Dead By Breakfast is a dialogue only short story that I wrote for a competition…I didn’t win (cries) but it means I can now share it here for my lovely readers to enjoy. It was weird writing a story without dialogue but I enjoyed the challenge. I’d love to know what you think.
‘What have you done?’
‘Nothing! One minute he was tucking into his fish the next he, he…’
‘Calm down Max, hysteria won’t help anyone.’
‘Claire it’s the third one this month, we can’t keep burying them in the garden.’
‘What’s the alternative, call the police?’
‘That might not be such a bad idea, they were all accidents. We haven’t intentionally killed anyone, have we?’
‘Of course not, but if this gets out they’ll close us down. We can’t afford to be closed down, Max.’
‘So now what?’
‘Make sure the other guest is busy so we can bury him, it’s the only way. Stop pacing, you’re making me nervous.’
‘Oh I’m sorry, dead bodies seem to have that effect on me. Why do we only have a couple of guests at a time anyway?’
‘There’s only the two of us. We take on what we can handle.’
‘But we don’t handle it. Men arrive and never leave. How can you be so calm?’
‘Getting used to it I suppose. We’ll cover him up ‘till we’ve dug a hole, then you won’t have to look at him. Pass me that table cloth… better?’
‘Not really.’
‘Right, come on, we’ve got work to do. Let’s get digging before someone else is dead by breakfast.’
‘Not again Claire, I don’t think I can.’
‘We’ll get the job finished much quicker if you quit being such a baby and help me. You look like you’re gonna puke. Are you gonna puke? Come on, grab the spade.’
***
‘What if the police come sniffing around? I’m scared, what if they arrest us, I don’t wanna go to prison.’
‘Max, don’t make me slap you. We’ve already buried two, did the police show up?’
‘That’s what makes me paranoid, why hasn’t anyone shown up? No police, no family members. The only reason nobody would be looking here would be if no one knew they were here in the first place. What’s with the face Claire? Is there something I should know?’
‘Like you said, you’re being paranoid. Right, let’s get the body.’
***
‘Wipe your feet, I don’t want that mud in my kitchen.’
‘I know, I know. Poor bloke, he had no idea today would be his last day.’
‘He was an asshole, Max.’
‘How would you know?’
‘Oh, you know. This steak isn’t cooked enough, the room’s too cold, the wine is cor…’
‘The wine! Claire, what if…?’
‘There’s nothing wrong with the wine.’
‘It wouldn’t hurt to check.’
‘Get back here, I said there’s nothing wrong with it.’
‘We might need to get rid of it.’
‘Max.’
‘Ouch! There was no need to slap me.’
‘Yes there was, you’re losing it. I need you Max, I can’t do this on my own. Go and check that the other guest is in his room before we move the body.’
‘Ssssh! What was that?’
‘What was what?’
‘Didn’t you hear it? Listen…’
‘Um, excuse me.’
‘Mr Pechman, you made me jump. How can I help you?’
‘I just thought you should know; there’s a dead body in your restaurant.’
‘It’s all part of the, um… role play, Mr Pechman. Tomorrow there’ll be a nurse, then the fun will begin. Close your mouth, Max.’
‘Well he’s either a great actor or he really is dead, because I checked his pulse and he definitely don’t have one.’
‘I’m sorry Mr Pechman.’
‘For what?’
‘For this.’
‘Claire, don’t …’
‘Sorry Max, he left me no choice.’
‘You’ve killed him.’
‘It was just a smack on the head with a frying pan, he’ll be alright.’
‘He’s n…not alright. We have to call the police; we can’t just keep burying people in the garden.’
‘I get that you’re scared, Max, but crying isn’t helping. We stick to the plan. Let’s go back and dig deeper, we’ve got two bodies to bury now.’
***
‘Any chance you could dig a bit faster? I wasn’t anticipating two deaths tonight.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Nothing. Gees, what’s with all the questions?’
‘It’s just a strange thing to say that you weren’t expecting two deaths tonight. It kind of suggests that you were expecting at least one.’
‘You’re so weird. Right, after three we lift and drop him in. Ready? 1, 2, 3… Next!
‘You know something, don’t you?’
‘You have what they call an over-active imagination. Ready? 1, 2…
‘I’m just finding it all hard to take in, why is it that everyone who stays here ends up dead? Come to think of it, there are lots of things that don’t make sense about this place. I need a break.’
‘Max get back here, we haven’t finished filling the hole.’
‘Do it yourself.’
‘Fine. I don’t know why you’re so worked up, it’s not like you knew them. But I can tell you they won’t be a huge loss to the world. There, that’ll do the job. We can make a nice flower bed here; it’ll be beautiful by March. Cup of tea?’
***
‘They’re bound to have family that’ll miss them.’
‘It’s quite cute how much you care. Pass the sugar will you.’
‘What’s this?’
‘Looks like anti-freeze to me.’
‘Why do you need anti-freeze in the kitchen?’
‘I’d hate to state the obvious. Max, where are you going?’
‘It’s in the wine, it’s you isn’t it? You’ve been killing the men that stay here. Oh my…get off me Claire. What are you gonna do, kill me as well?’
‘If I have to… Damn it. I didn’t mean that.’
‘I think you did. I don’t want to work here anymore, I quit. You’re on your own, I can’t trust you.’
‘You can’t quit.’
‘You can’t stop me.’
‘Max, you’re as much to blame as me.’
‘Don’t you dare. This is on you, you killed these men, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. You’re a murderer; you’re in so much trouble.’
‘About as much as you, Max, you’ve been helping me bury the bodies.’
‘Until tonight I thought they were accidents.’
‘The police won’t see it like that.’
‘You’ve got to help me. Make it stop, make it stop.’
‘Max, deep breaths, you need to calm down. There’s nothing we can do but carry on. We’re in this together whether you like it or not, you’re just gonna have to suck it up.’
‘Easy for you to say.’
‘Easy for you to do if you have any sense. But by all means, report me to the police. I’ll admit everything, including how you helped me bury the bodies. It’s only 15 years inside for assisting a murder, I’m sure you’ll cope.’
‘You’re mad.’
‘And this has all been thirsty work; we may as well enjoy a cup of tea.’
‘I could still call the police; you’ve manipulated me. I helped you, but it’s only your word against mine.’
‘You could. But it’s much more than words, there’s evidence. Your finger prints will be all over that spade, and now they’re on the anti-freeze and that bottle of wine. In fact, you could say I’ve been manipulated by you. There’ve only been deaths since you started working here. A poor scared lonely woman like me out in the middle of nowhere, vulnerable.’
‘Bitch.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Why do it Claire? Why are you killing our guests?’
‘They deserve it; I don’t kill anyone without good reason.’
‘Good reason? What do you mean good reason?’
‘Did you know they all come here to cheat on their wives? They think they’re here for a “gentlemen’s weekend”. This place is a man’s dream, what happens here stays here.’
‘Why haven’t I clicked before now? There’s a reason why we only accept cash, why nothing goes through a computer, why no one turns up in their own cars, and why we’re out here in the middle of bloody nowhere.’
‘All of those things would have been suspicious to anyone else, but not you, faithful, gullible, trusting Max. An untraceable naughty night away, how could any man resist such benefits?’
‘How do you even advertise this place?’
‘I seek them out; I know where to find men like them. I offer them the best night of their lives, they’re all so desperate they can’t refuse.’
‘This is messed up; you know that?’
‘Messed up feels good. Think of the favours I’m doing for those poor women they’re married to.’
‘But no one deserves to die, no matter what they’ve done.’
‘Only a man would say something like that. They don’t believe they’re doing anything wrong; how will they ever change if they can’t see what they’re doing is wrong?’
‘Maybe they do know that it’s wrong, but they just don’t care.’
‘Even more reason for them to die.’
‘So what happens now?’
‘First things first, I need to know I can trust you. Remember Max, if you tell the police you’ll be in trouble too, 15 years.’
‘You’ve left me with no choice, have you? I’ll keep quiet, and I’ll even keep working for you. But I’m not burying any more bodies. You kill them, you bury them.’
‘You’re such a baby, Max.’
‘I’m serious.’
‘OK, OK, leave the killing to me. Don’t tut.’
‘What do you expect? I don’t know about you but I’ve had enough drama for one night, I’m going to bed. Why are you grinning like that?’
‘No reason. Sleep well Max, we have a guest arriving tomorrow.’