Real Blood Was Lost

A short story for Lunar Awards round 5

Photo by The Quiet Marketer on Unsplash

Johnathan sat as his writing desk and tried to work on his story. He knew that he had a deadline to meet but the separation with his wife Sharon weighed on his mind. As Jonathan sat there, he pondered over Sharon lying to him lately. He knew that things had not been as good as they once were but why did she lie?

As the afternoon hours ticked by, Johnathan finally finished his fifth chapter. He was not entirely pleased with it but he was satisfied for now. He heard the vibration of his phone as it rang and saw that it was his editor. Johnathan was hesitant but he answered it and heard the usual publisher speech. Nancy told him in her raspy voice that she needed the next three chapters by tomorrow morning. She also reminded him that this book might be the make it or break it piece for them both. Johnathan grumbled softly and then reassured Nancy that she would have them by morning.

When Nancy hung up, Johnathan headed to the kitchen for a fresh cup of coffee. Maybe a nice cold beer would be better, he thought. Johnathan opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, popped the top and took a couple gulps. He went back to his desk with the beer in hand and starred at the words on his computer screen. Once again he thought about his lying wife Sharon. I know that she has been seeing someone else, but who, he thought.

As Johnathan thought about who her lover might be, the words for his story started to flow onto the page. He typed, Shannon told her husband that Charles ‘the yoga instructor’ invited her to go for coffee again. Joe told her that he would be working late again anyways so to go ahead and enjoy herself. Shannon felt delightful on the inside but did not want to appear that way in front of her husband. Do you know about what time you might be home, she asked him. Joe told her that probably not until eleven tonight. Shannon grinned, kissed her husband on the cheek, and wished him a wonderful day.

Johnathan re-read what he typed and liked where his thoughts were taking him. He then continued, Shannon called Charles and told him that they could spend all day together. Charles told her that he would pick her up in about an hour then. Shannon smiled, hung up the phone, and danced around like a silly school girl. She went to her closet and picked out her sexy but casual red spaghetti strap dress. She also decided to take a quick shower and then she put on some of Charles favorite perfume.

Johnathan paused for a moment and looked at the clock. He wondered what his wife was going to do tonight. He knew that she had her college class later but what about after class. Johnathan was curious if Sharon was seeing one of her teachers. Should I go spy on her, he thought. Johnathan gulped down the rest of the beer and then tried to re-focus. I have to get these chapters done, Johnathan said to himself.

Johnathan typed the next sentence, Charles picked up Shannon and then drove them both out into the country. He took her to a piece of property that he owned and surprised her with a late picnic lunch just for the two of them. Shannon was elated by how romantic this date was. She felt so special after Charles surprised her with champagne and strawberries that she gave her body to him.

Johnathan stopped and re-read that last sentence. He pictured the full body contact of the two people on the picnic blanket. His mind then incorporated his wife Sharon as one of the people and the thought ignited a charge in him. How could she do that to me, he thought.

Johnathan then typed that Shannon’s husband Joe called home and found no answer. He was puzzled and wondered where she was. After all she told him that coffee with Charles was not until that evening. Joe was then reminded by his secretary that his meeting started in five minutes. Joe thanked her and put his focus back on his workday. Johnathan paused and wondered if it would be that easy to focus on work especially if an affair was thought about. I guess it would depend on how strong the relationship was, he thought. Johnathan typed and edited a few more pages until he noticed the time.

Since it was a few minutes after five, Johnathan felt a little hungry. He walked into the kitchen and looked inside the fridge. Nothing in there appealed to him so he looked in a couple of cupboards. Since the separation and because Johnathan moved into a small apartment, food shopping did not happen very often. I guess I will have to go out to eat, he thought.

Johnathan decided to try and finished chapter six before going out. He found his focus again and typed, Shannon and Charles packed up their picnic for the day. Charles told Shannon that this was their best date yet and that he had plans for more. Shannon told Charles that if he was not ready to commit to her that she also needed time with her husband. Charles of course came up with an excuse but begged to see her again. Shannon smiled at Charles because she knew that she could not resist him.

Joe got done with his meeting early and decided to go down to the coffee shop. He thought that he would surprise Shannon and also meet this Charles that she talks about. It was around seven now when Joe arrived at the coffee shop. When he looked around though, Shannon was nowhere to be seen. Oh, maybe Charles canceled, Joe thought. So, Joe ordered a coffee to go and then headed for home.

Johnathan started to think about how mad he would be if he walked in on his wife having an affair in the home where they both lived. Did she start having an affair when I still lived there, Johnathan thought. The anger inside of him started to simmer. He then typed the next paragraph with determination.

Joe was curious if Shannon’s meetings with Charles were innocent. So, he parked his car on the street a few houses away from his own and walked the rest of the way. Joe then saw a car that he did not recognize parked in their driveway. He quietly looked in one of the kitchen windows but did not see anyone. Joe unlocked the door to the kitchen and walked inside. He listened but did not hear any talking in the living room either. As he walked through the living room and towards the stairs he heard some sounds. And not the kind of sounds that a married man wants to hear.

Johnathan’s mind was now so focused on his own feelings that his control was about to be lost. He knew exactly how Joe would be feeling while walking up those steps to his bedroom. Johnathan hurried out to his car and headed out of town. He had to see who would be at his house and with his wife. Johnathan sped as fast as he could with one thought on his mind. I will kill whoever she is having an affair with, he thought. When Johnathan pulled into the long driveway to his house, he shut off his headlights. He then carefully stopped and parked. Johnathan noticed a strange car in the driveway right behind Sharon’s. His anger grew as he walked up the driveway and towards the house

As Johnathan got closer, he saw a dim light in their bedroom window. Quietly he walked up the front porch steps and up to the door. He turned the doorknob and opened it. Johnathan knew that Sharon was bad at remembering to lock the doors. He still had his key if he needed it but he knew his wife that well. When Johnathan walked inside, he heard his wife giggling upstairs. Johnathan quickly went into the kitchen and pulled a chefs knife out of the butcher block. The thought of another man being intimate with his wife enraged him.

Johnathan moved like a stealth airplane up the stairs. And when he heard them in the bathroom he carefully peeked in. Sharon was already lounging in the Jacuzzi tub while this muscular and naked man was about to step in. Johnathan raised the knife and rushed into the bathroom. He stabbed the man in the back once before Sharon screamed with fear. Johnathan fiercely stabbed the man three more times while Sharon scrambled to get out of the tub. She grabbed a towel and stumbled to get to the stairs.

After the man collapsed half way into the tub, Johnathan turned and went after his wife. He called out her name and told her that he was not mad at her. Sharon tried to be quiet while she snuck into the den to call the police. She was shaking but managed to dial 911. Unfortunately Johnathan found her and slashed her arm. The operator on the other end heard the woman’s frightful scream. She also heard a man yell and glass items hit the floor. Police were dispatched immediately but Sharon was far from instant relief.

Johnathan forced Sharon back upstairs and into their bedroom. He yelled for her to sit down. He demanded that she tell him how long this affair had been going on. And when she spoke, Johnathan paced the the floor like a lion waiting for food. Sharon told him that they had only been seeing each other for a month. He called her a liar and rushed at her with the knife. Sharon screamed and rolled across the queen-size bed. Johnathan fell on the bed but instantly got up. He told her that he never stopped loving her as he rushed at her again.

As Sharon scrambled away, she begged Johnathan to stop and told him that she will make everything better. Johnathan stopped and looked at Sharon. He right away thought about the story that he was writing. The ending that he had in his mind was not a good one for Charles and Shannon. Johnathan yelled that she was a liar and rushed at Sharon again. She dodged the knife again but also fell to the floor. Johnathan ran around the bed with the knife held high. He was ready to end their marriage now.

Just as he stepped over Sharon to stab her, deputy Danielle Smith fired her weapon. Johnathan was shot four times before he fell to the floor. Blood splattered everywhere. Sharon crawled toward deputy Stone who rushed over to help her. Deputy Smith made sure that Johnathan was staying down and not hurting anyone ever again. His blood now soaked the cream colored carpet of their bedroom.

Two days later when Sharon was feeling better, she went over to Johnathan’s apartment. She knew that she needed to remove his things from there so that it could be rented. One of the things that she took home with her was Johnathan’s laptop. She knew that he had used it for writing but she had also seen photos of their life together on it.

The next afternoon while sharon was at home, she sat down with Johnathan’s laptop. She started to read the story that he had been working on. In the story, Sharon was surprised to find how similar Shannons life was to her own. She wondered if Johnathan knew her that well or was he spying on her. Sharon loved Johnathan very much but his career started to consume him and take away all their time together. Sharon continued to read the story and then found where Johnathan left off. She was stunned by the tone of anger that he had written. Sharon knew after what she had gone through, Charles and Shannon would not have survived the encounter with Joe. Lucky for me the police arrived at the right time, Sharon thought.

The End

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This story is for the Lunar Awards season 10 round 5 contest and is my first story for this years Halloween season. I also dedicate this story to my niece because it is her birthday today and she enjoys a good spooky tale. Happy Birthday Tracy.