Scandal

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ethan says, his arms crossed against his chest.

“I messed up big time,” I reply.

“Yes, you did. You should feel lucky that I’m not completely pissed. You need to start thinking before act, Liz.”

I nod. I shouldn’t be calm, Ethan will be furious when he hears the rest. I start to tell him, but am interupted by the phone ringing in the next room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hadley,” says Crowley, poking his head in. “I’m sorry to disturb, but the governer is on the line.”

“Carter? What does he want?” Ethan demands. Then he notices how terrified I am. “Elizabeth, what haven’t you told me?”

“Ellington is dead,” I whisper; my voice won’t go above one.

“Should I stave off the governer, sir?” Crowley asks.

“No, Crowley, let me handle this. Liz, just stay here, and for God’s sake don’t do anything else! If we’re lucky, I can keep this from blowing up in our faces.” He walks out of the room, Crowley shutting the door behind him.

This is going to ruin Ethan’s carrier, his life, should he get sent to prison. He’s going to leave me for sure, though he said he wouldn’t. I have to save his reputation, and the only way of doing that is if everyone thinks I’m mental.

I strip the bed, grab a chair, climb up on it, fling one end of a sheet over the ceiling fan and tie both ends together. Then I take a deep breath, close my eyes as I shove my head through the loop and kick the chair away. The crash it makes is loud enough that maybe someone heard. I just hope to God they find me and put me in a mental ward before I actually suffocate and die.

300 words