Taboo

Taboo

I could hear the banging on the doors, causing my nerves to pulsate like blood-filled chambers of horror, seen only in Hollywood creations. Many pairs of eyes peered at me through the smudged windowpanes of the spooky venue. I tried desperately to make myself impervious to darts the glowing orbs seem to cast upon me. My heart, however, was not sealed from the pain they inflicted. It was probably justified, as I was the reason, I found myself in this perilous moment.

I could hear the music playing, a lyrical love ballad from today’s play list. It called on me to join in the gaiety of the moment. There was the slow shuffling of feet closing in on me, but still the eyes from the window cast shadows in the corners of my mind. They should all be here to join in the celebration. It would take time and a tall glass of wine to release the guilt that I felt.

All because of a simple conversation with my daughter, Jamie, the chaos had all started many months earlier. A small and intimate gathering, she used as the terms to dictate her wishes. Our family is very large. Of course, there was joy in her announcement, but dread soon filled my soul at the thought of planning a wedding when she and her fiance’ were so far away. Many details would fall in my direction. They picked the place, the date, the colors, the time, and the theme. I was left to make it all happen.

We were allotted only 140 places to stuff the bodies, but they just kept coming. As I moved to the music filling the ballroom, I screamed, “Don’t let them in. I can’t afford all that food and beer.”

Word Count 295