BODIESSSZZZ

That day at the office, Marianne was dreading the encounter with her employee.  Derek had said he was going to tell his girlfriend about them last night. 
She braced herself as the cleaner approached and said; “Marianne, I don’t feel so good today, may I go home?  Derek has left me.”
Marianne couldn’t look her in the eye; “I know.”
There was a pause as the cleaner put things together, black brows furrowing, eyes darkening.
“I’m sorry,” Marianne added, “we worked together and fell in love.  It’s like we’re one.”

Indeed they were.  As days passed, Derek abandoned his bohemian wardrobe for designer clothes and Marianne hummed the tune he always whistled.  Neither were discreet, they walked down the corridor arm in arm and discussed plans in front of the cleaner.  It was when Marianne mentioned taking Derek away at the weekend that the cleaner, after hesitating, said; “Have you thought of etatuM Hotel?  Derek always wanted to go there.  It’s for couples who want to become truly one.”

The traffic was horrendous, but the sat-nav eventually guided Marianne and Derek off the motorway and into the heart of the countryside.  The lanes became narrow, there were no streetlights and it was pitch black.  Marianne was going to suggest giving up, when they turned onto a track and saw lights.

“Here we are,” Derek said, “etatuM Hotel.”
“Trust you to want to come somewhere like this,” Marianne sighed.
“I didn’t want to come here.”
“But she said you did.”
Derek shook his head.
Marianne was tired.  “I’m going straight to bed,” she stated, as Derek parked the car.

There was a security guard at the desk instead of a receptionist.  He gave them keys to their room, picked up their cases and led them to a lift.  They were on the top floor; “You have the penthouse,” he stated in a melodious voice, “no extra cost.  It’s low season.”

Any doubts were dispelled by the opulence of the accommodation.  There was a sitting room with wide screen television and surround music system.  The bathroom had a Jacuzzi and the bedroom a king size bed with rose petals scattered on it.
“Room service only at this time,” the security guard added.

Later Derek and Marianne lay in bed, having consumed delicious Italian pizza and red wine.

“I’m glad you had the courage to leave,” Marianne said, “she’s never going to do better than cleaning.  What were you thinking?  Were you slumming it?”
“I guess I was,” Derek answered.
After they had made love among the rose petals, they held each other.
“I feel such a connection,” Marianne murmured.
“Me too,” mumbled Derek, “can you move over a bit, I need to reach for my drink.”
She tried; “Derek, I can’t move, I seem to be ... stuck to you.”  She felt a strange pulling sensation in her body.
Derek tore the covers off and they stared in horror, unable to see where Derek’s flesh ended and Marianne’s began.  It was as if their bodies were being pushed closer by an invisible force, the skin liquefying.  Marianne tried to scream, but her voice took a strange tone, not like a woman or man.  Her eyes closed, her face was pressed right up against Derek’s, her chest suffocated against his, knee joints smashing into his bones.  The bodies on the bed struggled, limbs thrashing, backs heaving and then finally all was still.  What was left stood and staggered to the mirror to look on itself.  Two had become one. 

In the hotel bar, a woman sitting alone raised her glass.