The Hut

The Hut

     “The Cattails always did soothe me. I normally sit in this old hut next to the marsh and listen to the cattails rub against each other. They sound like rubbing two bones together. I just got done cleaning the flesh from my latest hunt. I need to make a fire to dry the rest of the meat out. I don’t like to waste anything from my kills, I use it all.”

     “Why are you telling me this? Can you please let me go? I promise I won’t tell anyone. I will just go on my way” The young woman said.

     “I can’t do that. You saw too much already.”

     “You knocked me out before I could see anything, Mister. I just came down here to look for my dog.”

     “How the fuck did you find me? I have been in this part of the marsh for 5 years and haven’t seen a soul here. Those alligator hunters don’t even come this way to set bait.”

     “I was fishing for alligator gar, and my dog jumped out of the boat and ran down your path…”

     “This dog?” He says and he holds the dog’s severed head in his hands. The young woman squeezes her eyes tight while tears run down her face. “I told you. I need to dry the rest of the meat so it doesn’t go to waste. Alligator gar?! Shit, girl, alligator gar are rare around this side of the marsh. I barely catch them, and I know this place in and out. I may not be from around here originally, but its home for now.”

     “That has to be a mistake. An alligator got him. It’s okay. Just let me leave, please.” She says with snot running down her lips.

     “You’re not hungry? You have been out for days. I think you should eat some of this soup I made with your little buddy.”

     “Fuck, fuck, fuck… I can’t be here.” She said to herself.

     “But you are here. And I’m pretty sure you’re going to be here for a while. No one knows these parts.”

     “My mom knows I came back this way and she will be looking for me!”
     “Sure she will… You know how I got this place? I noticed it while hiding out from the cops. I watched the smoke coming from this hut for hours. I followed the smoke and hit some old man over the head with a shovel that was close by. Funny thing, he didn’t beg for his life like most do. Maybe the old man was ready to go. But anyways, Home sweet home, am I right?” The man said with a smile on his face.

     He walks over to the chair the girl is tied to and wraps a rope around her neck and throws it over one of the rafters above her head.

     “Please, just let me go.” She said.

     “It’s too late for that, girly. You and that dog of yours came by at just the right time. I was out here starving to death. What are you, a buck 10, 20 maybe? You’ll last for a while and I can use your scraps for bait. I’ll be back on track in no time.”

     He took the rope, wrapped it around a bar and started to pull slowly. The girl fully suspended in the air, she started to kick her feet.

     “Here, let me make this more comfortable.” He cuts the ropes that bound her legs and arms, she starts to swing freely. “The more you move, the more time it will take, baby.”

     He pauses as someone knocks very loudly on the door. After he ties the rope to a post, he walks to the door.

     “Have you seen a young woman and a dog around here? My daughter gets adventurous and likes to camp by herself with her dog, but tends to get lost.” A woman asks.

     “How did you find my hut?”

     “I used to play back here when I was little. There used to be an old man that I called grandpa that lived here. Are you related to him?”

     “No.”

     “Well, have you seen a young woman around here? I only ask because I noticed foot prints coming from her boat down the marsh. It looks like she got it stuck on the shore.”

     “Oh, her. Yea, she’s inside just hanging out. Come on in. She’s been waiting for you.”

    “Thank you, Mr.…?”

     “Mr. Black.” The man said with a big smile.

     “You’re too kind, Mr. Black.” She says as she walks inside.

The End

    

The Master of Dark Energy

The Master of Dark Energy

     He crosses off another day on the calendar next to his bed. Sitting there, quietly looking at the days past, he stares at his hands… “What have I done?”

     “What, babe?” A soft voice said from behind him.

     “Nothing. Coffee is coming soon.” He replied.

     “That’s not the only thing coming this morning.” She said as she kissed him.

     Great. She wants to try for another kid. I can’t take another loss. The dark energy already took two. I have to purify more people in order to set things right.

     “What’s wrong? What are you thinking, baby?” She asked.

     “Nothing. Just if we had any coffee left.”

     “I got a new thing of it yesterday, silly.” She said with a bright smile.

     Fuck. Look at that smile. She would be livid if she found out what I do while I’m “at work.” It’s been years now and a few close calls, but she never found out. If I want to make her happy by giving her a child, I need to purify more people, a lot more… Good thing I have the next one in line. I just have to…

     “Babe! Stop staring into space and make that coffee; then come in here and make a baby.”

     “You got it.” He said.

*

     Told her I was going into work early so I can catch up with this asshole I have been following for weeks. Tonight is the perfect night to purify him. He is in a few towns over, so I need to make this quick or work will call the house asking where I am.

     He drives up to the diner. He watches a Ford truck pull up and a woman gets out and walks inside. He follows the young woman.

     “You’re late. I don’t have time to spare, and you’re late.” He said.

     “I couldn’t help it. I got here as soon as I could, master.” She said under her breath.

     “Everything has to happen at the right moments, and we almost lost our chance tonight. Did you put the sleeping pills in his whiskey bottle earlier today?”

     “Yes.” She answered.

     “We can eat and go soon after. I’m sure he will be out like a light by the time we get there.”

      Once I know he is sleeping, I’m going to pull out that stove and loosen the gas line. She will go and light the candle in the master bathroom next to his room so the explosion will happen so close that I know it will kill him. No mistakes on this one. No one will believe a suicide, so I have to make this look like an accident. Fuck, I hope they sell candles at the gas station. The small candles would be perfect. I will take them out of that little container they are in so it will melt and not leave a trace. After I purify him, I know this will…

     “Have you even been paying attention?” She said.

     “Every word. We have to go… Did you bring a candle?” He asked.

     “Fuck.”

     They pull up to the house and notice the living room light on.

     “Shit.” She said.

     “You’re extra mouthy tonight. Don’t worry. I’m sure he just passed out in the living room. That’s where he drinks at night before bed.”

     “You know everything, master.” She said not breaking eye contact.

     They walk down the alley and into the dark backyard. He crouches and looks into the living room window and notices the man on the couch slumped over.

     “Told you.”

     “I never doubted you for a minute, master.” She whispered.

     “Some get knocked out sooner than others. Was the bottle full when you put that powder in?” He asked.

     “His whiskey was half gone when I put it in.”

     “So it was stronger when he drank it. Fuck. I hope he didn’t overdose on that shit. Not good for our plan.”

     You would think she would adjust and put half of the mixture in. Fuck, she is giving off bad vibes lately. I may have to keep an eye on her. She is changing…

     “So?” She asked.

     “Follow me and don’t make any noise. If he wakes, you let me deal with him. He can’t have any scratches or bruises on his body when they find it.”

     “He will be a burnt hotdog by the time they find his ass.” She said.

     “I don’t give a fuck. I don’t want to take a chance. Let’s go.”

     They crawl into the window she left unlocked when she went there earlier. Gloves on, hair in nets and covers on their shoes, they walk down the dim hallway that leads into the kitchen.

     “What the fuck is this?” He said.

     “What, master?”

     “He has a fucking electric stove. Why didn’t you bring this up earlier?”

     “You told me to just put the powder in his whiskey, master. I’m sorry.”

     Fuck! At least he is passed the fuck out on the couch. He sounds like a fucking chainsaw when he snores. Won’t be an issue moving him. He is only 5’7’’ on his tippy toes and about a buck thirty five. Why can’t she adjust when things need to be done? Is she trying to fuck my mission up?

     “Did you hear me?” She asked.

     “What?!” He whispered loudly.

     “What the fuck do we do?”

     “I will grab him from under his arms, and you will lift up his feet and we will take him to bed. Can you manage that?”

     “Yes.”

     They put the man in his bed and put his almost empty whiskey bottle on his night stand.

     “Is he still alive?”

     “Yea, but really out of it. I hope he doesn’t stop breathing before the fire gets him, then they will know he was dead before the fire happen, and our plan would be fucked. Cops would be looking into things and…”

     “Okay, okay… What now? How are we going to make this look like an accident?” She cut him off.

     “Instead of putting the candle in the bathroom, we will put it on the night stand next to his bed. People fall asleep with candles still lit all the fucking time. His laundry room is a few doors down the hallway; I will loosen up the gas line on the dryer. It won’t blow up the whole house like the stove would have, but it’ll cook his ass well enough.”

     “Fuck, you are perfect.” She said with flushed cheeks.

     He walks to the laundry room and pulls the dryer out, making sure he doesn’t scuff the floor in the process.

     Where is a shirt or something? I can’t leave marks on the hose nut when I loosen this. I guess it was towel and wash cloth day, not one fucking shirt in here. There is a sock, but it’s too thick to get a grip on the nut. Here we go. ‘Kiss the chef’ huh? Only thing I saw this guy cook was a mac n’ cheese frozen dinner. This apron will work just fine.

     He wraps the nut with the apron and puts his 7/8 wrench on the nut and gave it a few turns until he felt the gas escaping the dryer. He slowly stands and pushes the dryer back as gently as he can, minding the floor.

     “Is it done?” She asked at the door.

     “Yea, we need to go.” He said.

     They get in the truck and wait in the alley for the fireworks.

     “You truly are the master of dark energy.” She said with a smile.

     “I know. Speaking of dark, you seem to be getting dark lately.” He said with sharp eyes.

     “I did everything you asked, master.”

     “Sure you did… Like fuck up the whiskey? Not telling me about the fucking stove being electric? You knew that was the main thing about this plan. You seem to be trying to fuck up my missions. Even with the last few this past year.” He said.

     “I would never…”

     “It’s too late now.” He said.

     She looks at her bottle of tea with glossy eyes and falls asleep. The house explodes as he drives off with flames behind him.

*

     She wakes up with a rope tightly around her neck.

     “See what your decisions got you? Your energy was so pure when we got together to do my work. You been getting darker this year, and I noticed you trying to fuck the plans up. You have to be purified now.” He said.

     “I never wanted to mess plans up. I just wanted you. She doesn’t deserve you. Come with me and let’s start a life.” She said with tears coming down her face.

     “It was always about the purification, nothing more. Now you’re part of the process. Maybe you’re the reason we couldn’t have children this whole time.” He said.

     “Don’t do this…”

     He kicks the brick from under her feet and watches her swing from the tree until her feet stop kicking.

     “You will be pure when you come back. Find me then…” He whispered into her cold ear.

*

     “Hey, what are you doing home early?” His wife asked as he crawls into bed.

     “Got done early and the boss said I could take the night. Figured I’d come home and see how the vibe was around here.” He says.

     “Feels much lighter, actually.” She said.

     “Everything will be okay from now on. I promise you that.”

     “Come here. Let’s make that baby…” She said as she kissed him.

     The energy is on my side for once. Nothing but pure energy in sight. Everything is perfect… for now.

The End