Disturbance on Teardrop Drive
A cool autumn breeze blew a chill over his weary bones. It had been what seemed like forever since he had had a good night sleep. With pulling a two-week double shift covering for his partner who had run off and gotten married. His mother passed on leaving her estate a shambles and then there was that damn head cold he had just overcome. Indeed, sleep was a rare indulgence. Now with his cold gone, his mother’s estate handled, and him back to a regular shift he laid down this evening for a comfortable sleep. Instead, he found himself awake in the wee-hours of the morning standing on his deck. He stood under a blossomed moon, which swam slowly through the starless night, framed by slender clouds like fingers boxing shimmering eyes. Long shadows masked the yard and that of his neighbor. The two hid away behind the night’s concealment. He grew angrier at each vocal release from the two. Janus stood in his boxers and tank top, his teeth chattered, his hair flicked out in the wind. He watched the woman take a long drag from her cigarette, sucking on it as if she hungered for something more. She exhaled, their was no smoke in the darkness, only the burning cherry of the cigarette. She laughed loudly from a broken joke, one Janus didn’t find amusing. The man tilted his head back and bayed at the moon, which brought a child like giggle from the woman. “Hey!” Janus screamed into the night. His thunder bounced off one house to another, each time fading in volume. The woman turn towards him,
looking at him standing there freezing on his deck. The man leaned into her, “Hey buddy,” the man said in a soothing voice as he approached the six-foot dog-ear cedar fence that garnished Janus’ yard. “It’s 3:00 a.m. do you mind.” Janus snapped. “Easy buddy. We’re sorry, we’ll keep it down.” The man moved closer to the fence, almost whispering his guarantee. “I can hear your obnoxious voices clear into my goddamn bedroom.” Janus continued. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. It is Friday night and all…” The man tried to justify himself but was cut off abruptly. “I don’t give a shit, it’s 3:00 a.m. I’m trying to get some sleep. You know how long it’s been since I’ve had a good night sleep?” Janus raise his hunting pistol from his side, its laser site rested first between the woman’s breast, then her forehead. “Hey man, you’re fuckin’ nuts. Charlene,” the man called stumbling back towards the hot tub. The sound of gunfire rocked
the neighborhood, echoing loudly against the backsides of the closely arranged Janus watched her skin rip open. A stream of blood spit forward as her head snapped back. Blood flowed freely over the powder burn, deepening the blackness of the fluid. He could see the bullet as it tumbled through her head. The brass nub shredding her flesh, its heat charring flesh and boiling her blood. He watched on as the nub severed nerves and fibers in her brain. Gray matter recoiled from the nub as if it knew its’ destructive force. Finally, the bullet burst from the back of her skull spraying brain, blood, and skull against the outer house wall. Janus watched the blood wash the gray stucco texture as slivers of brain clung feeble to it. The crimson glowed eerily against its gray background. The woman folded in the hot tub, slowly melting into the water changing the white bubbles to red. Her hunched over body floating on the surface, her hair dancing in an ocean of gore. Her body twitch its’ last as the current of life withered from her loud and annoying essence. Dead, more importantly silent. He looked over at the man who looked back. He stood there aghast the whites of his eyes gleamed like reflectors in headlights. Honest to God fear masked his face; Janus smiled and pulled the trigger as the man turned to flee. The bullet whizzed from the
muzzle; a bright spark kicked the pistol back in his hand. The bullet bored into the back
of the man’s neck, the sound of shattering bone rode the autumn breeze. A moment of
utter stillness filled the air, utter silence, and peace. As the bullet exited from the
man’s throat a burst of air exhausted from him. Then the sound of The man crumbled to his knees falling forward into shards of glass. His body flayed like a fish out of water, the shards of glass slicing away at his bluish skin. He gasped his dying breath and Janus voiced his approval. “Sleep,” he whispered behind a beaming grin. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “Rap-rap-rap. Rap-rap-rap. Open up police.” Janus looked over at the liquid display, 3:45 a.m. He rolled out of bed, grabbing his pistol off the nightstand as he did. “Rap-rap-rap. Open up Mr. Beale, police.” Janus moaned, holding his head as he did. “Just a goddamn minute!” He yelled through revolving blue-red-white lighting. “Now sir!” the officer’s voice bellowed through the front door. Janus gripped his pistol as he turned the deadbolt. He placed the pistol behind his leg and opened the door. The police, two on his porch and four more in the yard stood with their weapons drawn. “Let me see you hands sir!” The cop closet to him directed. “All I wanted was some sleep.” Janus exhaled wearily. “Sir, your hands!” The second cop stepped up the barrel of his pistol rested a foot, maybe a foot and a half away from his temple. “They were making so much noise,” Janus’ face contorted into a childish pout. “Sir, last warning. Let me see your hands now!” “Fine!” Janus’ eyes widened as he drew his pistol level pulling the trigger as he did. A burst of light rocketed from the pistol striking the office closest to him in the shoulder. The officer moaned as he fell
back off the porch. Janus felt a bolt of heat enter the side of his face, ripping into his
cheek, then exiting out the other side. Then bright flashes, like a hundred pictures being
taken, radiated from his lawn. Warmth filled his chest, stomach, and legs. Janus grimaced
from the overwhelming pain as he was lifted from his feet He looked down at his pistol that lay on the hard concrete, bloodied. His blood. A rush of men stormed into his house. Their weapons were raised and all pointing at him. They screamed at him, saying things he couldn’t understand. It mattered none. Janus drew a half breath; it was all his lungs could stand. He could feel the air escaping, not through his nose or mouth but from inside. It felt cool, soothing and in that instant, all the pain had gone. The world was silent, the lights dimmed, the voices were no longer mumbled, they were gone. Utter silence. Shhhh… Janus smiled. Sleep, he thought. Finally, sleep. He sensed movement; someone had stepped up to him. A flash sparked over his eyelids. Silence moved around him… Sleep. June 2000 HofP |