Monday, October 11, 2010

A Twist Of Noir 603 - Matthew McBride

THE DAY WE ATE MUSHROOMS AND THOUGHT WE COULD FLY - MATTHEW MCBRIDE

I dropped the bag on the kitchen table and Jerry Springfield came to life. His eyes became silver dollars in an instant. His mouth began to water.

That’s what I expected. Good quality mushrooms tend to have that effect on a guy. Especially a guy like Jerry. A guy who doesn’t work, but makes his living sucking the lifeblood from good people like it was a fine Chardonnay.

I divided the bag into equal parts, but Jerry complained he wasn’t getting his share. Even though they were mine, Jerry still tried to fuck me.

“You’ll get your half.”

Jerry rubbed his hands together like a child. He licked his lips and said, “Hurry up.”

That’s the kind of guy Jerry is. Thinks everybody owes him something.

I pressed a couple of stems and two full caps into his hand.

“Have a nice trip, Jerry.”

An hour passed and just about the time we thought we got burned Jerry started feeling something. A lone strand of drool traveled over his lip and hung for a full minute. I didn’t say anything, I just smiled. Then he smiled. We both began to laugh.

“What’s...this...thing...” Jerry asked me something, but what? He was pointing at the wall.

“Wanna go outside?” I asked. Didn’t want Jerry to ralph in my kitchen.

“What’s that?” He was fascinated by something. His cheeks seemed rounder than they should have been and his face was as red as a summer tomato.

“Who’s that?” he asked wildly. I didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about.

Jerry was laughing uncontrollably now. He pointed to the roof.

“You think you can fly?” I asked.

Jerry said yes.

We climbed through the upstairs window onto the addition, then climbed up to the highest part.

It was a beautiful spring day, the birds were chirping. The tiger lillies in full bloom as we came to the edge of the roof. The house stood on a step hill. We were a good sixty feet up and nothing below us, but air and concrete.

My palms began to sweat.

“Don’t look down,” I said. Jerry’s beard was full of spit.

“I know!” He screamed. His hair was a mess. His eyes were like deep pools of water. He was on another level.

I warned him one more time. Be careful.

“I know,” he screamed again. I watched his body sway as he caught his balance.

Jerry was a man who thought he knew everything. But here’s what Jerry didn’t know. I was fucking his wife. Once or twice a week for the last three months. I was deeper inside her than he’d ever been. Licking her. Eating her. Doing things to her that Jerry hadn’t done in years. Doing them better than he ever had.

I loved her, she loved me, and we both hated Jerry Springfield.

“Wish he was dead,” she whispered.

She was thinking out loud, but she said it like she meant it.

We had passionate sex in the morning and her lips tasted like flowers smelled. I could feel with my heart what she could only say with a kiss.

I bought a bag of mushrooms.

The sky was an ocean of soft blue and it was melting in our face. I asked Jerry Springfield if he could fly. Then I pushed him off the roof before he could answer. The only sound I heard was when his head broke open on the concrete. Sixty feet below.

I pulled the bag of shrooms from my pocket. My half was untouched. Now we could be together. I thought about Mrs. Springfield.

BIO: Matthew McBride lives on a farm along the river and one day he will own his own machine gun. He’s been published at A Twist Of Noir, Powder Burn FlashThe Flash Fiction Offensive and the most recent issue of Plots With Guns. He is currently reworking a novel that this editor has seen and thinks is pretty genius. His blog is Got Pulp?

11 comments:

AJ Hayes said...

I'd recommend watching your back dude. The Girl With The Flowered Lips might have a different view than yours. Just the right touch of druggie paradise, illicit love and sinister undercurrent. Cool!

Naomi Johnson said...

Don't ever name the Flowered Lip lady as your life insurance beneficiary.

Nigel Bird said...

really enjoyed that. it's been a while since i dabbled, but i could feel Jerry coming up nicely. just know the narrator is going to get his come-uppance when Jerry's wife gets bored, don't you?

Sean Patrick Reardon said...

Nice mix of drugs, sex, and murder. Really dug the shrooms description, not I that have any experience ;0. Well done.

Joyce said...

Great stuff. I agree with everyone though. The subtle wish that Jerry was dead most probably was a bit better planned that he realizes. Don't take any surprise drinks or sandwiches prepared out of sight. Just sayin'...

Matthew McBride said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul D Brazill said...

Great stuff. I've never taken mad mushies and now I really never will.

Anonymous said...

Good stuff McBride! Look forward to your next 2 stories.

David Barber said...

Loved that, Matthew. Great imagery throughout.

Unknown said...

Enjoyed this, Matthew. It was real and had a nice flow. You seemed to get the Magic Mushroom effects spot on too. Hope you enjoyed your research! :)

Regards,
Col

Matthew McBride said...

Col - No doubt. Research is important. As a writer, I feel it's only right to test all of my subject content.