AN EVENING AT HOME
By Melissa L. Webb
Tom unlocked the front door and stepped in. The house lay dark before him. Reaching out, his fingers brushed a switch causing light to flood the room.
Shutting the door, he made his way into the house. He stopped in the kitchen and looked around, his stomach growling darkly.
Tom checked his watch. There was time before his meeting. He might as well eat before hand.
Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out a box of left over fried chicken and a bottle of beer. He took his finds and headed into the living room. Plopping himself onto the couch, Tom picked up the remote and flicked the T.V to life. Settling into the news, he devoured his meal hungrily.
Once he was done, Tom tossed his trash and headed upstairs. He made his way into the master bedroom and straight to the walk-in closet. Opening the door, he peered inside at the clothes that hung before him.
Tom rummaged through the hangers. He wanted something special for this meeting. Something that would make him look his best. Selecting a gray pin-stripped suit, he pulled it out and laid it on the bed.
Tom showered quickly and slipped into the suit, checking himself in the mirror once it was on. He smiled to himself, showing his perfect white teeth. He looked good.
He checked his watch as he headed back down the stairs. It was just about time. With a nod, Tom quickly turned off the T.V. and flicked off the lights that he had left on. With that done, he headed back into the kitchen.
Tom pulled open the silverware drawer and rummaged through it. Finally finding what he was looking for, he pulled a butcher knife from the drawer. The blade caught the moonlight seeping in from the window, causing his reflection to shine before his eyes. Tom smiled again, mesmerized by the twinkle in his eye.
Closing the drawer, he carefully made his way through the darkened house. He stopped at the small space behind the stairs.
With the knife held carefully against him, Tom slipped into the shadowed space of the strange house and waited for the family who lived there to come home.
©2010 Melissa L. Webb
Ooh, good story! It sure seemed like a normal, everyday morning for this guy. Very cool twist.
Oh, I thought it was his house! And putting on someone else’s suit before you kill them…just creepy!!! Very well-written, such an air of familiarity and normal life before that twist.
I like this story, it’s a clever twist and there are some nice moments that encapsulate the narcissism of the home invader.
Ok, this one is truly creepy. I hate coming home to a dark house
Whoa, sick. You did a good job of hiding his real intentions until the very end…
He just made himself feel right at home, didn’t he?
Worth pointing out, also, that clearly he’s been planning this a while, if he knows precisely what time the real family comes home.
Sweet! Thats great,blackest of comedy and a nice absorbable word count. Always enjoy yr writing.
Reminds me of what people always say about serial killers: “He was such a nice, ordinary man.” Great glimpse into the ordinary life of a psychopath.
I love that he dressed up for the occasion. Wearing your victim’s best pin-striped suit to murder them is a fab way of adding insult to injury!
Wow. I’m thoroughly creeped out now. Like the twist at the end. Good story!
Very nice…
Whoa, I love the surprise ending here. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Excellent.
Ohh, good! You surprised me there. Tom’s act of making himself at home makes it all more convincing. However, his showering gives away too much information to the police, heh.
Yeesh, I have chills. Excellent twist. So many possibilities were swimming in my head, and then– pow.
Great story.
Nice twist at the end. Chilling.