I reversed out of my drive, thoughts on the day ahead — I had to be at Dennis’s by eight-forty to take him to work, then to the post office at lunch to pick up the car tax disc, back early to sort out the dinner because Sharon was on her course tonight — when bump. The car jacked up over something and bounced down hard.
I wished I could turn back time. Just a few seconds. Just to undo what I had done. Like the time I fell over in the loft and put my foot through the ceiling. Please, God, make that didn’t just happen.
I couldn’t make myself get out of the car. It could have been a dustbin, but they were both in their place next to the garage door. Perhaps a football, but running over that would have felt different. Somehow I knew that. Maybe it was a branch fallen off the cherry tree, but a look in the rear-view discounted that chance too. A neighbourhood cat? No, it was too large. A dog then?
Perhaps.
I dared to lean over to see more in the side mirror. A small segment of a slowly spinning bicycle wheel appeared in it. I watched the tyre spin its slow revolution. It could be anyone’s bike. The wheel trundled round and there was the Jack of Hearts, tucked into the spokes. The wheel stopped. The knave stared at me. It was Jack’s bike.
It didn’t necessarily mean he was riding it. Perhaps he’d just left it propped up against the hedge and it had fallen over in the night. But the bump had felt wrong. Somehow I knew what was under my wheels.
I put my face in my hands, and when I removed them, my son was sitting in the passenger seat. He turned to me and smiled. A trickle of blood came down the side of his chin. His teeth were pink with it. I’m still in the car.
©2009 Barry J. Northern
Barry lives in Brighton, on the South Coast of England, with his wife, son, dog, cat, and garden full of snails. By day he makes computer games, by night he writes supernatural stories, so he has never really grown up. Find out more about him at http://barryjnorthern.blogspot.com
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 am
Very chilling, Barry! Wonderful weave of what would go through someone’s mind.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Disturbing ending, Barry. Liked it very much.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
A nightmare of a story for sure. The ending makes it even more so. Well done, Barry.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Great stuff, Barry - very elegantly written and totally chilling.
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Thanks everyone.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Very well told tale!
November 4th, 2009 at 8:58 am
What a chilling story, Barry. For anyone that has run over anything, it would certainly make their heart race.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
That is chilling… creepy too. I like the rumination of the character - you made the moment of wanting to turn back very real….but don’t you have one of those fancy beepers “that tells you something is behind you” in your car?
me neither.
Nice short flash.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
That ending is terrifically terrible. The writing is tight and someone above used the word ‘elegant’. I agree very elegant. Excellent, Barry.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Barry, this is sick. I love it.