Looks that Kill

The moment Kyle laid eyes on her, he knew she was the one. Her lithe form was silhouetted against the starlit sky, and her auburn hair seemed to burn with the intensity of an ember. She was seated on a blanket spread across the grass in the quiet stillness of the park.

The location had been a bit far away, he had to admit, but it seemed only logical that they would meet halfway in between the two of them. He quickly pulled down the rearview mirror and checked his teeth. His gaze inevitably wandered back to her gentle and welcoming form. Dating online had always worried Kyle because he assumed that the images were misleading, or that he had been played for a fool, but looking at her, he knew no photograph could capture the vibrancy and complexity of the woman seated in front of him. Taking a deep breath, Kyle stepped out of the car and crossed the small gravel parking lot to the woman of his dreams.

Her gaze shifted from the heavens down to Kyle, and he could already feel his face flushing in delight. She tilted her head to the side, allowing a large mass of her red hair to cascade down her shoulder.

“Kyle?” she asked, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

Kyle smiled back, relishing in her brilliance. “That depends. Are you Julia?” he asked coyly. She giggled and smiled back up at him.

“Then I guess in that case, yes. I am Julia.”

“Good. I was worried that you were some sort of serial killer.” The two shared a quick laugh, two harmonious voices echoing into the night. Finally, Julia gestured towards the opposite edge of the blanket. Kyle plopped down on the slightly damp fabric.

“So,” she said through a shy smile, “how did I do for a first date?”

“Wonderful,” Kyle complimented. Julia quickly looked away, embarrassed at his intense gaze.

“I’m sorry. Is there something stuck in my teeth?” she asked with mock horror.

“Oh no! I just can’t get over how beautiful you are.”

Julia laughed. “And I can’t believe that I managed to reel someone like you in.” She leaned forward. Her lips hovered over his cheek, and each breath sent a shiver up Kyle’s spine like a bolt of electricity passing through him. Instinctively, he pulled her close, and their lips just barely danced along each other.

Julia teasingly pulled back and reached behind her, bringing forward a large picnic basket. “Now, what sort of a first date would this be if we didn’t have a nice dinner to go with it?”

She began unloading a variety of food, enough to feed several people. There was an assortment of cheeses, fruits, small sandwiches, and even several varieties of cake. Kyle eyed them with delight.

“And, for the pies de resistance,” Julia said dramatically, pulling a large bottle out from the wicker basket, “what date would be complete without some wine?” She handed him the bottle while she dug around for two wine glasses. He rolled it in his hands, tracing the letter.

“Merlot, huh? Good choice. Now I know I’ve got a keeper.” Julia quickly leaned over and pecked him on the cheek, before bringing out two elegant wine glasses.

“Here they are. I was so worried about them getting damaged that I wrapped them in bubble wrap.”

“Smart.” Kyle pulled the cork out of the bottle and Julia held the glasses out towards him. The liquid flowed crimson red, like rich thick blood. Julia handed Kyle a glass, then held her own up in the air.

“A toast, to an amazing man, and what will hopefully be a night we will never forget.” Kyle tapped his glass against hers.

“To an amazing night, and to the most beautiful woman I have ever met.” The smooth liquid flowed past Kyle’s lips. Julia put her glass down and picked up one of the small sandwiches.

“You know, I have always liked these small sandwiches. They make me feel like a giant. I know that sounds childish…”

“No. I think it’s really cute.” Kyle set his glass down and leaned closer to her. “God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered. Finishing the sandwich, she pulled him into a long, passionate kiss. Kyle’s chest felt like it was about to burst, and he closed his eyes and relished in the softness of her lips. Eventually, the two pulled away from each other, and Julia looked up at the sky. Kyle looked up too, but soon became distracted by a tickle in his throat. He coughed, gently at first, but soon he was wheezing for breath. Julia’s head snapped down with concern.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah...I just… I’m having trouble…” Kyle fell forward onto his hands, clutching at his chest.

“Oh my God!” Julia rushed over to him, pulling his face up to hers.

“I...can’t...breathe!” he gasped.

“Are you allergic to something?” she shouted as she scrambled towards her purse. Kyle shook his head vigorously, which only served to worsen his rapidly closing airways. Julia fished around in the bag, constantly looking up at Kyle’s purpling face. Kyle collapsed onto his stomach and began rolling around, sending the glasses of wine flying through the air as Julia furiously dialed 9-1-1.

“Come on. Come on!” she screamed as the number dialed. She looked down at Kyle and grabbed his hand. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. I’ll get you help soon. Help’s coming.” She was sobbing. Kyle looked up at her as his body began to convulse. He reached up and ran his fingers through that bright auburn hair. Julia screamed for help into her phone as his eyes rolled back into his head and his body ceased moving. Julia’s eyes went wide, and she bent down over his form. His chest no longer moved, and she couldn’t hear even the faintest inclinations of a heartbeat. She sat back on her haunches, and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. She pulled the phone away from her face, the numbers 8-1-1 glowing brightly in the crisp summer night. Her face slid from one of fear to one of pure satisfaction.

She reached down and stroked his hair. This was her favorite part. The set-up, the mind games to get him here were amusing, but this was the moment that she lived for. Desperate, lonely men would put their lives at risk for a woman they had never met, simply in the hopes that they had found the one. She laughed at the notion. Kyle had been a challenge. He was cautious, which had delighted her greatly. They had talked for months, until she had finally successfully lured her prey into her trap. Now here he was, splayed out for her in all his post mortem glory.

Reaching over Kyle’s still form, she scooped up the bottle of Merlot and rolled it gently in her hands. She always hated ruining a nice bottle of wine, but her years of experience had taught her that is provided the best mechanism for murder. With its strong color and scent, any poison she selected was undetectable. Once the body was taken care of, she simply poured the remaining solution down the drain, where it was purified and any lasting remains of her heinous deeds were diluted into a billion drops of water.

She packed all her wares back into the picnic basket, making sure that there was no evidence left behind. Looking at Kyle’s red sport’s car, she mindlessly dug in his pockets for the key. The key was large, and she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps he was compensating for his own insecurities. She shrugged off the idea. There would be time to consider him in more detail later. There was a much more pressing task at hand. Slinging the basket over one shoulder, she stood up and popped the trunk on the car. Then, seizing the ends of the picnic blanket, she began rolling them about Kyle’s now cold and lifeless form. She swept her hair over to one side and hefted the body over her shoulder, quickly crossing to the trunk. It was small, but Julia managed to cram the body inside.

Julia climbed in the front seat and started up the engine. The picnic basket sat in the passenger seat, the top of the bottle sticking out like a lighthouse at the end of the pier. She reached up and adjusted the rearview mirror. She caught a glimpse of the trunk, and she smiled, admiring her latest handiwork. Then, she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the winding road, the only trace of their ever being there being a small puddle of spilled Merlot, which Julia knew would be evaporated with the rising sun.