My Short Short for the Day

“No signs of forced entry.  No broken windows, doors, or locks.  Nothing.  The windows were locked from the inside.  The bedroom wasn’t locked, though.  Mrs. Harris didn’t hear or see anything.  We haven’t talked with Mr. Harris yet.  Still trying to locate him.”  The officer paused.

“Any neighbors hear or see anything unusual?”  Chief asked.

“No.  We talked to all the neighbors, but they all lock up and go to bed by 8pm.  No one saw or heard anything.”  The officer scratched his chin.  “We spoke to the Harris’ oldest daughter.  She seemed…nervous about something.  Claims she was asleep by 8:30 and didn’t wake until she heard her mother scream the next morning.”

“Ok, maybe she knows something.”  Chief sipped his coffee.  “Other children?”

“Yes, two little ones.  A 3-year-old and a 5-year-old.  They were put to sleep at 7 and Mrs. Harris checked on them before going to bed and they were sound asleep.  Plus, they both sleep in cribs, no way they could climb over the railing.”  The officer closed his notebook.  “That’s it for now.”

“Alright.  Go back and question the older daughter.  Take Simmons.  Ask around the neighbors again and see if they saw anything unusual at all that day.  Maybe there was someone hanging around before dark.  Also, see if they had any maids or cooks that work for them.”  Chief turned away and took a few steps.  “Check the older daughter’s classmates.  See what they thought of her.”

“Yes, Chief.”  The officer tucked his notepad into his front pocket, grabbed his hat and motioned to Simmons on the way out.

 

           ***To be continued…*** 

My Short Short for the Day

“Where were you last night?”  The officer held his pencil at the ready.  When no response came, he raised an eyebrow.

“I…I was at the pub for a bit and then came home.”  Al muttered wringing his hands.  “I didn’t do it.”

The officer stared at him for a long time, waiting him out.  Hoping the young man would confess or at least give himself some kind of alibi.  After several moments, he said, “What time did you leave the pub?”

“I dunno.”  Al shifted uncomfortably in his wooden chair.  “9 or so.”

“Then what did you do?”  The officer scribbled a few notes.  Then stared at the silent figure across from him.  “If you don’t talk, then we have to charge you.”

“I went home.  That’s it.  I had a few drinks with Billy and then I walked home.”  Al sighed.  “I didn’t do it I tell ya.  I didn’t do it.”  Al slammed his cuffed fists onto the table.

“Alright Al.  Settle down.”  The officer stood and walked past Al, patting his shoulder before leaving the room. 

“What do you got?”  Chief asked.

“Not much.”  The officer flipped open his notebook.  “He left the bar at 9 or so, then went home.  You know old man Jenkins won’t be able to corroborate.  Ted says he didn’t leave the bar till after midnight.”

“What did Mrs. Harris say?”  Chief poured himself another cup of coffee.

“She put it in the jewelry box and went to bed at 8pm.  The next morning, the jewelry box was open, the lock broken, and the locket was missing.”  He flipped the page.

“What did you find at the house?”

 

           ***To be continued…***

My Short Short for the Day

“He did it!  I know he did it!”  The woman strained to break free from the officer’s grip.

“I didn’t do it!”  The young man pleaded with the officer who was cuffing his wrists.  “I swear!”

“Alright, let’s go.”  The officer locked the young man in the cell and walked back to the main room.

“So, what do we have?” The police chief asked.

“Well, Mrs. Harris reported her locket missing and claims Al did it.”  The officer read from his notes.

The chief sat on the edge of his desk and folded his arms across his chest.  “Well, did he do it?”

“He says he didn’t.”

“Did you find the locket?”  The chief blinked but didn’t move otherwise.

“No.”

“Were there any witnesses?”  The chief stared relentlessly.

“No.”

“Is there any evidence that he did it?”  The chief shifted slightly.

“No.”

“Then take Mrs. Harris statement and put Al in interview room 1.  I’ll have a little talk with him.”  The chief stood without unfolding his arms.

“Yes, chief.”  The officer hurried off.

 

           ***To be continued…***

My Short Short for the Day

The sun stretched out across the wooden floor.  A scruffy, old cat curled up into a knot of fluff in the sunniest spot.  The rocking chair creaked as it gently moved back and forth, back and forth.  The click click click of the knitting needles filled the tiny space.  Peace blanketed the room. 

Outside a squirrel chittered from the treetop.  He sat poised on a branch crunching a nut, tail flicking and nose twitching.  He stopped from time to time to listen, hearing nothing he continued his breakfast. 

A crow flew past cawing.  Two robins chirped and one took off after the crow.  Chasing it high into the air, looping and twisting, copying the crow’s every move.  All the while sharply yeeping at the intruder.

Further down the way, a distant car could be heard puttering along a dirt road, bumping and chugging, kicking up dust in its wake.  The driver muttering as she gripped the wheel tightly, struggling to keep the car on the narrow road as every bump and hole tugged at the tires. 

Miles away people are bustling down the sidewalks.  Grim faces set in permanent frowns, walking crisply towards their destinations, jostling others along the way.  They only pause at crosswalks, robotically waiting for the signal to change, then moving forward like a rushing tide.  Horns honking as the cars move and jerk to a stop, then inch forward again.  Drivers yelling out their windows and shaking their fists at everyone.  The thumping, pounding, and hammering of construction in the nearby lot.

The wind shifts, rushing out of the city and away, racing along the clouds and dancing out across the treetops of the forest.  Ruffling the grass in the yard outside the little house and drifting in through the open window. 

The gentle creaking of the rocking chair pauses for a moment as the rose scented breeze tickles her nose.  She closes her eyes for a moment.  A smile slowly spreads across her face and the creaking begins again. 

My Short Short for the Day

 “Raptorman, Raptorman.  Does whatever a Raptor can.”

Mary smiled at her son as he sang the song to the tune of Spiderman’s theme song.

“He steals the children.  To build a nest.  Never stops. To take a rest.”

Mary’s face scrunched up.

“Watch out for Raptorman.”

Mary turned to her 5 year old son.  “Honey, what was that song you were singing?”

“I dunno.”

“Well, who did you hear it from?”  Mary squatted down near the boy who continued to play with his tiny toy trucks on the linoleum floor.  “Was it someone at school?”

“No.”

“Oh, was it a kid from the neighborhood?”  Mary leaned in a bit.

“No.”

“Well, where did you hear it?”  Mary’s brow furrowed deeper.

“Oh, just somewhere by the bushes.”

“The bushes near the playground?”  Mary tensed.

“Yeah.”

“Was someone in the bushes?”  Mary struggled to keep her voice calm.

“Yeah.”

“Did you see who it was?”  Mary asked.

“Yeah.”

Mary took a calming breath.  “Do you know them?”

“Yeah.”

Mary was reaching for her cell phone.  “Who was it?”

“Raptorman.”

My Short Short for the Day

It was almost Christmas and she still had nothing for Grammy.  What do you get someone who has everything?  And what do you buy to really express how much that person means to you?  She had spent all last summer at the old cottage with her grandmother.  Just the two of them.  The cottage was small but cozy and just across the dirt road from the secluded, private beach.  The warm days were spent combing the sand for seashells and sand dollars, splashing in the cold ocean water, and climbing the rocks to search for hidden tide pools.  Every night they had a small bonfire on the beach and cooked up seafood they had gathered earlier from the mud flats.  Grammy told her stories about her childhood, growing up in Ireland.  Stories about her family traveling to the US on a ship that sailed for weeks.  About starting a new life in a new country and how it made her stronger.  About marrying and have children, raising those children as best she could after her husband died young.  About becoming a grandmother and being able to relax and enjoy spending time with all her precious grandchildren. 

It has to be the best gift ever!  Just any old thing won’t do.  But what?!  She was too old to get away with making some kind of craft, plus she wasn’t particularly good at crafts.  Grammy loved music, but she didn’t know how to sing or play music, so that wouldn’t work.  Grammy loved to read, maybe she could write a story.  Well, probably not, she wasn’t very good at writing.  Or maybe she could make some sort of scrap book or collage with pictures.  No, that wouldn’t work.  She didn’t have the money for the supplies nor the creativity to create either.

Slowly she trudged to her Grandmother’s house.  She inched her way up the steps, disappointed that she couldn’t come up with anything good enough as a gift for her Grandmother.  She rang the doorbell and waited with her head hung low and her shoulders slumped, her hands shoved in her jacket pockets and her foot kicking the clumps of snow at the edge of the doorway.

“Oh, Angie!  Come in dear!”  Grammy waved her in.  The air smelled of fresh baked gingerbread and cocoa.  Grammy’s smile lit up the room as she hung Angie’s coat on the rack.  She ushered her into the kitchen.

As Angie sat down, Grammy put a cup of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows floating on top and a plate of gingerbread cookies in front of her.  Grammy got a cup of hot tea and sat down across from her.

“What a wonderful surprise!” Grammy said.  “How are you dear?”

“Not good.”  Angie pouted and stared into her cocoa.  “You see.  I’ve spent the past week trying to come up with the best Christmas gift for you and…I couldn’t do it.”  Her voice trailed off.

“Now dear, don’t you know?  You’ve already given me the best Christmas gift ever.”  Grammy stretched her hand across the table and patted Angie’s hand.

“I have?”  Angie looked puzzled.

“Yes, dear.”  Grammy smiled.  “It’s you.”

Angie took a moment, then brightened, jumped up from her chair, raced over to her Grammy and gave her a big hug. 

My Short Short for the Day

The darkness pervaded every inch of the room, seeping through the windows and doorway, oozing in through the cracks in the ceiling and gaps in the floorboards.  The air was silent and still, void of sound except the single heartbeat coming from the corner.

The train rattled across the icy tracks, thunking along.  The swaying of the cabin did nothing to still the thudding heart.  Maybe it wouldn’t notice, maybe it would keep going, past this small, insignificant compartment.  The heartbeat thumped.  Please, oh please keep going.  Don’t stop here.  Please don’t stop.

The silence was broken by a soft swish of a socked foot sliding across a smooth floor.  Swish.  Silence.  Swish.  Silence.

The heartbeat thumped faster.  Shhh!  Stay calm.  Stay quiet.  Stay hidden. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Swish.  Silence.  The sound came closer.  Swish.  Silence.  It was nearly to the small, insignificant compartment.  Swish.  Silence.  It was here.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump.  Hold your breath.  Don’t make a sound.

Silence.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump.  Stay quiet.  Stay hidden.  Shhhh.

Silence.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump.  Why won’t it go.  I can’t hold still for much longer.  Go away.

Silence.  Swish.  It moved away, inching down the hall.  Swish.  Silence.

Thump thump thump thump.  It’s going.  Stay calm.  Stay still.  Wait.

Swish.  Silence.  It was getting faint now.  Swish.  Silence.

Thump thump thump.  Ok.  Breathe.  Quietly.  Slowly. 

Silence.

Thump thump.  Carefully, get up.  Move.  Softly.

Silence.

Thump.  Now’s my chance.  Slide open the door and run for connector.  There is an emergency exit there.  Jump.  You’ll have to jump.

Silence.

Go!  Now!  The door slid open.  The heartbeat stayed normal.  Quickly, down the hall.  The clank of the door opening and closing.  Too loud.

Swish.

Oh, no!  It’s coming.  Hurry!  The handle, it’s stuck.  I can’t…

Swish. Silence. Swish. Silence.

It’s moving fast.  Hurry!  Phhshh.  Jump!  Jump!  Now!

Swish. Silence.

White snow swirled around silently, softly burying the heartbeat.  Muffling it, disguising it.  Hidden beneath the cold.