When Love Takes Hold of You

by Andres Marson
(Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina)

When you are in a relationship with someone, you think that it's going to last forever, that nothing can get in the way between you and your partner. One of my closest friends had the same idea in his mind. His name was Paul Hoffer, and he had a crush on a girl called Alexis Yound. At first Paul realized that Alexis and he were incompatible, but he didn't care at all; Paul invited her out and she accepted just because she felt sorry for him and she didn't wanted to break his heart.

The next day Paul told me they had had a great time and he confessed she had kissed him! A few weeks later they were the happiest couple I had ever seen.

Almost twelve years went by when I finished the police academy and became a police officer. Two days later I received an invitation to the "Hoffer-Yound" wedding. I remember I was really exited when I got that letter. A few days before the wedding Paul told me he wanted to meet me in a cafe. We met there and we started discussing women, breakups, girlfriends, etc. When the waiter brought the coffee Paul confessed he had an argument with Alexis the other day because he thought she was cheating on him. I was shocked, but after that he said something even more shocking. "If I find out she is cheating on me, I'm sure, I will kill her, Danny".

The church bells were ringing, I was inside there, waiting for my friend to get married, but something strange was happening, the bride didn't show up, and neither did the groom. I decided to go to Paul's room and check if it was everything in order, there was not a soul in there. Suddenly, I heard a scream coming out of the bride's room. When I reached the place, I found Alexis Yound lying on the floor with a knife through her spine and her white and silk dress stained with blood.

*

"Honey, are you going to join us for dinner?" asked Mary.

"Not tonight, darling, I have to visit Paul," said the officer Daniel Parson. He got up, grabbed his coat and went out of the house.