Chains was first published in Darker Times Collection: Volume Two in March 2014, after receiving an honourable mention Darker Times Fiction's May 2013 Flash Fiction competition.
Chains
The divorce was long and arduous but essential; her husband was a criminal, cruel and controlling. To anyone’s eyes she had won, the man was worth millions but the money never interested her. She had only ever married for love – not prospects – and now she was glad to be free of the chains of the changed man.
It was the simple things in life that still pleased her; she was out at the local park with her son, fully secured in his stroller. It was a cold morning, but the chill in the air was a wonderful feeling to her; he had forbidden her from leaving the house for over a year. She would have never thought before meeting him that she would ever appreciate the little things like this. She had made a lot of friends since the papers came through and they all thought her mad for not lavishing her son with gifts. Nor spending a year or two just getting away from it all on an extended holiday – surely she deserved it?
No. That’s not what she wanted, being trapped on some cruise ship was the opposite of what she desired…being with her son was all that mattered.
He was staring out at the ducks, completely mesmerised, and she had taken her place beside him, the two happily enjoying the precious moment together. There were only a few other people in the park; clearly the cold morning had deterred them. The only type of people out in any force were runners, who occasionally pranced past the little family, one paying no mind to the other.
Her son had begun to fidget and so she concluded it was the perfect time to return home, and grabbing onto the handles of the stroller, she set off at a relaxed pace.
Her mind swam with various thoughts about her ex-husband. She never gave any evidence about his criminal activities during the hearing as she thought that might make him vengeful. Taking his money was one thing, putting him in prison would have had consequences. Anyway, it was the judge who ruled that half his savings should be hers, her lawyer only pushed for a quarter.
No. He would be grateful to her for being so modest and reverent, she had nothing to fear, she was finally free.
As they were reaching the edge of the park, beneath the beautiful shaded oak tree, her son abruptly began to cry. Without hesitation, she rushed around the stroller to tend to him. Kneeling down to his level, she pulled his little stuffed bunny from her pocket and dangled it in front of his tiny face. Usually this little show would cause him to smile and clap, but today, he just kept crying. Until, all of a sudden, he stopped, a primitive look of horror on his face. His mother, so wrapped in concern for him, never thought to turn around.
A single bullet for two lives, it was only meant for the one.
It was the simple things in life that still pleased her; she was out at the local park with her son, fully secured in his stroller. It was a cold morning, but the chill in the air was a wonderful feeling to her; he had forbidden her from leaving the house for over a year. She would have never thought before meeting him that she would ever appreciate the little things like this. She had made a lot of friends since the papers came through and they all thought her mad for not lavishing her son with gifts. Nor spending a year or two just getting away from it all on an extended holiday – surely she deserved it?
No. That’s not what she wanted, being trapped on some cruise ship was the opposite of what she desired…being with her son was all that mattered.
He was staring out at the ducks, completely mesmerised, and she had taken her place beside him, the two happily enjoying the precious moment together. There were only a few other people in the park; clearly the cold morning had deterred them. The only type of people out in any force were runners, who occasionally pranced past the little family, one paying no mind to the other.
Her son had begun to fidget and so she concluded it was the perfect time to return home, and grabbing onto the handles of the stroller, she set off at a relaxed pace.
Her mind swam with various thoughts about her ex-husband. She never gave any evidence about his criminal activities during the hearing as she thought that might make him vengeful. Taking his money was one thing, putting him in prison would have had consequences. Anyway, it was the judge who ruled that half his savings should be hers, her lawyer only pushed for a quarter.
No. He would be grateful to her for being so modest and reverent, she had nothing to fear, she was finally free.
As they were reaching the edge of the park, beneath the beautiful shaded oak tree, her son abruptly began to cry. Without hesitation, she rushed around the stroller to tend to him. Kneeling down to his level, she pulled his little stuffed bunny from her pocket and dangled it in front of his tiny face. Usually this little show would cause him to smile and clap, but today, he just kept crying. Until, all of a sudden, he stopped, a primitive look of horror on his face. His mother, so wrapped in concern for him, never thought to turn around.
A single bullet for two lives, it was only meant for the one.
