SHORT STORIES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Brian sat in disgust to the empty dinner table that lay before him, full of snacks, drinks and large helpings of food his mother and himself prepared for the day.

Not one person came, he thought to himself, pulling off the happy birthday sash from his chest in defeat.

Not Jamie

Not Amanda

Not Greg

Not even Michael, and he was supposed to be his best friend.

Maybe their invitations were lost in the mail? His mother consoled, sitting next to him and grabbing a piece of pie from the table.

Brian followed with a look of sarcasm and rolled his eyes.

This is just some kind of sick joke! He huffed, fumbling around his feet under the table.

The day was a disaster and to top it off, his TV wasn't working in his room. So instead of falling asleep to late night talk shows he laid in the dark silence staring at the roof. A small glow from old glow in the dark stars emitted from the roofs base, but they hardly worked anymore.

Brian awoke to muffled noises coming from outside his room.

Just Mum and Dad going to bed he thought, rolling over to the other side of his bed.

The clock ticked to 3:25am and he sat up to see if he had read that correctly in his sleepy haste. It was correct.

They can't be going to bed just now? He pondered.

Curiosity got the better of him and he flopped his tired feet to the shaggy carpet floor, fixing his collared pyjamas and walked towards his door.

A familiar voice screamed and ripped through his ears just as he placed his hands on the cold metal door handle and his heart jumped, motioning him to pull open the door as fast as he could to check on his mother.

Only the living room light was on, prompting Brian to squint his eyes to focus down the barely lit hallway.

Now he could hear the crying, mutters of terror coming from both parents. Brian was particularly cautious now.

He crept to the entrance of the living room and peaked inside.

This is just a bad dream, it has to be! He thought as he stared at the horror that he had walked in to.

His mother, on the ground and sobbing had the unsubtle crimson fluid soaking her dress and floor.

His father was on his knees begging to an unknown assailant with their back to Brian. Blood was trickling from his knuckles as he pressed them together in prayer form.

A quick glance came from his father noticing Brian's presence instigated the stranger to turn around. It was Ms. Penelope from school. This was his English and math teacher and she was brutally mauling Brian's parents.

Ms. P smiled to Brian and his heart felt as if it dropped from its resting place, leaving Brian in a frozen state of shock.

She turned back to his father and lifted her arm revealing a steak knife she must have taken from the kitchen.

Don't worry; she said to Brian, I will be with you in a minute.

The blade pierced through his father's stomach, immediately bleeding and he dropped to the ground as Ms. P removed the knife as if it was all so easy.

She turned around and started to walk towards Brian with a smile. He was still frozen, not believing this was all real.

You can't have my son! Brian's mother wheezed as she grabbed Ms. P's ankle with what energy she had left. Swiftly she gripped the knife harder and lunged it into his mother's neck, a squirt of blood spitting on Ms. P's face which didn't seem to bother her.

Brian's parents were dead and this crazy teacher was walking towards him, planning god knows what.

It's okay, sweetie I'm not going to hurt you like them, and I'm here to take you home. She smirked.

I-I am already home. Brian stuttered.

No, no, silly, you're true home. The home you were supposed to be in. She laughed grabbing his pyjamas sleeves with her crimson soaked hands.

Brian was in so much shock he barely noticed Ms. P walking him outside and into the backseat of his car, and her getting in to the driver seat and starting it up.

By the way Brian, she chirped, pulling out of the driveway, happy birthday.