The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

What's For Dinner

Lucas hated his stepfather. He was a mean, abusive old man. He didn't treat Lucas' mother well, and treated Lucas even worse. The man had to control everything, even how much they ate and when. So when Lucas saw the hot meal on the table, he didn't even consider what he was eating or whose it was. He was just hungry. When his mother caught him, she was upset. The food had been Lucas' stepfather's favorite- liver. Lucas had eaten all of it and they had no money for more.

Promising his mother he would get another, Lucas set out to try and find the money to buy more. No matter what he did, he was unsuccessful. That was until he saw the funeral home. Knowing his mother didn't like liver anyway, Lucas crept into the building silently. He knew what he was doing was wrong but he didn't care and he was thrilled at the prospect of revenge.

Down in the basement of the funeral home, Lucas found a body being worked on before burial. He quickly grabbed the liver laying there, then he took off back to his mother. When she asked where he had gotten the liver, he made up a lie about having gone to the grocery store with some money he had put back. His mother didn't ask any questions and quickly got to work, preparing the liver for her husband.

When he got home, they all sat down to eat. Lucas' stepfather did not question the lack of liver on anyone else's plate. He ate heartily while Lucas laughed internally, filled with glee at the prospect of revenge. When they were finished, the teen was more than happy to clear the table. Lucas even washed the dishes for his mother before setting about doing his own chores. This did nothing to appease his stepfather who seemed to always be angry. When Lucas' mother went to work, Lucas went to bed.

He was woken abruptly in the middle of the night. Lucas slept with his window open and outside he could hear something that sounded like someone calling out. The teen lay still for a while, listening and making sure it wasn't his mother home from work early. It took some time to realize what they were saying.

"Where's my liver?" It called out, the voice carrying on the wind. "Who has my liver?"

Immediately, Lucas' entire body went stiff. He curled up tightly under the blankets and laid as still as he could, listening. The whispering voice seemed to get closer and closer, eventually quieting. Lucas did not relax. He swallowed hard, feeling like his heart would beat out of his chest. He knew the door was locked because he had locked it himself but he had also known the woman who's liver he had stolen was dead, and now here she was.

"Where's my liver?" Came the raspy whisper. Lucas shivered and bit his lip.

She was in the house now.

"Who has it?" The woman asked again, thump, thump, thumping up the stairs. Lucas wished he had been allowed to have a bedroom door. He knew she was just outside the door but he could not look. He fervently but silently apologized for what he had done, over and over.

"My liver." She croaked, passing him up, "who has it?"

Then, there was silence. Lucas had never laid so still in his life. He was terrified that if he pulled the blanket down, the dead woman would be standing over the top of him. She would know what he had done.

"WHO HAS MY LIVER?" Her shriek seemed to come from every corner of the house. Lucas let out a sob and then sucked in his breath and tried to hold it.

That was when his stepfather's screams began. They did not stop for some time and Lucas did not move, listening as the woman got her liver back.