[Ongoing] A collection of unsettling or unusual short stories. Some have monsters, some have humor, some draw tears, some make you think, and some have artwork. Each is a revealing glance of someone's life.
Every writer has their own methods of comi...
Original story below, but you can find a completely revamped version in my collection "The Fall of Souls: and six other twisted stories about unlikable people", available on Amazon!
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A red water balloon smacked me in the face.
“Seriously?” I yelled, drenched as I glared at the grinning, freckled kid.
One of his friends threw another, and I barely dodged it as it ruptured against the asphalt.
A frazzled mother yelled out an apology over the brats’ laughter, but it did no good as a hail of water balloons came sailing over. I dodged them too, running until I was out of range. I hated kids.
I checked my phone. It was spared. I checked the time. 5:28pm. David’s house came into view as I turned the corner, and I wrung out my shirt the best I could before I jogged over and lept on the porch. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could enjoy my Friday.
Fidgeting with my keychain, I found his keys and unlocked the four bolts. David’s house always smelled like mothballs, and it was even more noticeable now that he was on vacation.
I took off my shoes near the door, as per his rules, and made my way to the kitchen to fill his watering can. I hated plants as much as I hated kids, but David was a good friend. A good friend with a lot of money he was willing to offer if I looked after his amateur greenhouse.
With my earbuds in, I bobbed my head to the music as I watered the plants in the living room, library, and sunroom. After making sure they were angled as per David’s illustrated notes, I refilled the watering can and made my way upstairs.
The first thing that should’ve struck me as strange was the hallway dresser, one of its drawers ajar. David was so meticulous, a ruler was his soulmate. He’d have declared an emergency if he saw his dresser in such disarray. So, naturally, I closed the drawer and made my way to the study.
Passing the bedroom, I stopped in my tracks, taking a baffled moment to register the abnormal mess in there.
A long enough moment for the two masked men responsible for the mess to charge at me.
I gasped and threw the watering can at them, but all that did was make them wet. Wet and angry. I tried to run, but one guy grabbed my neck and slammed me face-first into the wall.
“Who are you?” he asked, ripping my earbuds out.
“I’m th-the water … the plant … I plant the water … water the plants,” I stammered, my racing pulse thudding against his grip.
“He’s useless,” the other guy said. “Just stuff him somewhere. We don’t have all day.”
Apparently, their day was more important than mine as they taped me up and threw me inside a bare oak wardrobe. I cried out in pain as I landed on my ass, and after they slammed the door shut, I cried out again as a red water balloon smacked me in the face.
