The Sssilent Killer was first published in Darker Times Collection: Volume Two in March 2014, after being named the runner-up in Darker Times Fiction's August 2013 Flash Fiction competition.
The Sssilent Killer
‘With friends like these, who needs enemies?’ While the adage may be old, it perfectly encapsulates the relationship between Michael and his two best ‘friends’: Timothy and Joseph. The two have always bullied Michael and for the most part he lets them get away with it, being only eight years old and insecure, he remains unconvinced he could ever find new friends.
Being a sickly child and frequently away from school, Michael has always been an easy target for the two manipulative boys. This time though, he has been away for an entire month, which has prompted the terrible duo to inform the entire school that Michael is, in fact, dead.
Imagine, then, the reaction of a school full of children on seeing the person they thought deceased, shambling into the main hall one cold winter morning. No video game, book, or film could have prepared them for this. The shouts of ‘zombie’ were soon flying from room to room as teachers haplessly tried to fence students into classrooms and explain that Michael was, and always had been: alive!
It would take weeks for the fervour to die down. Worse still, it left Michael with his fears realised: everyone was now avoiding him. No fellow child would talk to him, walk past or even look at him. Even Timothy and Joseph stopped engaging in any interaction with him, at school at least.
Of course, they were more than happy to visit Michael at his house and indulge in all of his delicious snacks and toys, as long as no one from school found out. Yet Michael did nothing to stop this blatant abuse. As far as his mother could see, it seemed Michael was just glad to have any friends at all.
One Saturday afternoon while his mother was out, Timothy and Joseph had graciously invited themselves over to play video games. Michael wasn’t allowed to join in, but was kindly given the task of bringing them everything they desired, all in the name of friendship of course.
“I’m hungry,” Timothy declared while smashing the buttons on his controller.
“Yeah, me too. Got any food, Mike?” Joseph chimed in, equally refusing to look away from the television screen.
"But,” began Michael, “I’ve already given you crisps–“
"Proper food! Nuggets, pizza you know–“
“Hot food,” Joseph courteously completed his friend’s sentence.
"I’m not supposed to use the oven, Mum says it’s dangerous if I get it wrong,” protested Michael, feebly.
“Yeah, but it’s for us!” Timothy momentarily looked away from the screen. “You wouldn’t say no to us, right?” Michael nodded and moved next door to the kitchen.
After a few minutes of yelling at the television, Timothy’s controller promptly made contact with it. “It’s too cold to think! That’s why I lost!” A momentary argument ensued, but both the harsh chill of winter and the snugness of the sofa sent the pair into a sound sleep. Lost in their blanket of slumber, they never heard Michael leave the house, neither did they hear nor smell what killed them.
Being a sickly child and frequently away from school, Michael has always been an easy target for the two manipulative boys. This time though, he has been away for an entire month, which has prompted the terrible duo to inform the entire school that Michael is, in fact, dead.
Imagine, then, the reaction of a school full of children on seeing the person they thought deceased, shambling into the main hall one cold winter morning. No video game, book, or film could have prepared them for this. The shouts of ‘zombie’ were soon flying from room to room as teachers haplessly tried to fence students into classrooms and explain that Michael was, and always had been: alive!
It would take weeks for the fervour to die down. Worse still, it left Michael with his fears realised: everyone was now avoiding him. No fellow child would talk to him, walk past or even look at him. Even Timothy and Joseph stopped engaging in any interaction with him, at school at least.
Of course, they were more than happy to visit Michael at his house and indulge in all of his delicious snacks and toys, as long as no one from school found out. Yet Michael did nothing to stop this blatant abuse. As far as his mother could see, it seemed Michael was just glad to have any friends at all.
One Saturday afternoon while his mother was out, Timothy and Joseph had graciously invited themselves over to play video games. Michael wasn’t allowed to join in, but was kindly given the task of bringing them everything they desired, all in the name of friendship of course.
“I’m hungry,” Timothy declared while smashing the buttons on his controller.
“Yeah, me too. Got any food, Mike?” Joseph chimed in, equally refusing to look away from the television screen.
"But,” began Michael, “I’ve already given you crisps–“
"Proper food! Nuggets, pizza you know–“
“Hot food,” Joseph courteously completed his friend’s sentence.
"I’m not supposed to use the oven, Mum says it’s dangerous if I get it wrong,” protested Michael, feebly.
“Yeah, but it’s for us!” Timothy momentarily looked away from the screen. “You wouldn’t say no to us, right?” Michael nodded and moved next door to the kitchen.
After a few minutes of yelling at the television, Timothy’s controller promptly made contact with it. “It’s too cold to think! That’s why I lost!” A momentary argument ensued, but both the harsh chill of winter and the snugness of the sofa sent the pair into a sound sleep. Lost in their blanket of slumber, they never heard Michael leave the house, neither did they hear nor smell what killed them.
