He pulls up into the drive-way of His suburban home, parks the car, turns off the headlights, and cuts off the engine. He steps out of the automobile along with His briefcase and shuts the car door behind Him. With His head hung low, He slowly makes His way across the paved path leading to the front door of His house. He fumbles with His keys and drops them twice trying to unlock the door. Once inside, He slowly closes the door behind Him. The foyer is dimly lit and He abruptly drops His briefcase on the floor and gently tosses His keys across the room. He takes a few steps further into the living room and then notices the picture on the mahogany table of Him and His wife that they took during their earlier years together. He picks up the picture and stares at it. Memories of the fun and happy times He had shared with Her plays through His head, the intimate moments, words of affection and vows of devotion all flowing through a panoramic spectrum in His mind. His right fist tightly clinches and He puts the picture back but it falls face first onto the table cracking the glass frame. With His tie hanging loosely from His neck and His long-sleeve button-up dress shirt all wrinkled, He takes off His blazer and drops it to the floor as He makes His way into the kitchen. He heads towards the counter table next to the sink, pulls out the drawer, and takes out a simple cutting knife. The knife firmly in His hands; He shuts His eyes and desperately contemplates. Is this the only path to take? Will this really make everything right?? He opens His eyes…………….
With the knife still in hand, He makes His way into the hall but sees His two young daughters running towards Him. He quickly puts His hands behind His back and smoothly hides the knife within His right sleeve. Kneeling to the floor, He awaits His daughters as they quickly approach Him.
"Daddy, daddy you're home!," the eldest one exclaims as she hugs around His neck. The youngest one says the same when its her turn to hug her father.
"What have I told you both about running in the house?," He calmly asks them.
"…not…to…," the eldest one responded.
"And what are you two doing up this late at night?"
Both girls remained quiet and He looked directly into each of their eyes.
He smiled, "Where is your mother?," He asked.
"In the shower. She told us that if we were still up we could listen out for you," the eldest explained.
"Really?"
"Yes, sir," the youngest one said.
"Well, thank you both for waiting up for me but its time that you both head on to bed. Now, when you go to your room, I want you to close the door and lock it. You understand?"
Both girls nodded their heads yes.
"You might hear a lot of noise," He continued, "But no matter what, do not unlock that door until I come tell you to. You understand me?"
"Yes, sir," the eldest said followed by the youngest.
He kissed both daughters on the forehead, "I love you both," He said.
"I love you too daddy," the eldest replied once again followed by the youngest.
"Now, off to bed you two."
The eldest daughter took the youngest daughter by the hand, led to their room, closed the door, and locked it as instructed. Afterwards, He made way towards the master bedroom. Through the bedroom He calmly walked and headed to the bathroom that had its door slightly ajar with steam flowing out of it. He slowly opens the door further and made His way inside unnoticed. He looked and saw the silhouette of His wife bathing herself behind the shower curtain. He saw the forms of Her breasts and the smooth shape of Her curves. He wondered, for how long had many other guys had their way with and enjoyed that figure; guys who had never gave a damn about Him but now all of a sudden are all buddy-buddy and treat Him like royalty; guys who had one too many drinks and spitefully told Him the God-awful truth about how and why He had became so successful. Hot-tempered, He slowly made His way closer to the shower curtain and with a flick of His wrist the knife slid out the sleeve and into the palm of His hand. He quickly ripped down the curtain, clasp His hand over Her mouth, and before She knew it He violently stabbed Her in the side, slashed Her across the stomach, and stabbed Her once more in Her left breast. She frantically tried to get free but He stabbed Her once more, twice more, three more times, and then four more times. Her blood splattering everywhere and Her screams muffled behind His hand. Then He slit Her throat. Her body hanging helplessly in His grasp. As He let go, Her body falling towards the floor, He shuts His eyes.
…………….He opens His eyes. With the knife still in hand, He makes His way into the hall but sees His two young daughters running towards Him. He quickly puts His hands behind His back and smoothly hides the knife within His right sleeve. Kneeling to the floor, He awaits His daughters as they quickly approach Him. After an exchange of words, the two little girls head back to their room, close the door and lock it. He makes His way through the master bedroom to get to the bathroom. Its door slightly ajar with steam flowing out. He slowly opens the door further and made His way inside unnoticed. He looked and saw the silhouette of His wife bathing Herself behind the shower curtain. He saw the forms of Her breasts and the smooth shape of Her curves. Hatred, sorrow, fear, and pain began to swell up inside of Him. He slowly made His way closer to the shower curtain and with a flick of His wrist the knife slid out the sleeve and into the palm of His hand. He walked closer to the curtain but then He placed the knife in the sink of the bathroom counter. He just stood there. Staring at the figure of His wife from behind the shower curtain. Steam overflowing the room. The water suddenly stopped running. She pulled the curtain back shocked to find Her husband standing there in such a way.
"Baby, don't scare me!," She gasp.
She looked into His face and could tell something was heavily upsetting Him.
"What's wrong baby?," She asked.
"C…Come…," He cleared His throat, "Come here."
"Could this wait 'til I dry…"
"…Please?," He interrupted in a timid, shaky voice.
And She stood before Him. Her bare body dripping wet. And He embraced Her, gently but firmly He held Her and didn't let go. His clothes getting damped by Her soaked body. She then put Her arms around Him and laid Her head against His chest.
"Baby? Are you alright??," She asked.
He didn't say anything. He just continued to hold Her in His arms during which a single teardrop fell from His eye.
December 2007.
With the knife still in hand, He makes His way into the hall but sees His two young daughters running towards Him. He quickly puts His hands behind His back and smoothly hides the knife within His right sleeve. Kneeling to the floor, He awaits His daughters as they quickly approach Him.
"Daddy, daddy you're home!," the eldest one exclaims as she hugs around His neck. The youngest one says the same when its her turn to hug her father.
"What have I told you both about running in the house?," He calmly asks them.
"…not…to…," the eldest one responded.
"And what are you two doing up this late at night?"
Both girls remained quiet and He looked directly into each of their eyes.
He smiled, "Where is your mother?," He asked.
"In the shower. She told us that if we were still up we could listen out for you," the eldest explained.
"Really?"
"Yes, sir," the youngest one said.
"Well, thank you both for waiting up for me but its time that you both head on to bed. Now, when you go to your room, I want you to close the door and lock it. You understand?"
Both girls nodded their heads yes.
"You might hear a lot of noise," He continued, "But no matter what, do not unlock that door until I come tell you to. You understand me?"
"Yes, sir," the eldest said followed by the youngest.
He kissed both daughters on the forehead, "I love you both," He said.
"I love you too daddy," the eldest replied once again followed by the youngest.
"Now, off to bed you two."
The eldest daughter took the youngest daughter by the hand, led to their room, closed the door, and locked it as instructed. Afterwards, He made way towards the master bedroom. Through the bedroom He calmly walked and headed to the bathroom that had its door slightly ajar with steam flowing out of it. He slowly opens the door further and made His way inside unnoticed. He looked and saw the silhouette of His wife bathing herself behind the shower curtain. He saw the forms of Her breasts and the smooth shape of Her curves. He wondered, for how long had many other guys had their way with and enjoyed that figure; guys who had never gave a damn about Him but now all of a sudden are all buddy-buddy and treat Him like royalty; guys who had one too many drinks and spitefully told Him the God-awful truth about how and why He had became so successful. Hot-tempered, He slowly made His way closer to the shower curtain and with a flick of His wrist the knife slid out the sleeve and into the palm of His hand. He quickly ripped down the curtain, clasp His hand over Her mouth, and before She knew it He violently stabbed Her in the side, slashed Her across the stomach, and stabbed Her once more in Her left breast. She frantically tried to get free but He stabbed Her once more, twice more, three more times, and then four more times. Her blood splattering everywhere and Her screams muffled behind His hand. Then He slit Her throat. Her body hanging helplessly in His grasp. As He let go, Her body falling towards the floor, He shuts His eyes.
…………….He opens His eyes. With the knife still in hand, He makes His way into the hall but sees His two young daughters running towards Him. He quickly puts His hands behind His back and smoothly hides the knife within His right sleeve. Kneeling to the floor, He awaits His daughters as they quickly approach Him. After an exchange of words, the two little girls head back to their room, close the door and lock it. He makes His way through the master bedroom to get to the bathroom. Its door slightly ajar with steam flowing out. He slowly opens the door further and made His way inside unnoticed. He looked and saw the silhouette of His wife bathing Herself behind the shower curtain. He saw the forms of Her breasts and the smooth shape of Her curves. Hatred, sorrow, fear, and pain began to swell up inside of Him. He slowly made His way closer to the shower curtain and with a flick of His wrist the knife slid out the sleeve and into the palm of His hand. He walked closer to the curtain but then He placed the knife in the sink of the bathroom counter. He just stood there. Staring at the figure of His wife from behind the shower curtain. Steam overflowing the room. The water suddenly stopped running. She pulled the curtain back shocked to find Her husband standing there in such a way.
"Baby, don't scare me!," She gasp.
She looked into His face and could tell something was heavily upsetting Him.
"What's wrong baby?," She asked.
"C…Come…," He cleared His throat, "Come here."
"Could this wait 'til I dry…"
"…Please?," He interrupted in a timid, shaky voice.
And She stood before Him. Her bare body dripping wet. And He embraced Her, gently but firmly He held Her and didn't let go. His clothes getting damped by Her soaked body. She then put Her arms around Him and laid Her head against His chest.
"Baby? Are you alright??," She asked.
He didn't say anything. He just continued to hold Her in His arms during which a single teardrop fell from His eye.
December 2007.
-Will Carter, Jr.