Well, here you have it, folks. This is the last of the little vampire stories actually completed. I hope you've enjoyed these little peeks into a larger world from Chris Langley and I.
A Concerned Parent
This is Steven.
He used to work as a roofer for years and now he owns such a company. His wife, Gloria, died years ago. Steven has a son named Frank, that he believes is a god kid, just a little misguided. Steven’s not big on Frank’s friends though, not one bit.
He had just gotten home from work. The man of the house and single father stops by the built in bar in their dining room and fixes himself a nice well deserved drink. Steven takes a sip to see if he has it to his liking… And it is. Now it’s upstairs to get a shower, but upon passing Frank’s bedroom at the top of the staircase, he listens – just for a second – through the already cracked door. It’s Frank & his friend Ben discussing current affairs in the world. ‘Don’t let ‘em rot your brain, kid.’ Steven thinks to himself before heading off to his shower.
Roughly twenty eight minutes later he’s out in his robe sitting at the end of the bed; refreshed, clean, and about ready to sleep. Steven finishes the last drink in his glass and upon setting the all-but-ice empty glass on the bedside table he sees her staring back at him: one of the many pictures of Gloria. He picks her up with one hand and touches her face with the index finger from his other.
“I miss you, baby. Things haven’t been the same without you. I don’t even know how to talk to my own son anymore… If there was just one way I could have you back. Eh… But I know what you’d say, ‘Everything happens for a reason and happens the way it’s supposed to.’ Yeah well fifteen years was an awful lot to throw away. I just love you and I miss you and… And I just wish you could know just how much.”
The widower puts the picture back, takes a deep breath and sucks it up & leaves the room. One the way back downstairs for a refill he again over hears his son and chum.
“Oh, man. I’m sorry. That sucks.” Frank says sympathetically,’
“That’s all you can say?” Ben seems agitated.
“Well what do you want me to say, dude? You just came in here and told me you’re a vampire now. All I can say is I’m sorry.”
Steven’s stomach turns sour. Angered, he miraculously keeps from kicking the door open and giving that bloodsucking scum a piece of his mind. He just marches downstairs to sooth his stomach with more alcohol. Another hour goes by before Ben leaves. An hour Steven’s spent drinking alone in the dark stewing in his thoughts. Frank walks Ben to the door.
“I’ll see ya later, man.” Frank says closing the door only then to be startled by his father turning on a lamp. “Hey, dad. You okay?”
“I don’t want you hanging out with that boy anymore. You’re a good kid and I don’t want to see you getting mixed up with leeches like that.”
“He’s not a leech. What are you talking about?”
“YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!”
“…Were you eavesdropping on us?”
“This is my house, mister! It’s not eavesdropping since it’s my home.”
“Ben’s just going through some troubles right now.”
“I don’t want you hanging out with him anymore and that’s final!”
There’s a long pause of deep breaths and watered eyes.
“I’m doing to bed.” Frank releases with a sigh while scratching the back of his head. Steven begins to think this is a good idea and perhaps he’s too sauced to attempt such a conversation.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. We can kinda… Sleep this off a little.”
Frank turns around and goes upstairs. Steven gets up to follow but turns his head, as if it called to him, and sees the phone.
“Forgive me…”
A Concerned Parent
This is Steven.
He used to work as a roofer for years and now he owns such a company. His wife, Gloria, died years ago. Steven has a son named Frank, that he believes is a god kid, just a little misguided. Steven’s not big on Frank’s friends though, not one bit.
He had just gotten home from work. The man of the house and single father stops by the built in bar in their dining room and fixes himself a nice well deserved drink. Steven takes a sip to see if he has it to his liking… And it is. Now it’s upstairs to get a shower, but upon passing Frank’s bedroom at the top of the staircase, he listens – just for a second – through the already cracked door. It’s Frank & his friend Ben discussing current affairs in the world. ‘Don’t let ‘em rot your brain, kid.’ Steven thinks to himself before heading off to his shower.
Roughly twenty eight minutes later he’s out in his robe sitting at the end of the bed; refreshed, clean, and about ready to sleep. Steven finishes the last drink in his glass and upon setting the all-but-ice empty glass on the bedside table he sees her staring back at him: one of the many pictures of Gloria. He picks her up with one hand and touches her face with the index finger from his other.
“I miss you, baby. Things haven’t been the same without you. I don’t even know how to talk to my own son anymore… If there was just one way I could have you back. Eh… But I know what you’d say, ‘Everything happens for a reason and happens the way it’s supposed to.’ Yeah well fifteen years was an awful lot to throw away. I just love you and I miss you and… And I just wish you could know just how much.”
The widower puts the picture back, takes a deep breath and sucks it up & leaves the room. One the way back downstairs for a refill he again over hears his son and chum.
“Oh, man. I’m sorry. That sucks.” Frank says sympathetically,’
“That’s all you can say?” Ben seems agitated.
“Well what do you want me to say, dude? You just came in here and told me you’re a vampire now. All I can say is I’m sorry.”
Steven’s stomach turns sour. Angered, he miraculously keeps from kicking the door open and giving that bloodsucking scum a piece of his mind. He just marches downstairs to sooth his stomach with more alcohol. Another hour goes by before Ben leaves. An hour Steven’s spent drinking alone in the dark stewing in his thoughts. Frank walks Ben to the door.
“I’ll see ya later, man.” Frank says closing the door only then to be startled by his father turning on a lamp. “Hey, dad. You okay?”
“I don’t want you hanging out with that boy anymore. You’re a good kid and I don’t want to see you getting mixed up with leeches like that.”
“He’s not a leech. What are you talking about?”
“YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!”
“…Were you eavesdropping on us?”
“This is my house, mister! It’s not eavesdropping since it’s my home.”
“Ben’s just going through some troubles right now.”
“I don’t want you hanging out with him anymore and that’s final!”
There’s a long pause of deep breaths and watered eyes.
“I’m doing to bed.” Frank releases with a sigh while scratching the back of his head. Steven begins to think this is a good idea and perhaps he’s too sauced to attempt such a conversation.
“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. We can kinda… Sleep this off a little.”
Frank turns around and goes upstairs. Steven gets up to follow but turns his head, as if it called to him, and sees the phone.
“Forgive me…”
No comments:
Post a Comment