Chapter 2 - The Physics of the Fall
Time lost its elasticity.
The impact lifted Clara off her heels.
Her right foot slipped on the polished wax of the floorboards.
The silver tray tilted at a perfect forty-five-degree angle.
The tumbler of iced water slid first.
It tipped over the rim of the tray, the heavy base catching the light before plunging downward.
The wine glass followed, the dark liquid hanging suspended in the air for a fraction of a second.
Clara’s arms flailed backward, grasping at empty space.
Her spine bowed.
Her shoulder blades hit the floor first.
The thud was a deep, wet sound that vibrated through the floorboards.
Her head snapped back, the dark hair tying at the nape of her neck cushioning the blow against the wood.
The tumbler hit the edge of a table leg and exploded.
Shards of thick, wet glass sprayed across the walkway, catching the light like crushed diamonds.
The wine glass shattered directly over Clara’s chest.
The Cabernet exploded in a violent, bloody starburst against her crisp white shirt.
The silver tray hit the floor last.
It landed flat, the metallic CLANG echoing off the high, acoustic ceilings.
The sound silenced the entire room.
The clinking of silverware stopped.
The low hum of dinner conversation died instantly.
Clara lay flat on her back, staring up at the amber bulbs of the chandelier.
Cold water soaked through the back of her apron.
May you like
Warm wine seeped into her collarbone.
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