On the cutting room floor

Kallum breezed into the kitchen and grabbed an apple. “Hey, babe.” He kissed the top of his wife’s head. She had on her bathrobe, and a folded towel sat beside her coffee. “Newspaper attack you on the way to the tub?”

“Hey.” Jeanette looked up from her crossword puzzle and pushed her reading glasses up her nose. She didn’t answer the question.

“You look distracted.”

“I need a seven letter word that means samurai suicide. I’m trying to fit harakiri, but it’s too long and doesn’t start with ‘s’.”

“Try ‘Seppuku’.” Kallum crunched into the apple.

“Ugh. Of course.” She looked back down and started writing. “Thanks, I guess.” When she had finished marking the squares, she set down her pencil, but she didn’t move her finger over to another clue. The room filled with uneasy silence.  Jeanette took off her glasses and patted one of Kallum’s massaging hands.

“Make you think about Tina?”

Jeanette hiccoughed, then rose and turned into her husband’s embrace.  “I can’t figure out how she slit both wrists. After the first one, shouldn’t her hand have been too bloody and slick to hold the knife?”

Kallum stiffened for a moment, then he stroked Jeanette’s hair without answering. When she finished crying, he let her go. “You OK?”

“Yeah.”

“Like if I go mow, you’ll be all right in here alone a few minutes?” He handed her a tissue from the box on the table.

Jeanette sat back down. “I’ll be fine after I finish my coffee.”

“Don’t forget to shower today.” He nodded to the towel.

“I must smell awful.”

“It will make you feel better.”

After Kallum had gone, Jeanette picked up his apple. She took a bite, then threw it away. Leaving the towel on the table, she removed her robe.

Naked, she took a knife from the chopping block and walked to draw herself a bath.

___________________________________________________________________________

We’re all a little uneasy over at Trifecta this week.

And

For the Scriptic.org prompt exchange this week, Supermaren at http://supermaren.com gave me this prompt: Write a story in which one character is telling a lie.

I gave Grace O’Malley at http://www.librivore.comthis prompt: When I was among the oldest, I took that kind of thing for granted. But now that I’m one of the young ones, I find it very hard to come by.

About jesterqueen:
Jessie Powell is the Jester Queen. She likes to tell you about her dog, her kids, her fiction, and her blog, but not necessarily in that order.

Comments

On the cutting room floor — 50 Comments

  1. Holy cats! That scared the crap out of me. My neck hairs started raising when Kallum reminded her to shower (sign of depression) plus his nervousness. Outstanding creepiness to kick off my favorite fall month! You are a fabulous story teller always reeling us in slowly and cleverly!
    Hop over and visit Gina’s recent post Lessons Learned When Young And…StupidMy Profile

  2. I had a bad feeling she wasn’t okay. When he was going to leave her alone, I shook my head and told him not to…but he didn’t listen. So sad.
    Hop over and visit jannatwrites’s recent post First KissMy Profile

    • Yes! You totally get it. You understand the beaming smile that was on my face when the pivotal moment slid into place as I was driving my kids to school.

  3. Oh, jeez. Yikes. Jessie, this might be one of my favorite things you’ve written. It’s so natural, and yet so horrifying, and so full of pain.
    Hop over and visit Christine’s recent post A History of SilenceMy Profile

  4. I suppose this is why therapists are loath to let anyone leave a session if they’ve let any thought of suicide slip, no matter how small or fleeting, no matter how much they say they wouldn’t really do it. A sad but sure lie is implicit in the deed and all that leads up to it. I’m still wiping away tears, Jessie.

  5. I suppose this is why therapists are loath to let anyone leave a session if they’ve let any thought of suicide slip, no matter how small or fleeting, no matter how much they say they wouldn’t really do it. A sad but sure lie is implicit in the deed and all that leads up to it. I’m still wiping away tears, Jessie.

  6. Jesus, Jessie. This thing should come with a disclaimer. (I jest; I jest.) That’s some heavy darkness there. How did you describe her bloody hand? Slippery? Ah, yes, slick. That’s perfect for the upcoming holidays. Thanks for linking up.
    Hop over and visit Trifecta’s recent post Trifecta: Week Forty-FiveMy Profile

    • Always. {Beams happily} And I should probably just wear a disclaimer around, but it so much more fun to sneak up on people from behind. Boo!

  7. I had an idea that’s where this was going, not that that detracted from it at all — it gave it a nice bit of dramatic irony. The little details and small gestures really work here. Nice job!

    • He might, but I doubt it. The only hope I think is that she has no idea what she’s doing, and most people think you cut lower down closer to the palm. and give themselves nasty infections without finding the artery.

    • Ouch. I’m so very sorry. I love it when I can make readers squirm. When I make them relive something painful? Not so much. You have my heartfelt sympathies.

  8. She answered him too quickly. What’s finishing coffee gonna do when you are heartbroken 🙁 Wow this was an excellent piece. Poor Kallum after he comes in from cutting the grass.

  9. Those last two lines are unbelievable but this is some of your greatest dialogue..ever

    You know I like this style. Dark, twisted, and unpredictable. You hit for the triple crown, here, slugger.
    Hop over and visit Lance’s recent post Love SpreadsMy Profile

  10. Jessie, this is great and deserves that first spot. As Trifecta said, tight and controlled. Really well done. And your post for yeah write – also awesome. I learn from you with every reading.
    Hop over and visit Stephanie B. (@B4Steph)’s recent post UneasyMy Profile

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