Lovers Quarrel

Earl hunts down his wife after some unexplained tragedy has occurred.

Earl’s Demise

Heart steady like a drum he walked up the front porch steps and gripped the rusted screen door handle. Standing there, still holding the handle, he let go and looked back into the woods behind him. He scanned it far and wide and sighed, he knew there was no other option other than this. Turning back, this time with more confidence he firmly gripped the screen door handle and ripped it open, the door swung wide and bounced off the outside of the house before recoiling back and slamming shut behind him.

The crash of the door caused a stir in the upstairs bedroom and he could hear the shuffling of feet down the hallway, until it receded further up into the house. She’s going to the attic, he thought. His boots clopped hard on the wood floor as he rounded the first staircase and made his way up. There was no rush he thought, she can’t get out from the attic unless she climbs out of a window, and the woman’s afraid of heights. He knew this because 2 years ago they went to the Wisconsin Dells, and she refused to climb the waterslides. He paused at the top of the stairs and slid three bullets into the snub nose revolver he had taken from the glove box of his grandfathers truck.

Three should be enough, he thought.

He walked down the hallway with thick permanent steps until he reached the hanging chord that pulled down the attic staircase. He waited for a few minutes in silence, to see if she would make any movements or if she was already playing dead. Nothing. This was just like her, to hide away and expect everything to work out fine, she thought she could just take a break from this situation like she does with everything else in her life. She won’t have to play dead ever again, he thought. He yanked the chord down abruptly and the first half of the stairs case slammed down into place. He reached up and unfolded the remaining portion until it rested securely at his feet. He slowly made his way up the first few steps, looking down to make sure it could support him, and then focused on the room above.

The room was humid, his eyes were at ground level as he scanned the corners, upturned dust swirled in the breaching sunlight through the only window, it was dead silent. He climbed up the rest of the staircase and crouched alongside the hole, looking around the room again before slamming the entrance shut. This way she won’t try to run back down, he thought. He stood up and cautiously walked over to the heap of old clothes and blankets that were piled up along the side wall. He kicked the narrow toe of his boot deep into the pile, nothing. He looked around again. Then made his way to the far end of the attic, opposite the entrance. The light was dim here and the air was thick, the contents of the attic hadn’t been touched for at least three or four years. In the far corner was a stash of boxes and tarps that had been the last possible place she could hide. He crouched down and whispered into the pile, “Can’t hide no more Lindy.”

As he rose with the gun pointed at the pile, she came from behind him with a thick ceramic lamp his grandmother had stored up there when they had first moved in. She brought the lamp down as hard as she could into the back of his neck, aiming for the head, but missing. He dropped to the ground with a thud and everything returned to dead silence again.

She crouched along the side of his body.

“Just like you Earl, never followin’ through.” She whispered into his still ear, holding her ribs where he had unknowingly kicked her in the pile of clothes. 

“Couldn’t have waited till night or nothin’ huh? Least then I’d been sleepin’ and it’d been dark…but you always was a f****n’ moron.”

She walked over to where the pistol had slid into the cobwebs and scooped it up. There was a dead ladybug wedged into the hammer, she flicked it out and cocked it back into place. She peered into the chamber and looked up at him.

“Three f****n’ bullets Earl?”

She laughed, shaking her head.

“Ya thought It’d take three huh…”

She smiled to herself and looked up momentarily at the dust swirling in the sunlight across the attic. It’sonly gonna take one for you, she thought, and walked over to his body where he remained face down in the dust. She pointed the barrel at the back of his head.

“See you in hell Earl.” She said, and winced as she pulled the trigger.

“Click.”

She let out a hissing sigh and cocked the hammer back again, his back rose and fell as he inhaled his last breath. This time she crouched closer, resting her knee on his back, she dug the barrel hard into the back of his greasy head,

“F**k you.”

The pop of the gun was deafening, especially at close range, and it seemed to reverberate around the silent musty room. The blast caused his whole body to jolt, spraying fragments of hair and bone and blood all over the parched wood and the pile of boxes and tarps. Her face and hands were wet with blood, and she felt a stream of it dripping down her nose. She blew out of her mouth and spat the blood that rested on her lips. It rained down in small droplets over the back of his white t-shirt. The gaping hole in the back of his head was still oozing out crimson blood as the puddle seeped into the dry floor of the attic. She stood up, slight twinkling stars were phasing in and out of her sight and she took a step back. He looked like a doll that had been hit with a lawnmower, she thought. She walked back across the attic with each bloody step peeling off the wood, kicked the door down with her bare heel and made her way down the stairs. She would take his truck and go to the coast she thought. Maybe find someone to love her. Maybe get married again.

 

Author's Note

Would you read this as a chapter in series, focusing on the femal character?

Reviews

[NoelHC]

In answer to your question, would I read this in a series, Hell yeah, i would. And from her point of view, yes, indeed.
I enjoyed this story, there are a few grammar mistakes, but all in all, this is a good tale.

One thing confused me a bit, in the sentence before she tried fire on an empty chamber, you wrote:
“Just like you Earl, never followin’ through.” She whispered into his still ear, he held her ribs where he had unknowingly kicked her as she crouched along the side of his body. “

I cannot understand what happened there. When did he unknowingly kick her. How was he holding her ribs? He was laying face down.

[SVT]

Thanks for the feedback Noel, I edited the confusing parts to read more clearly now. I must've been a little excited when I wrote this.

[NoelHC]

OK, well handled on the edit, that makes sense now. I would appreciate it if you would take the time to read and review some of my writing here as well.
Good luck in continuing the story of..... Oh wait, she doesn't have a name.

[SVT]

Haha noted, it's Lindy but it's only mentioned once. I will happily review some of your work shortly! thanks again.

[NoelHC]

Aha! There it is! Lindy. Let me know when there is more to read.