Suspense & Serenity: A Collection of Short Stories

Her Secrets

October 16th, 2020

Silvia jumps off her horse's back, throws her helmet into the hay, and turns around.

"Done. Let's talk."

"Won't the horse-"

"Ohh, you don't worry about the horse. It knows its way around the woods. So do I. Now, go on. What is that was so horribly urgent?"

"Well, you see, as I was saying, when I went to Lebanon, and this is before I sent you the first email and you didn't reply for a week-"

"Get to the point, Mike."

"Uhh, yes. So, like I said before, in that one week, I didn't do much; Pretty much bunked at the hotel. One day, when I went down for lunch, it was all empty, and it was only me and an old man with this really weird mustache, green eyes and blond hair, plus a large scar down from his right temple to his chin, sitting in a corner. I ignored him and sat down to eat those super delicious pancakes they had at the inn."

"Mike, I have a life. Stop telling me unnecessary details."

"Umm, yes, Mother. So I'm eating and reading the news while this man walks up to my table. I keep eating and then suddenly he sits down in front of me. I look up and my eyes widen and all, and he goes, "You Mike?""

Silvia gasps.

"I know! So I ask him how he knows my name, and you won't believe what he said."

Silvia has paled, and as she looks up fearfully to her son's eyes, she says, "What?"

"He said-"

"Mike, I wear, if you've been up to no good, I'll skin you with my whip!"

"Mother!"

"Finish the story."

"Yes. Umm. So he just looks like I've gone crazy and says, "I'm your father. Ring up your mum and ask her." Mother, I swear I felt like the world had been pulled from under me. So I kind of just gave him a look and ran to my room."

Silvia stares into the distance. "Did you ask him his name?"

"Ruben."

"No."

"What?"

"No!"

"Mother?"

"NO!" and with that she lungs towards her son, grabbing him by his shoulders and pinning him against the wall.

"Mother! You're scaring me!"

Silvia doesn't let go. Her hands swiftly move up to his neck, and his eyes widened.

"Mother, no!"

Her eyes turn shades darker. Her face is stone, and her lips are white.

"What did he tell you?!" she growls.

"I didn't speak to him again."

"LIAR! What did he say to you?! I need to know all of it!"

"Nothing."

"Did he tell you about Franklin Bay?"

"Yes."

"What else?"

"Only that."

"Mike."

"And about your home."

"That's all? I don't think so."

"And why you both lost the home."

And before Mike can register what is happening, Silvia has him on the ground, and is sitting on top of him, a blade at his throat as she holds his arms down with her other hand.

"Mother," he rasps out, "No, please no."

She shakes her head, her ponytail swishing about, "You know too much."

Mike shouts before a strong hand clamps it shut.

Two minutes later, Silvia gets up, brushing her breeches and throwing a bloody knife into a nearby bush.

And as the trees tremble and the clouds begin to weep, a small whisper is heard.

"I'm sorry, Mike."

...

~600 words

This was so fun to write! I hope it was fun to read, too.

I originally wrote this is present tense.