Ashon Ruffins is a native New Orleanian and a military Veteran. He earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, while also holding certifications for several other professions. He loves the art of storytelling in all genres and believes the best lessons in life can be told through fiction. Ashon is also a mental health advocate and his love for horror extends back to his childhood. Ashon is married and the father of two beautiful children. He also has a passion for the culinary arts.
Check out Ashon’s debut novel DESCENT OF A BROKEN MAN right HERE.
BLOOD BATH
by
Ashon Ruffins
I could not wait to soak in a long hot bath. Most men prefer showers, but it was the calm atmosphere of a silent bathroom and a tub filled with steaming hot water that put me in the most relaxed state. It had been a rough two days, and I looked forward to date night with the wife, who had been out of town these past few days. The wife and I kind of drifted apart these past couple of months. I completely admit that it had been all my fault. I should have taken my vows more seriously. Well, let me rephrase that. It’s not that I didn’t take them seriously, it’s that I had been so selfish I didn’t take care of my responsibility. Well, there was no more of that. I was a changed man. I buried my issues deep in the middle of the plush soil of my backyard. No more distractions. No more temptation. No more struggle.
I glanced over to the medicine cabinet mirror as the tub filled and saw the sticky note that seemed as if it was awaiting my arrival.
‘I can’t wait for our time tonight. It’s long overdue, baby.’
I smiled as I read the tiny words on the note. I love my wife, and I needed to fix it. As the steam rose and the air filled with a sauna like heat, images of the blood-soaked tub flashed through my head. Those images kept me out of this damn tub. Even after I scrubbed it until my knuckles bled, it was not a space I was eager to sit in again.
Foot first, I slipped into the bathtub and immediately exhaled in relief. As I leaned my head back, I reflected on how just a couple of days before the blood slipped down the drain with all my worries. I refused to set foot in this tub after. I felt relieved. Relieved that I saved the family I worked so hard to provide for.
Completely relaxed, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm blanket of the bath water. I hadn’t felt that type of peace in a long time. The moments were brief. The water seemed to feel colder after only a few moments. Frustrated, I leaned forward and reached for the hot water knob. The reflection in the water was not my own. The face was pale and had the features of the woman that sat in this tub lifeless only a few days ago. My heart pounded as I looked away and briefly closed my eyes. The reflection gone as I found the courage to look again.
“I must be losing my damn mind,” I mumbled.
I fully turned on the hot water, closed my eyes again, and leaned back to clear my head. Tiny bumps raised on my arms as my hands trembled from the water that seemed even colder than a few moments ago. The water felt different. It felt thicker, unusual compared to the many baths I’ve had before. I opened my eyes at the unusual sensation brushed up against my face.
A set of dead, milky white eyes glared back at me. The eyes were strange and still familiar. Its disembodied face had smears of mud and a trail of water almost solidified, water trailing behind it as it turned and faced me. Her once beautiful smile was now unnatural and hideous.
“You.” My voice trembled with fear as the face of my dead lover smiled back at me.
“I don’t understand. How?”
I felt the crawl of fingers move across my face. With wide eyes, I could see the pale mud smeared hands make their way toward my mouth and penetrate my lips, stretching my mouth open. Its grotesque fingernails scraped against the inside of my mouth. I kicked my legs in terror, unable to move my body as I felt pinned down to the tub. I gagged as the hands stretched my flesh wider, its fingers deeper. Worm like water from the tub slithered up my stomach, then my chest, and into my mouth. The air escaped me and the water filled my stomach. It cramped and pained as it stretched. The once beautiful face of my former lover continued to smile at me with dead eyes and a pale face.
“Liar,” it whispered.
Eyes watered, I glanced down at my pulsating stomach as it stretched. The pounding at the door provided a small measure of hope as my legs continued to struggle and splashed the little water that remained in the tub. The panicked sound of my wife’s voice that yelled on the other side of the door became faint. The spray of warm blood on my face was the last feeling of life as my stomach burst opened and the room went dark.