The moment I opened the door, I knew something was wrong. He paced in the kitchen, told me how, not why. “Let’s sit down,” I said. I turned off Entertainment Tonight. My hand shook as I set down the remote. “She came at me with a knife. I had to do it. She was gonna kill me.” He covered his face with his hands. “Where…is she?” He stood up as if to go. Sat back down. “I buried her.” Shocked, I knew what we had to do. “Does anybody else know?” Shook his head no. “We have to call the police.” “NO-” he protested. “Mom, please.” “I’m sorry, Mark. But you told me.” My voice shook. “Now I’m implicated.” I waited for him to respond, but he just sat there, head hung. “When you’re ready, make that call. Don’t force me to.” While he dialed, my heart nailed itself to the cross. Everything we’d worked for, poured ourselves into. Gone. I couldn’t breathe. Our only son. After he hung up he said, “Do you have any chocolate milk?” |
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Implications by Robert Vaughan
Filed under Robert Vaughan
I’m slumbering if theres more to this. Does he have a violent past? Was he hallucinating and it wasn’t self defence?
Slumbering should be wondering. Sorry, my swype keyboard misinterpreted- talk about unintended consequences!
Oh no… tell me it’s going to be OK, please? That last line… Lord, that is one last line. OW.
You got me.
Nicely done, Robert. I like the story being set in tone and pace by the dialogue between the two characters.
OK, so I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at the final line. I loved it. So punchy and well-described. (I stifled the guffaw because others were watching television.) He’s still a kid.
I love it that she makes him call the police as though he’d stolen candy from a store and had to take it back. A mom to the end. Chocolate milk is the perfect detail.
nice work, sir. i enjoyed the ways the situation was at once stable and not so much as, reading, i got my bearings by moving further into the piece.
this has so many levels to it. loved it at fn and love it here. has a psycho vibe that i like. peace…
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Excellent. Would make a great short film or play where after the last line is spoken the theatre goes black.
Great idea, Darryl! I have thought about working this into a One Act somehow!