[Content warning. The story below contains things that some readers may find offensive. Such as violence, disturbing themes, and offensive language]
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The crimson spills over the edges. It drips from the knife as he spreads the strawberry jam on his toast and takes a bite. See the man. Some forty something with thinning dark blood hair. A blue sweater wraps around his slightly overweight body. He stares at a dollop of jam that's fallen onto his plate. Unaware of the question his wife has asked him.
"Hal" She asks a third time. And he looks towards her.
"Where do you wander off to when you get like that?"
"I just didn't sleep well last night. Sorry Jen"
She rolls her eyes slightly at his response.
"Anyway. What do you think?" She gestures towards a new formal style dress. A tight light blue garment that stops just above the knees and exposes more than Hal is comfortable with.
"It's a bit revealing no?"
"This is conservative these days. I just don't wanna underdress for the party" She looks into a mirror and starts styling her long auburn hair.
"You're right" He says playfully yet defensively. He stands up from his chair. He walks behind her. Wrapping his arms around her.
"Where was this dress when we went to prom huh" He says as he begins to caress her hips.
"Oh stop it Hal" Jen laughs.
"Forget prom queen. We'd have miss America on our hands" His arms begin to slide higher up.
The closing of a door down the hall is heard.
The old love birds quickly break away.
"Morning Jason" Jen greets the teenager.
"I can hear everything you guys talk about. My rooms the closest" He says with a sneer that shows off his braces.
"Yep. We doit just to torture ya" Hal jokes as he ruffles his sons ginger hair.
"Quit it" Jason protests.
"Alright relax" Hal pulls back. "Grab one of your redbulls and let's go"
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Hal drives the car out of the neighbourhood and on the road to town. He lightly slaps Jason's chest with the back of his palm.
"Ok man. This is it. First day as a sophomore. What are we doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you've had the whole summer to grow and think. What are you gonna do? I heard they're doing a workshop class. Why don't you take that?"
"Why?"
"Well... Because it's useful. It's important for a man to be good with his hands. And nothing gets a girls attention like a man who knows his way around tools"
"I can think of things that get their attention better than that"
Hal looks over at his disinterested son and frowns.
"You know that's how me and your mother got together? Yeah. I didn't have no one to go to prom with. Me being the stoic silent type" Hal says sarcastically.
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"When there I see on the side of the road, your mother. Leaning against her car crying. So I stop and get out. Ask her what's wrong. Turns out it's just a simple dead battery. I jump start her car and we're both on our way. But when we get there, the guy who asked her out was already dancing with another girl. So she runs out crying! So I follow her out. And she's there crying on the curb with mascara running down her cheeks. So I move the hair away from her eyes and says 'Don't waste expensive makeup on cheap men'
And the rest is history"
Hal smiles while retelling the story. He looks over to Jason who faces away. Looking out the window. Hal's smile drops.
"So yeah. It's good to know your way around things like that. Or there's sports. Your school does basketball right? You could join that-
"I was actually thinking of doing photography" Jason interjects.
"Photography?"
"Yeah" Jason says looking enthusiastic for the first time all journey. Caleb does it and he showed me some of his work when I visited him. It's really cool"
"Photography. Alright"
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After dropping Jason off at school Hal drove back to his home. He walks into the kitchen where he finds a plate with a cucumber sandwich cut into triangles on it. Along with a sticky note with a heart drawn on it. He grabs one of the sandwiches and sniffs it before throwing it back down on the plate in disgust.
He packs a coat, a tent, camping supplies, and a canteen of water in the back of his car. He also takes a bottle of bourbon from the fridge. And wraps the sandwich in plastic wrap and takes that with him.
He drives out of town. Eventually finding his way onto the highway. He drives for hours. Taking the next exit that comes his way.
Trees line either side of his peripheral. Without the road or possessions he has, this space would be within utter timelessness. An unchanging behemoth of nature. Indifferent to all who pass through this tiny vein of asphalt humanity has carved through. Hal likes it this way.
He pulls off into a clearing in the woods.
He wastes no time. He collects his things. Leaving the tent in the car. And sets off down the dirt trail. Liquor bottle in hand. All too often taking swigs along the way.
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He hums songs from his teenage years. Rock bands of the 90s.
He finally makes it to his landmark. A large oak with a gaping tree hollow. He sets down his bottle and reaches deep inside. Pulling out a zip lock bag that contains a disposable lighter, and four cigarettes.
Jen thinks he quit when Jason was born.
How annoying it's been hiding this from them.
He places one in his mouth and lights it.
Electrifying euphoria. Better than any sex he's had with her in the last 20 years.
He stuffs the rest in his back pocket and turns left into the woods.
Hal checks his watch. About 2pm. He still has plenty of time.
Walking through the dense woods. Over boulders and under low hanging branches. They all serve their purpose as landmarks. He doesn't use a map. He's been through here more times than he can count.
He pushes his way past a tree and finally makes it to the clearing. He takes a swig from his bottle and looks off towards the quiet little river. A few minutes walking along the side of the river and he finally makes it to the fallen tree. He approaches it and sits down next to it panting. He's getting older. But this ritual is not a permanent one.
He gets on his hands and knees and starts digging at the dirt around the tree with his hands. It's not long until he touches metal. He sweeps away at the dirt until he unearths the hatch. Rusted in its years standing against the elements. With a grunt he pulls at the handle. The hinges screech and the hatch opens up and slams down into the earth behind its entrance.
With a small flashlight in his mouth Hal descends the ladder. 15 feet down he plants himself on the dirt floor below.
He turns around. Illuminating the dirt hallway. Supported with wooden beams. In this hallway is a table with a drawer. With a lantern on it. And a wooden chair tucked into it.
He lights the lantern. An old fashioned fuel type. It softly hisses as he goes through the drawer. He grabs a length of paracord and a ball peen hammer. Stashing the hammer away up his sleeve.
Further down the hallway he sees the rusty iron door. He approaches it and flicks the lock off.
He swings the door open which reveals a skinny man sitting on the floor. And he is naked. It's easier to clean him that way. Dump a bucket of water on him without the risk of a rash. The man has a metal cuff around his neck. Which attaches to the concrete wall behind him by a chain.
Hal reaches into his pocket and pulls out the cucumber sandwich, and throws it at the man. The man dives for it. Gnawing through the plastic like it never existed to him.
Hal goes back for the chair and sits down in front of his prisoner.
"Today's the day" Hal says softly.
"What's happening today?" The man says looking at Hal through the long hair that obscures his eyes.
"You're finally getting out of here. After all these years"
"How long have I been here?"
"That's not something you should think about. The Iraq war ended while you were down here though"
The man doesn't respond.
"You've helped me a lot. I appreciate that. When I found you on the side of that road with your thumb out I knew I had to take advantage of it. And as you overshared your situation In my car I got a wiff of that faint little accent. Canadian. Far from home. People would just assume you got lost in the woods"
"Where are you getting with this?"
Hal takes a moment to think. "I hate my family. I'm tired of pretending I don't. My wife is cheating on me. I just know she is. Getting all dolled up for work. Her boss is fucking her. I don't need proof I'm not an idiot"
Hal doesn't notice he's leaning forward in his chair.
"And uhh... I'm gonna kill her. Today. Her and my little faggot son. Oh I know he's a faggot. Always off with that "Friend" of his.
I'm gonna smash their brains in with a hammer while they sleep. Then I'm gonna burn my house to the ground and dissappear into the woods. Try again somewhere else. Get a new family"
"Why are you telling me all this? What does any of this have to do with me?" The man questions.
"... Because they need to find three skeletons in the ashes to not come looking for me"
By the time the man process what was said Hal stands up and pulls the hammer out from his sleeve.
The man screams and puts his arms out to defend himself but it's futile. Hal charges the man. Hitting him multiple times in the head and chest. Hal stands up straight. Looking at his kill bleed from his shattered skull. As the blood dribbles down the handle of the hammer. And onto his shaking hand.
Hours later a very exerted Hal slams the body into the trunk of his car. It's wrapped in tarp, and held in place by the paracord.
As Hal stands he sees a big-rig coming his way down the road. Hal raises his hand in a wave before gesturing the driver to honk their horn. The driver obliges and pulls the horn. Hal smiles and gives the driver a thumbs up.
When the driver passed him the smile immediately drops and his face takes a scornful expression.
He closes the trunk and gets in his car. Driving back towards his home.
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