Unlockd DoorsSometimes Fred wonders why Lilah does it. Fred would lock the door so Wesley couldn’t stumble in on them. But maybe Lilah does it on purpose, to make sure Wesley would walk in and catch them. Fred’s not too sure, Lilah’s so complicated.
Fred is constantly defining herself in terms of Lilah. Does she have the beauty and grace Lilah has? Does she kiss like her? Does Wesley imagine Lilah’s full curvaceous body under his when they’re making love? She has to know the answers, has to know why Lilah holds such allure for him. That’s why Wesley stumbles in on Fred seated on top of a desk, legs spread, eyes squeezed shut, with Lilah kneeling in front of her.
Well, now she knows why Lilah is so tempting; Wesley’s not the only one lusting after those long legs and perfectly smooth white skin, wet kisses and full red lips, delicate fingers and smoky brown eyes. The power Lilah has to conquer and keep captive one’s soul…
But no matter how much Wesley lusts for Lilah, Fred is confident he will never actually do anything with her; she is confident in their pure love. Fred wickedly enjoys the surprised look on his face when he sees them together; Lilah is good at keeping secrets.
She wonders why Lilah bothers with her, her rival and annoyance. Fred would never take her enemy to her bosom the way Lilah has. Maybe Lilah does it to keep a close eye on her, maybe try to lure her away from Wesley- but Lilah hasn’t seemed so interested in Wesley lately, so maybe she’s just watching her.
She watches Lilah carefully, tries to mimic her seductive walk, the way she tosses her hair and scares people with her smiles. She considers all of Lilah’s actions and strategies. Lilah dominates by virtue of her presence and persuasiveness, her readiness to kill someone if they don’t give her what she wants. Low cut shirts also help. And if Fred tries to copy her a little bit, she thinks it’s working.
So now Fred’s trying her hardest to be just like Lilah. She pastes on the face every morning and cements her features into evil smiles. Her taste in clothing changes, as does her attitude in life. She practices in her office, at home in front of the mirror, and with Wesley.
A week after Wesley has caught them, Fred goes to his apartment in a business suit and pumps. She flips her styled hair over her shoulder and smiles seductively at him. Wesley won’t look at her; the shock still hasn’t worn off. You’re trying to be her, aren’t you? he tells her, aghast. Do you have any idea what you're doing?
Isn’t this what you want? she questions him. Don’t you want me for love and her for sex? Why not combine them?
Fred replays this conversation in her head over and over, wondering what he means, why he slams the door against her and locks it tight. In Lilah’s arms she confesses what she did, and asks her why he locked the door. Lilah shrugs and tells her that Wesley didn’t like it that much when she dressed up either. He prefers the hard, cold truth to a cozy warm lie, she tells her. Then Lilah slowly smiles, and that smile haunts Fred for a long time.
A few days later she makes her way to Lilah’s apartment. Wesley still won't talk to her and it's disheartening, so she comes to Lilah for comfort.The front door is unlocked, which is odd. Fred usually knocks and waits for Lilah to open it and raise her eyebrow quirkily at her. Fred’s still trying to mimic that properly.
She slowly pushes the door open, but decides against calling for Lilah. Lilah is never surprised by anything, but Fred wants to try anyway.
Why would she leave the door open? Fred wonders as she pulls off her jacket and tosses it on the couch. She runs her fingers through her hair and prepares to surprise Lilah. But it is she who is surprised. Through the half-open bedroom door she can see Lilah, naked, loose hair streaming down her bare back, sitting on top of someone. Then a hand reaches up to pull her down, and she can see Wesley greedily kissing Lilah.
The horror washes over Fred and she wobbles out of the room on shaky legs. Wesley and Lilah… But she’s been trying to be like Lilah, why would Wesley prefer her? She’s Fred, Wesley loves her, and Lilah hasn’t seemed so interested in Wesley for some time now...But now it all makes too much sense: Wesley's horror at her attempt to copy Lilah, Lilah's wry comment that Wesley always prefers reality to lies... Lilah never stopped wanting Wesley and now she has him.
Lilah is too clever, Fred realizes. Lilah knows everything that has been going on, what Fred has been doing and why, has been subtly encouraging it, and is now letting Fred know that she knew everything, and that Fred has lost. This is why Lilah leaves her doors unlocked, because she has won.
Fred can feel the fury running through her veins with her blood. What would Lilah do had she walked in on such a scene? Would Lilah stand silent and quietly watch her lovers stealing each other away from her? No; Fred is certain of this. Lilah would never let them get away with such an affair.
Fred doesn’t wonder anymore; she knows what Lilah would do. Calmer now, she searches for Lilah’s purse, for the gun that she knows Lilah keeps there. Armed with the gun, she goes back to the bedroom and noiselessly pushes the door open.
But Lilah hears her and raises her head. She looks straight at Fred, luscious lips curved into a smirk, until Wesley pulls her back down to him. Fred keeps that smirk in mind, then pulls the trigger until the gun is empty.
Their bodies are still intertwined in a lover’s embrace, the blood splattering the white sheets twisted around their legs, bullet holes marring Lilah’s soft skin and Wesley’s lean chest. Fred walks over and feels their pulses just to make sure they’re dead.
But Lilah’s not completely dead. Fred doesn’t have to try being her anymore, because she is Lilah now. She’s the one standing next to the bed with the gun and casually surveying the bodies with a nonchalant look. She’s the one who drops the gun without a second glance, and walks out of the room.
She’s the one who leaves the front door unlocked.
~Fin~