you scream when I'm eating you. You taste and smell like vanilla. Uhmm! ' "You did say that you love that about my bestfriend." " I hope no more perfumes." And I turned to look outside the window. There she is. Myrtle. Smiling widely like a chesire cat. With a note in front of her. 'I love every smell of them but, ... your bestfriend's my favorite too."