Goodwill
She stared at the room around her. Filthy. Piles of his clothing sat next to empty boxes, a wine bottle, tipped over. The sidewalk needed shoveling. The drive wasn’t plowed. Packing up, braving the elements, driving to town. Too much hassle. A fire sounded much better instead.
-
Nine to Five
The first thing one saw upon entering the house was a large wedding photo. The bride and groom held each other and gazed back at the viewer. She paid it no mind; she’d seen it plenty of times before.
“When does she get home?”
“An hour or two,” he replied.
“Then we have plenty of time.”
-
Labor Day
The room was too bright. It smelled sterile. The sound of a woman screaming down the hall preceded a shrill cry. Her room was quiet, save for the beeping of a monitor. A sharp pain in her stomach prevented her from sitting up properly. The tiny outfit waited expectantly. She wondered if it was too late to return.
-
Overtime
He came home late again, reeking of alcohol. The lights were all off. She listened to him trip and fall, stumble up the stairs.
“Honey?”
He repeated himself a few times. She could smell perfume. He headed into the bathroom to rinse off the stench. She pretended to sleep until, at last, she was.
-
That’s What Makeup is For
His things lay in a heap. The empty box waited patiently. Everything accounted for. Soon, all the evidence would be gone. Except the bruises.
-
The New Roomate
The smoke curled upward. It made the entire room reek.
“You want a hit?”
It smelled like betrayal. Flashbacks of bong hits and backstabbing best friends. A reminder not to get too close.
“Sure.”
-
Hidden Treasure
The earth was soft. The pile of dirt grew and grew. I felt a dog burying a bone. No one would find her now.
-
Plot Twist
It had almost been a week.
“Another binge,” they gossiped.
Then they found dad in the silo.
-
Too Little
The big slide was for big kids only. He scaled it all by himself. No one saw the fall. Bright white protruded from his arm. Red gushed out. Should have listened to mama.
-
Denied
Pads collided with pads. The crowd screamed. He caught the ball and ran. It felt like flying. Then the ground came up too fast.
