Nuclear Family

(This was originally for a contest. The rules were, 300 words or less and the prompt was "write a story involving the words glass, apron and scissors. I rewrote it and made it a bit longer. the original contest entry is below it. I would appreciate reviews! :D)

Amy takes a long drag of her cigarette, leans back her head and slowly exhales.

"What a day." She sighs. "And all before noon, too." Her ruby red lips curl up in a contented smile. "Well,” she stands and fixes her hair into a sloppy bun. "Best get back to work." Her long, slender legs stride her along into the laundry room, where she discards her apron, so red with blood that you would never guess it was white! This makes her grin and recall with affection how lively her family is.

She dawns a fresh, blue apron and grabs the broom and dust pan on her way back to the kitchen. The sliding door had busted out and all that glass was a real hazard. "Shouldn't have thrown that chair, John." She chuckles, shaking her head lightly. She could still hear him begging to know why. Such a sweet man, so in touch with his emotions.

Once the glass is swept up she checks the oven. "Not too much longer." She smiles, closing the oven and twirling mirthfully. "Valerie!" she calls. "William, suppers almost done!" Oh, her beautiful children. How she loves them so!

Agile Amy makes a dance of climbing the stairs to William's room. "William?" She approaches cautiously; surely he will still be upset with her. She had been rather hard on him earlier, but the boy never does as he's told. She steps into the room leans against the door frame. "Sweetie, I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, I just want you to clean your room more often that’s all. You can come eat supper with us." The boy hangs there limply, pinned to the wall by a small broom and dust pan, each sharpened beautifully by Amy's artful hands. Amy smiles her cat-like smile. "Aw, my little man." Amy weaves through the messy room and pulls the cleaning weapons from the wall, William clumsily falling to the floor. "So responsible." she kneels down by him. "Tell you what; I'll bring you some dessert, okay?" She lovingly pats his cheek and stands. "Oh, and change out of that shirt, it’s all full of holes."

Amy, so light, almost floats back down the stairs and into the living room. Valerie lays half through the television, half on the floor. "Oh," she chuckles quietly. "She'll be sore that she fell asleep and missed the end of her show." Amy kneels down and sweeps the broken glass into the dust pan. It’s always hard to get glass out of the carpet, but the glass on little Valerie slides off with ease. Valerie makes a small groan and Amy smiles. "Just in time, sleepy head." Her beautiful daughter. Amy loves this little girl above all else. "Come here, little one." Amy lifts the child ever so gently and carries her to the kitchen, setting her in her favorite spot next to daddy. Amy shoos the flies from John then skips to the oven.

"Who all’s hungry?" She pulls from the oven a delicacy roughly the size of a chicken and distinctly the shape of a baby. Little baby Bradley. Amy sets the table with plates and silverware, setting the food on the table lastly. "You know, he has been so. Good. All day long, but the minute we start eating, I'll bet he wakes up." She lifts the carving knife and admires her reflection in the silvery sheen for a moment.

“Mo… Mommy?” Valerie fully wakes and looks around the table blearily.
"Valerie, would you like the feet?" Amy carefully begins to cut the meat, just above the ankle. She really was a fantastic cook. "I know how you love to play with Bradley's feet." Valerie looks to Amy confused. Poor girl must still be sleepy. Amy turns her attention back to the food. Val will wake up when she gets her dinner. If she got her dinner, the bones don't seem to want to cut very well.

"What's wrong with daddy?" Her daughter sounds afraid, but loving Amy can't imagine why.

"What do you mean, hon?" She glances over to her husband's blue, slightly swollen face. "Nothing is wrong with your father." The food finally works with her and she drops a tiny foot onto Valerie's plate.

"What is that?!" There Valerie seemed so excited now. Wise Amy knew she would be. Amy sits back in her chair.

"oh," she puts her hand to her forehead. "I don’t feel so well all of a sudden."

"Where's Billy?" Sweet Valerie loves her brother so.

"He's gone to bed without supper honey bun, remember?" She picks the carving knife back up and gently runs her finger along the edge. "In fact, I may turn in early too. John, can you handle the kids?" John's glossy eyes are staring blankly off into the pale yellow walls of the kitchen. "Oh, you are such a dear." she smiles.

"Mommy… I…" a small sob escapes young Valerie. "My head's bleeding."

"Valerie." Amy looks into her daughters perfect hazel eyes. Such beautiful eyes, just like her father. "You must know that mommy loves you very much." The young girl whimpers and nods. Amy can't help but smile at her perfect child. Amy slowly raises the knife and plunges it into her own eye. Valerie screams. The smile on Amy’s face never wavers and she keeps her single eye focused on her daughter. “Goodnight, honey bun.” Amy stands and makes her way out of the kitchen stopping to kiss her daughter on the head.

Graceful Amy daces through the house in that way she does all the way to her room. She lays down in her bed and listens to her family down stairs. Valerie, so concerned with everyone, is asking if Mommy is okay. John is assuring her all is well in his fatherly manner and William must have joined supper because he’s down there cracking a joke to cheer up his sister. Amy smiles, she can hear that bradely has just woke up. John is so good with that little boy. He has always been good with the kids.

“Amy.” Amy’s mother lays in the bed behind Amy, wrapping an arm around her. “How are you honey bun?”

“Mother?” Amy is pleasantly surprised. “I haven’t seen you sense the funeral! Why haven’t you called?”

“I am sorry dear, I’m dead. I simply haven’t had the time.” Mother is always so kind.

“Its understandable mother, think nothing of it.” Sirens are wailing down the street.

“Amy, my dear, you feel warm. Have you got a fever?”

“I think so.” Amy sighs. “I don’t feel well at all.” She squirms a bit. The sirens are getting closer.

“Well, close your eyes, child.” Mother strokes Amy’s forehead. “I’ll take care of you. You just sleep and I'll take care of everything.”

Amy closes her eye. The sirens are outside the house as sleepy Amy quietly passes on.





(this was the original contest post)

Amy takes a long drag of her cigarette, leans back her head and slowly exhales.

"What a day." She sighs. "And all before noon, too." Her ruby red lips curl up in a contented smile. "well," she stands and fixes her hair into a sloppy bun. "Best get back to work." Her long, slender legs stride her along into the laundry room, where she discards her apron, so red with blood that you would never guess it was white! This makes her grin and recall with affection how lively her family is.

She dawns a fresh, blue apron and grabs the broom and dust pan on her way back to the kitchen. The sliding door had busted out and all that glass was a real hazard. "Shouldn't have thrown that chair, John." She chuckles, shaking her head lightly. She could still hear him pleading for her to stop. Such a sweet man, so in touch with his emotions.

Once the glass is swept up she checks the oven. "Not too much longer." She smiles, closing the oven and twirling mirthfully. "Valerie!" she calls. "Valerie, suppers almost done!" Oh, her beautiful children. How she loves them so!

Amy, so light, almost floats into the living room. Valerie lays half through the television, half on the floor, making little groans every now and then. "Come here, little one." Amy lifts the child ever so gently and carries her to the kitchen, setting her in her favorite spot next to daddy. Amy shoos the flies from John’s corpse then skips to the oven.

"Who all’s Hungry?" She pulls from the oven a delicacy roughly the size of a chicken and distinctly the shape of a baby.

“M-mommy?” Valerie fully wakes and screams as dexterous Amy slides the open scissors into her own eyes.