by Luis Samways
Kate’s eyes were filling up with tears. The parking lot was still empty; the lights from the mall were being turned off when Alistair shot his wife in the stomach.
“A husband is for life, not just for Christmas,” he said as he shot her again and again. The gunshots sounded muffled in the quiet night. The buzzing of the generators nearby had stopped any sound from escaping.
Alistair watched as his ex-wife bled out on the parking lot floor next to her dead fiancé. He watched as her eyes grew lifeless. He knew she was dead after a minute or so. The look of terror had vanished from her eyes. All that remained was her glazed over pupils as they grew ever smaller until they were no bigger than a period at the end of a sentence.
‘Why did you do it?’ was the second to last thing that ran through his head. The first was the bullet that he had shot himself with, leaving three bodies and an SUV parked up just outside of the north side mall.
What a mess.
Do they even employ cleaners on Christmas day?
Chandelier
A short
Phil Rogers walked into the living room. He could see the excited expressions on his two children’s faces as he stopped near the Christmas tree and smiled at his two youngsters. They ran up to him and gave him a hug.
“Daddy, you’re home! You’re home daddy!” the youngest said.
“Hi Kyle!” Phil laughed as his son gripped at his waist.
His daughter Lucy was holding on for dear life onto his leg. It was moments like this that the hard hours at the office really paid off. Seeing his kids that excited to be in his company was beyond anything he could describe with words. He soaked in all the love that his two little kids had for him. He played with them for an hour and talked to them freely without a care in the world. He was loving every moment of it, relishing in the finest things in his life, his two babies, his two miracles, his two children.
Some time passed and Christmas Eve rolled on. Phil and his kids were fooling around in the modest living room that was decorated with decorations and smelt of eggnog. He was having a blast and so was his kids. They loved their special time with daddy. They adored him. They worshiped the ground that he walked on, and for good reason too. Phil Rogers was a great dad. He was caring and listened to his children. He was a good husband and a mighty friend. There wasn’t one person in the neighbourhood that could put a bad word towards his name.
No sir, not one.
Phil looked at the time that was beaming from the wall in the form of an old styled grandfather clock and sat up quickly. He had been sat on the living room floor, toes curled into the carpet like a kid with his legs crossed, listening to his children talk about school and life in general. He had realised that time had managed to escape him. He stood up and brushed his smart pants down. He could see tiny fibres of carpet sticking to his attire. He smiled down at his two baffled kids.
“Where are you going Daddy?” his daughter Lucy asked.
“Daddy has to run an errand sweetie. I won’t be long. Santa is waiting for me. I can’t let him down now, can I?” he said with a hint of magic to his voice. “Why don’t you watch a DVD or something? I tell you what, how about that Arnold Schwarzenegger movie….Jingle All The Way?” he said to a cheer from his kids. They sure loved that movie.
Phil rummaged through the DVD stand and found the near tattered DVD. It had been through the mill that was for sure. The kids had played that movie a dozen times that week alone. He had to buy a new one every year. Somehow they had always managed to scratch the disk every year, and somehow he had managed to find a working copy just in time for Christmas. He would be lost without Amazon.com.
“Now you kids sit tight and wait for daddy to return. If you are well behaved, and mommy tells me you have been nothing but angels, I might bring you back an early present. How’s that?” he said.
His kids nodded emphatically as they gave him one last glance before they became engrossed in the DVD menu of their favourite film. Phil pressed play on the remote and watched them turn their attention to the movie. A feeling of unconditional love overcame him as his heart filled with joy. For a moment he had nearly forgotten about his planned rendezvous outside of the family home. It was then when he realised what he had to do that the joy of Christmas had suddenly disappeared and he had to strap on his adult cap before leaving the house.
He walked out of the living room and went into the kitchen. His wife was slaving over the stove looking beautiful as she sweated over pots and pans full of treats. He walked up behind her and slipped his hand under her apron. He managed to grab a feel of her perky breasts and fondled them. She turned her head and smiled at him.
“Why hello Mister,” she said.
He gave her a hug and nibbled on her ear. “I need to do some last minute shopping. I hope you don’t mind, but the kids are watching a movie. They won’t be much of a bother. I won’t be too long. I’ll bring you back something nice,” he whispered into her ear.
“Okay dear. Don’t be too long. Dinner will be ready in an hour and then we need to put the kids to bed. After that, who knows what could happen,” she said playfully.
“Okay dear,” he said, letting go of his wife and turning around to make his way out of the house. He grabbed his car keys and wallet. He draped a coat over his shoulders and opened the front door. The cold managed to make its way into the house for a moment before the door was shut and Phil was gone.
His wife turned her head slightly and looked at the door in which her husband had just gone through. She always missed her husband immensely when he wasn’t with her. Even then, she could feel herself longing for his presence. She decided to put the spatula down and venture into the living room to see what the kids were up to. She stayed quiet and surveyed them from the doorway separating the kitchen from the living room. She didn’t want to disturb them so she stood there in silence, watching them watch the movie. Her mind wandered a little as she did so. She was in full thought when the egg timer in the kitchen awoke her from her slumber. She blinked a few times and looked around the living room. The Christmas tree was standing tall. It was near dazzling with all its lights and tinsel. She felt a smile creep across her face. It felt good to be her. It really did. How lucky could one woman be?
She was just about to attend to her stove full of goodies when she spotted the chandelier hanging above the kid’s head. It was a nice looking centrepiece for the living area. She had always loved it with all her heart. It made her feel like she lived in a palace, even though in reality it was far from that. She smiled and nodded her head. She could be a Princess if she wanted. She sure had a Prince of a husband who she loved dearly. Fairy tale or not, her life was still magical, and she was ever so thankful for whoever was responsible for mapping it out for her.
She looked up at the chandelier again and noticed some cracks forming at the base of ceiling. It was as if the chandelier was unstable and looked like it was pulling on the ceiling. She had seen the cracks before, but she thought they looked like they were getting bigger. It was then that she thought she’d ring Phil up and tell him to get some filler from the store. She didn’t want bits of ceiling falling onto the Christmas roast.
She turned around and went back into the kitchen to get back to her duties as a caring wife and mother. A Princess waiting for her handsome Prince to return from battle.
***
Phil Rogers was pushing his way through the crowded mall on Eighth Street. He was battling the elements of the Christmas Eve rush. Hundreds of shoppers were cramming up in the mall standing in front of him, behind him and almost on top of him, all huddled up like sardines in a tin. Hundreds more were rushing out of the mall. It seemed like everyone in Boston was acting crazy. Everyone was running around like headless chickens. It seemed as if everybody had forgotten to do their Christmas shopping until now. As usual Phil had yet again chosen to wait until the very last minute to pick up his reserved gift. He knew it would have been easier to get it the day before, but he was at work and
he couldn’t just drop everything for a present, no matter how important or expensive that present was. At least he had had the frame of mind to reserve the present and not go out on a limb and assume it would still be available. That was always a mistake most people made, and they would surely regret that mistake come last-minute-shopping time.
Phil finally escaped the manic rush and emerged victorious as he walked into the retail outlet that contained his wife’s big gift. He went up to the woman behind the counter who recognised him and gave him a cheerful smile.
“Welcome back Sir. You here for your reserved jewellery?” she asked.
Phil nodded and took out the rest of the cash he owed on the present. “Sure am,” he said with a courtesy smile he flipped back at her.
The woman bent behind the counter and pulled out an expensive looking box. She opened it up and showed Phil. He nodded. Everything was in order. The gift looked wonderful. He gave the cash over to the girl.
“That comes to five hundred dollars,” she said, counting out the cash. “It’s all there,” Phil said.
The woman nodded when she finished counting the money and handed him a receipt.
“Have a wonderful Christmas sir. I hope your wife likes the present,” she said.
“Will do and thanks for holding it back. Means the world to me,” he said.
Phil Rogers walked out of the shop and into the half empty foyer of the upper level of the mall. His cell phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. Juggling his gift bag and the cell phone was proving a little taxing. He managed to flip his cell open and answer it.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hiya’ darling. It’s Betty. Just to ask if you could bring back some filler for the cracks on the ceiling. The chandelier looks as if it is about to crumble to the ground. I’m sure it’s safe and all, but filling up the cracks would stop me having to vacuum the remains of our ceiling off the carpet,” his wife said on the other end of the phone.
A look of dread came over Phil’s face as he stopped dead in the middle of the top level of the mall. The shops around him seemed to spin and mesh into one as he became dizzy and felt faint. He could hear his wife’s voice on the other end of the cell phone but he couldn’t speak. Something came over him. Something powerful. Something he hadn’t felt before.
“Honey?” his wife said.
For a split second he had lost control. But then it returned and his voice suddenly worked again.
“Yes honey. Sure. I’ll pick up some filler,” he said, his voice sounding creaky as he tried to clear his throat.
“Are you okay baby?” his wife asked, sensing something was off.
Phil didn’t say anything for a good few seconds. It was long enough for him to compose himself and get himself straight.
“I’m fine Betty. Filler it is. I’ll pop into the hardware store on my way out,” he said.
Phil’s voice suddenly sounded normal again. He finally had control once more. His wife told him she loved him and Phil hung up the phone.
His face went white for a split second. It looked like he was going to be sick. And then the colour returned to his face. He relaxed and shook his head.
“Get yourself together Phil. Everything is going to be just dandy.”
Phil got to walking quickly. His pace was nearing the speed of a light jog down the park. He wanted to get out of the mall as quickly as possible. Something was telling him he was needed at home. Something was telling him his secret wasn’t safe. Maybe his wife knew. Whatever it was, he needed to get home as soon as possible or he could be sleeping on the couch, or worse… sleeping in jail.
He rushed out of the mall and darted around the corner, headed towards the car park. He could see his car parked up sitting stationary, looking cold and bleak in the distance. He sighed as he reached the driver’s door. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He unlocked the door and jumped in, bags and all. He shut the door and turned around. He flung the bags of shopping he had into the back of the car, over the passenger seat.
“Watch it man, be careful,” a voice said from behind him.
It startled him. He recognised the voice but didn’t know if he actually heard it or his mind was playing tricks on him. He turned his head and saw someone sitting in the back seat. The person leant forward and his face was illuminated from the shadows.
“Fuck sake. What are you doing here,” Phil asked, looking at the rearview mirror in horror.
“I thought I’d pay you a visit, Philip.”
“How the hell did you get into my car?”
The man leaned in and tapped Phil on the shoulder. It made him jump at the man’s cold touch.
“It was easy. You went into the mall, I coat-hanger’d your door,” he said.
“The lock better not be busted,” Phil said.
“The lock is the least of your worries. Now, onto business. The merchandise. Is it safe?”
Phil gripped his fingers around the steering wheel as he started to sweat uncontrollably. He could feel his sweaty palms sliding off the curved surface of the wheel as he tried to remain calm, avoiding eye contact with the man in the back of his car.
“The merchandise Phil. Is it safe?” the man repeated, this time a little louder.
“Yes. Yes.”
“Good. I want you to move it. I want you to move it tonight,” he said.
Phil found himself with a dry mouth. He felt like he hadn’t had a drink in two days and his car had all of a sudden become a desert. He felt trapped with no sign of an oasis.
“Why the rush?” Phil asked.
“There is no rush, Philip. It’s just necessary. You know the drill. The boss wants it moved. The time has come. You will be paid on receipt of the merchandise. Is that clear?” the mysterious man said.
“I guess.”
Phil remained with his eyes fixated on the steering wheel. He didn’t dare look at the man sitting in the back. He heard stories saying that it was best to keep your eyes off him or anyone associated with “the boss”. He knew it was safer to not know, to be ignorant. He knew it was the safest bet of him staying alive. Before Phil could convince the man in the back of his commitment to delivering the merchandise, he heard the back door open and close back shut. The man was gone within a blink of an eye. All that was left was Phil and his racing mind. He needed to get home. He knew his family would be in danger if he didn’t do as the man said. The merchandise needed to be delivered. To be honest, Phil was glad it was getting taken off his hands. He was fed up with the secrets and lies. He needed the weight lifted off his shoulders. It was with that motivation that he keyed the ignition and raced home. Every second counted and with every tick of his watch, he knew that time was growing ever more frantic and the race to the finish was near.
***
Phil got out of his car and locked it shut. He raced up the driveway up to his house and barged through the door. He had a pale, ghost-like tint to his skin. His wife noticed something was up straight away. She beckoned him into the kitchen. He didn’t even acknowledge the greetings from his children. It was unlike him to ignore them. But he felt flustered and didn’t even hear them say a word. It was as if the whole house was dead silent through his ears. Everything was muffled until it hit him like a ton of bricks. The sounds of Christmas songs and movie explosions rattled in his eardrums. The sound of his wife asking him questions and his children pestering him all conjoined into one large equation of nonsensical sounds and shapes. It was torture. He was feeling wobbly and decided to take a seat. He sat on a chair. He could feel his weight flex underneath him. He could feel the vibrations under his feet. It felt like an army was on its way and he could feel their marching come ever closer.
His wife’s voice rang in his ears a little until everything died down. The blurred shapes that stood in front of him started to become coherent and familiar. The vibration under his feet became steady and the numbness he felt disappeared. He had gotten himself together once again. He no longer looked pale
and finally felt steady.
“Honey!” he finally heard his wife shout.
He looked up and saw her worried face. She looked beautiful and innocent in her Christmas apron. She had a look of absolute shock peppered on her face. He wondered why. And then he realised. He must have looked a state.
“I’m okay. Just feeling flustered. The mall was such a rush. So many people. I got into an argument with someone. They wanted to skip the line and go in front,” Phil said.
His wife’s facial expression eased up and she relaxed. She believed him. At first she thought he was ill or dying. He had looked such a state when he had gotten in.
“You look really tiered honey. Are you sure you are okay? I thought something was wrong. You looked like someone had died or something. I was talking to you and you said nothing.”
Phil smiled at his wife. He felt his cheeks flex but couldn’t feel his teeth. He didn’t even know if what he just did could be classified as a smile. He was sure it looked more like a forced grin. The sort of smile someone does when they feel uncomfortable. It would have to do. He couldn’t afford to convince his wife of his wellbeing. He had work to do.
“Don’t worry honey. I’m fine. I’m just tired. Anyway. I got to see to fixing those cracks on the ceiling. I’m going upstairs to check out if anything is causing a load on the ceiling. You never know, might be a loadbearing wall gone faulty and if that’s the case, the house could be unstable,” he said.
His wife made a face.
“Unstable? You think the ceiling is going to collapse?” she asked.
“Nah, everything will be fine. Just relax and let me check it out. Christmas isn’t any time of the year for my wife to be worrying her head,” he said. He immediately realised how condescending his comment sounded. He decided to make up for it by planting a passionate kiss on the plump lips of his wife.