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Walking down the street of his hometown, Ithaca, New York, Ryan could hear the annoyed murmurs of the strangers, he was shoving by. He didn’t bother to apologize, too busy in his own thoughts.

He knew he was safe here, but how long? It had been almost six years. How long would he keep hiding?

Heaving a sigh, he turned around the corner, and walked into the diner. He was greeted with a warm gush of scented air. He looked around and soon he saw her. Just like how it had happened the first time, he was immediately drawn towards her.

She was sitting by the window, sipping tea from a cup. Her blonde curls fell softly on her shoulders. Her intelligence shone on her face. It seemed that she was oblivious to the world around her.

Ryan couldn’t believe how he had become so fortunate that a women like her loved him. An innocent smile broke across his handsome face. He walked up to her, and slipped onto the empty chair placed across from her.

“Hey Jen!” he chirped. Jennifer looked up, and mirrored his expression, with a broad, loving smile on her lips. Ryan’s black hair was tousled, his clothes crushed. It seemed that he had been in a hurry. Her ocean blue eyes searched Ryan’s dark brown ones, for any trace of worry, strangely, finding none at all. How could she, when it had all seeped away at the sight of her.

“I ordered a cup of your favourite drink,” she said. “It must be on its way.”

Ryan nodded, lost in her beauty, and smooth melodious voice. Soon, a waiter placed a cup of cold coffee on their table. Ryan was about to have his drink, when Jen stopped him, and reminded that he needed to have his medicine with it. He had had a problem with his sleep for the last few years, after he lost his friends, when they both died of a rare disease. Though, reluctantly, he agreed and let her add the tasteless liquid, in the coffee.

“It has been a year since we first met,” he remarked. Jennifer nodded with a smile. “Yes, day after tomorrow, is the exact date, to say that,” she said, chuckling.

“I have a surprise for you,” Ryan hinted. Jen sat up straighter. Although she could guess what it must be, she wanted to know for sure.

“What is it?”

“Hmm..it may or may not be, an apartment,” he said, teasing her. He knew how much she wanted to have her own apartment. He knew he was right to have made the choice, when he saw her expression of extreme joy and delight.

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Ryan rang the door bell, a big bouquet of flowers in one hand, a bottle of red wine in the other and a ring in the pocket of his jacket, waiting to be worn as an engagement promise. The door clicked open, revealing a gorgeously dressed Jen. He presented her with the bouquet of flowers and walked into the new apartment. Jen closed the door and hurried into the kitchen to get some glasses.

Jen was happy. Not for her first anniversary with Ryan but because everything was going according to her plans. This was the last step, if this worked out, then she could rest in peace.

 

[Six years ago]

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She and her two best friends were to part their ways, for further studies. Jennifer Rose, Melanie Williams and Clarisse Parker, decided to celebrate.

Three eighteen years old girls—who never knew what the outside world was like, a disadvantage of being homeschooled their whole life—went out for a night club party. They were all dressed the best they knew—short dresses, heavy make-up and high heels. They were all ready to face the world.

Drinking, dancing and talking to strangers, was what consisted of their idea of fun. Many people surrounded the innocent girls, who were having the best time of their lives, when Jennifer started to feel uncomfortable of the eyes scanning her. She felt strangely vulnerable. She could feel the hungry eyes on her. She urged her friends to leave the place with her, but both of them wanted to stay. She somehow convinced them, and dragged both of them out of the club.  It was almost two in the morning. They could hear the blasting music from the club. Melanie and Clarisse were whispering among themselves, discussing all that they had done. Jen was tired and agitated.

Suddenly, they were all grabbed by their waists. Their shrieks died in the boom of the music. All dragged into a dark street, by three beastly men.

That night took away their innocence. Grievously injured, two didn’t survive but one did—dead from within.

The cops were alerted, but eventually, two years passed. No evidence was found, neither were the rapists. The case was lost among many more.

The survivor’s heart burnt with the fire of revenge. She decided to take up the law in her own hands, and plotted her plan. One by one she pinned them all down. 

Due to the darkness, none knew her by her features. The first and the second were already dead—believed to be because of a rare disease. The truth was far from the beliefs—they were drugged by none other than Jennifer.

The third, the last and the worst of the beasts—Ryan Wood, after six years, had a lot to look forward to. She had planned the best for him.

Jennifer served the glass of red wine, with the last dose of drug emptied into it. Raising a toast to their love, she tipped the drugged wine into her mouth, bottom-up.

A painful impulse rose within her, a hiccup escaped her lips. Staggeringly, she fell into her rapist’s arms. Her eyes rolled up and her beating heart slowed down to a complete stop. With a satisfied smile stuck on her pain filled features, she left her last breath, and died again in the beast’s embrace.

“Jen?,” Ryan called out to the lifeless cold body, which now lay on his lap. He shook her—no response. His breath became rapid, his heart aching at the thought of the obvious answer. He checked her pulse and the beat of her heart.

Silence was all he heard.

A warm drop of tear, rolled down from his cold eyes. He was lost. The only light of hope was gone. His ‘Sun’ was dead.

So lost was he, the policemen who had broken into the apartment went unnoticed by him. Yanked away from the corpse, Ryan screamed in extreme agony. The men arrested him and his hands were cuffed in metal chained locks.

The ring, a token of his love, fell out of his pocket and rolled over to the person it was bought for, and made itself comfortable in the fading warmth of her aura.

Ryan was proven guilty of three murders, including Jennifer. The police department thanked Jennifer from their hearts, for providing the evidences against Ryan for the murder of his friends using the dangerous drug. She even lost her own life in the operation. Jennifer, a student of law, had urged the men to keep her involvement in the operation unknown to Ryan and to punish him with what he deserved—a lifetime prison to die in guilt of what he had done.

Her wish was mentioned to the judge. Keeping in account her contribution and the crime Ryan had committed, he agreed. The next day the newspapers bore a heading which read—

“Ryan Wood—Murderer of Three—Sentenced to Life Imprisonment without Parole”

Jennifer Rose, indeed rested in peace in the Ithaca City Cemetery, where her gravestone stood bravely among all. With the following words inscribed on it—

“Beloved Rose of the Beast;

Here Lies the Beauty;

At Last, Resting In Peace.”

 

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