Portrayed A Villain
Flash Fiction
“Danny, I’m home!”
Marcus set his suitcase by the front door. He loosened his tie and shuffled into the kitchen.
“What do you want for dinner!?”
He pulled out a drawer and grabbed the few takeout menus inside. Marcus took them out and set them out on the marble counter next to the sink. A burst of force to the back of his head knocked him to the floor. The linoleum tiles chilled his skin. Pain throbbed through his head. Through his blurred vision, he noticed boots stepping closer. He tried to look up, but a second impact to his temple knocked him unconscious.
…
Marcus struggled to open his eyes. His head throbbed like a hammer tapped against his skull. Every part of his face was sore. He opened his eyes and saw clouds float by. Pain flared through his neck as he looked around. A few orange trees lined a fence to the left. His arms were tied back on the back of the wooden chair he was in. The back legs of the chair were an inch away from the edge of a pool. He was in his backyard. Marcus turned when he heard the back door of his house open. His eyes widened when he saw his son walk across the grass. He held a thin book in his left hand. His right hand held a tight grip on the metal bat he uses for Little League.
“Daniel, are you okay? What’s going on?”
He stepped closer to Marcus and set down the bat. His brows furled.
“You really thought I wouldn’t find out?” Daniel asked.
Marcus looked at the bat and noticed the blood splotches on its reflective surface.
“What are you talking about, Daniel? Untie my hands.”
“You think you can continue to hide the truth, but I know what you have done. I know what you really are.”
“Daniel! Untie my fucking hands right now!”
Marcus shook in his chair and tried to slip his hands through the rope.
“Don’t think you can get those undone. I made sure I tied it tight.”
He shook in the chair again. It scraped and slid closer to the edge of the pool.
“Daniel, you need to stop this. Untie me and we can talk about whatever you’re upset about.”
“There is no time for talking.”
Daniel stepped closer to Marcus. He held up the book in his hand. It was a comic.
“You can’t lie to me anymore. Someone showed me the truth.”
Marcus looked closer at the cover of the comic book in his hands. A man leaned against a wall. He was bald with a bird tattoo. His face was a spitting image of Marcus. They both wore the same suit as well. His eyes widened, and his brows furrowed. Daniel opened the comic book to a specific page. A two-page spread of Marcus standing in front of a house on fire. He held a gas tank in his right hand.
“Daniel, that is a comic book. It isn’t real. Now I need you to get me out of this chair, and you can tell me where you got that.”
“How can you say it isn’t real!” Daniel threw the comic to the ground and picked up the bat. “You killed my mother!”
Tears trickled down both of their cheeks.
“You need to stop this! Your mother died in a fire from a gas leak. I know it’s hard, but you can’t let a fucking comic book make your decisions.”
Daniel wiped his tears and sniffled.
“I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”
He tightened his grip on the bat. Marcus tried to pull his arms loose again.
“Put the fucking bat down!”
“No! I will avenge her!”
Daniel squeezed his eyes shut and swung.
“Dani-!”
The metal cracked against Marcus’ jaw. The loud ring of the bat masked the pop as it dislocated. His head snapped to the right and hung down. He couldn’t see out of his left eye. Blood and drool dripped from his bottom lip. Daniel threw the bat to the ground. The end of it smacked against the concrete, sending a high-pitched ring through Marcus’ ears. He couldn’t move his arms. It felt like his skull was being ripped open. Daniel placed his foot on the seat of the chair between Marcus’ legs. He let out a grunt and pushed the chair back. For a second, Marcus felt weightless until he crashed into the water. It rushed through his nostrils and mouth. Goosebumps formed across his body. The sunlight shimmered through the water. He felt the bottom of the pool against his palms. Pressure squeezed his body as water filled his lungs. Marcus saw Daniel look down at him from the edge of the pool. His vision faded as he watched the air bubbles float to the water’s surface.
Dolls
Movie Review #14
Dolls is a 1987 film about a dysfunctional family getting caught in a wild storm. It is because of this they decide to take refuge in a house they find close by. Written by Ed Naha and directed by Stuart Gordon, this film is a brilliant look into those who still have an imagination and those who don’t. Those who have grown out of their childlike sense of wonder are in for a transformative night. I loved the effects used as well as all the great acting. The slow creep toward the reveal of the antagonists is also very well done. Once you watch this film, you will never look at toys the same again. Imagine the scene from Toy Story when Sid’s mutilated toys attack, but with the dial turned up to eleven. Oh, and I loved the dark ending. I will definitely buy this film to add to my collection.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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