Picture 2
Mark Ethridge’s Picture Choice: Two
Title: A Tale Of Wrath : Sunset At The Lake
Wrath stood in the shadows of the trees, next to Jerry. Jerry waited, and watched, as the four people sat beside the lake, beneath a tree. “It won’t be long, Jerry. It won’t be long at all.”
Jerry licked his lips, his fingers caressed the handle of his axe. “It won’t be long.” He waited for the sun to sink lower in the sky as he watched the people talk. Two men, two women, all of them old. All of them intent on enjoying the sunset.
Sunset at Jerry’s lake.
He’d asked them to go away a hundred times. Still, they came back. If it wasn’t them, it was someone they sent. “You must watch the sunset at the lake!” Sunset at Jerry’s lake.
Wrath whispered in Jerry’s ear, “Make them listen. Make them learn. This is your lake. They are not welcome here.”
Jerry waited. He watched the four of them laugh. He watched them drink. He watched them talk. Two couples. He watched them hold hands as they sat in their lawn chairs, waiting for the sunset to begin. As it approached the trees, they stood to get a better view, their eyes glued to the sun as it approached the trees.
Wrath smiled. “It’s time, Jerry. It’s time.”
Jerry stood, his hands grasped the handle of the axe. He walked from the brush he’d hidden in. He’d teach them. He’d teach everyone. This was his lake. No one else was welcome. Everyone would learn to stay away. Everyone.
It didn’t take long. Only four swings. One, two, three, four. They’d fallen into the lake. One, two, three, four. They never saw him coming. Never knew what hit them. Never felt the axe sink into their bodies. The fourth had sensed something was wrong. The fourth had started to turn. The axe found her face.
Jerry stood beside the lake, their dead bodies resting at the water’s edge, the water slowly turning red, and he watched the sun slowly sank behind the trees. It’s final light turned the sky pale gold, red, orange, and pink. That light touched the lake, causing a spectacular splash of color, red and gold on the lake's surface.
“They must learn,” Wrath whispered, “this is your lake.”
Jerry watched the sunset. He’d seen it a thousand times. It was his to watch. No one elses. His. Jerry loved the sunset by the lake. He wasn’t going to share it with anyone.
He’d make sure of that.
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Mark woke up in 2010, and has been exploring life since then. All his doctors agree. He needs to write.
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Wow, very dark. Do you have tales for the other sins, or was this a one-off? It would be interesting to see how lust or envy or gluttony took over people.
ReplyDeleteOh Mark, you are so good at writing dark, horror stories! This is excellent.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing x
ReplyDelete