Bad Things Happen

A shot story to give a chill

Bad Things Happen




The sun had gone way too long ago while I had liquor buzzing through my veins. Feeling light and humble I walked through the streets with the breeze sending snow past my face. It was quiet and I felt carefree.

There was only a few blocks left before i hit the porch of my house. The thought of a warm bed was pleasing tonight. So much trouble, so much work and I could finally drift away into my cozy dreams.

It was my usual midnight walk home, but I had caught something that I could not grasp. There was a car in the middle of the street with the lights on and the engine still running. I would say it was a crash or a breakdown if it wasn’t for the lack of evidence of such.

I yelled ahead, “Is everything ok?”

It was not that I saw someone or felt any necessity to help but it was my drunken curiosity that drove me to see further. The car was strawberry red with a Jaguar symbol on the hood. A fine and sturdy car. One I could only wish for.

The door was open and so I sloshed through the wet snow on the road towards it. Getting there and looking in I saw just a handbag and nothing else.

I looked down the street and there was nothing living to be seen. I stood there staring into the street, confused, making my sedated mind figure out what was going on. Mugging? Doubt it, what mug would stop a car with no fear of being run over? Why would someone just leave a car and, which might be more important, their handbag out in the open?

Thinking of what helpful information I could gather from the bag got me into an investigatory mood. I took the bag and looked through it and, as expected, finding a purse. I took out a credit card and read the name:

Kate Bromly

Reading the name I wondered why it would help me at all. Thinking it would be a good idea to call the police about this car I found out that my phone was pretty much dead. At best it could tell me that it needs some juice.

I stood there staring at this situation again. Still unable to grasp it, whether its because of my alcohol fueled thinking or not was not a question. I couldn’t just leave a car stranded out in the middle of the road, right? There were no pictures or anything else useful in the purse so I put it back where I found it.

Then I heard it. A sulk. I thought my ears were off at first but it came again. A definite soft female sulking.

I turned toward a dark alley behind me. My eyes tried to focus away from the bright streetlights to see what it was but I could not see it clearly. I walked toward it.

“Hello?” I announced into the darkness.

Coming closer I started making out the body curled up against the wall. Her smooth brown hair was hanging down and her hands were covering her face. I assumed that she didn’t hear or notice me as she kept her face locked in her hands and continued sulking.

As my eyes got adjusted to the scene I froze, not from the cold, but from what I saw.

Her hands were stained with red. Not far from her was a body, a man. His clothes were drenched with blood and he lay on the pavement staring into the abyss. Halfway down his neck was a stiletto, tainted with blood.

I gazed back at the girl. Looking me were bright blue eyes, pleading for help. But I was stuck, frozen in shock. I could only look at her tear torn face.

“I didn’t want him to...” she uttered before breaking down into tears once more.

What could I do?