Monday, November 7, 2011

Short Story

     Ed stared at the blood on the knife. Drip, drip, it went.
     Ed stared at the body on the floor. One cut was made all around his shoulder. Another was made on his face. The knife had also penetrated his stomach.
     Dark red liquid covered the lifeless form of Gregory Blahn. His eye twitched.
     Did Ed expect joy? Yes. Did Ed expect triumph? Yes. Did Ed expect the numbness that covered his entire body? Well, yeah, sort of .... but that will soon go away, right?
     Ed walked to the couch, head to toe in blood; the blood of Gregory Blahn. He sat down and tried to be cheerful, and found that it didn't work. Ed looked around the house; at the cracked glass, at the caved in TV, at the smashed photographs of smiles, wedding kisses, and an otherwise happy life.
     Ed realized that he was shaking uncontrollably. He took deep breaths and attempted to compose himself. He stared again at the knife and twirled it. The blood flew off the knife and splattered Ed's face red even more. This isn't working.
     Ed stood up and walked to the mirror. Through the numbness, he heard the sound of a door opening, a cry of horror, and the dialing of a cell phone. As much as he wanted to run, he remained where he stood, frozen.
     Ed looked at the mirror again. A shriveled, balding man of 40 peered back at him. The man wore a tattered Dallas jacket and fading Levi jeans. Ed could also see that the man was a heavy smoker, from the looks of his teeth. His skin was yellowing, and his eyes were gaunt, heavy, and hollow. The eyes were filled with something, but Ed couldn't put his finger on what it was.
     The distinct sound of sirens caterwauled in the distance, but Ed hardly noticed.
     Suddenly, Ed felt something in his chest. His heart was melting, melting! Ed tried to breathe slowly, but the liquid heart spread throughout his body, up his throat, out of his mouth, his nostrils, his eyes, his ears! Ed shut his eyes tightly, hoping it would all stop.
     When he opened his eyes, the man in the mirror was smiling warmly at him. He opened his mouth and whispered:
     Do you feel better now, Ed?
     The sirens continued to wail .....

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