Team Work makes the Dream Work

“It’s such a shame, isn’t it?”

“... Sorry, what?” I had zoned out, looking out of the dusty window.

The nasal voice of the news reporter continued droning from the speakers, extra tinny through the old car radio.

“These people are just trying to do their jobs, and they face such backlash for it.”

I glanced at the man in the driver’s seat. He was tall, on the stout side, but his spine was still straight. His blue eyes were on the road ahead, though he flicked them aside to look at me.

“Ah,” I nodded. “Right.”

His eyes twinkled as he smiled. It was an attractive smile. “Hey space-cadet. You were far off in thoughts there. Everything alright?”

I let out a breath, lowering my gaze. Then my lips curled up. “Yeah- yeah, sorry. I just… haven’t done this in a while.”

His smile widened, and he looked back at the road. A few more minutes passed in silence. Then we left the freeway.

My voice sounded lower as I sparsely gave him directions, a bit breathless. He followed without complaints as we drove through the quiet suburbs, and finally turned for the more forested area.

“So… around here?”

“Ah, yes… Here is good.”

Pine needles crunched beneath our shoes as we left the car. The setting sun shone through the trees as we walked side by side. When he took my hand in his, I let him.

“I get it, y’know.” He said after a while, giving my hand a squeeze.

“You do?”

“Yeah. Everyone can see whoever parks where in those cul-de-sacs.” He pronounced the last word like ‘sax’ with a Southern drawl. “And people remember who doesn’t belong here.”

I tucked my chin, nodding sheepishly. “They certainly do.”

He grinned.

“Neighbors love to gossip, huh. So, I get it.” His arm came around me, warm and stiff with muscle.

I breathed out. “Thank you…”

After a short walk, we emerged from the woods near my backyard. Stifling conspiring giggles, I led him to the backdoor and into the kitchen.

Everything was quiet. The table was cleared. Griffith’s bowl stood by the door, clean and washed.

He followed me into the living room while I went ahead and closed the curtains.

The living room was spotless, almost sterile. The framed pictures were gone. The walls were bare. The carpet had been replaced by plastic tile.

A tool box stood on the floor by the TV.

The man pointed at it.

“Well well – are you a bit of a fixer-upper?”

“I do what I can. A woman alone, you know…”

His smirk widened. “Well, if you need any help fixing stuff…”

I smiled, and turned back to the kitchen.

That line always worked.

How much these men loved to feel needed.

When I offered him beer, he accepted. I poured myself a glass of wine, but didn’t touch it.

Within minutes we were making out on the couch.

“June…” He murmured my name sweetly. I suddenly realized I had completely forgotten his.

Shit. It was something starting with J…

His hands pressed me down into the sofa cushions. They were large hands. Friendly hands. But his body was heavy.

I ran my own hands down his broad back, settling my breathing. He relaxed further, growing ever heavier on top of me.

Sometimes, in these moments, it felt like I was suffocating.

Sinking.

Drowning.

Good.

The final sunrays disappeared behind the roof of my neighbor’s house, darkening the living room.

Like clockwork, the TV sprang on.

I turned my head while Josh? Jim? kissed my neck. Bob waved at me from the screen. The sound was muted.

Bob’s calm, clay smile was ever the same. I nodded.

This was all going according to plan.

“Not too heavy for you…?” the man hissed into my neck. For a split second I stiffened.

Am I too heavy for you, Phil?

I shook my head, lowering my lashes daintily as I suppressed the memory.

“No. You’re perfect.”

His enthusiastic response nearly gagged me. I endured, slipping one hand back up beneath the couch cushions.

Go ahead. Suffocate me. Drown me. I deserve it.

But I can’t die yet. Not yet…

John still had not noticed the TV. By now it was not only Bob, but Scoop, Muck and Dizzy looking on as well. Their greedy, expectant gazes had fazed me at first, but by now I no longer felt anything.

Bob smiled broadly, holding up his toolbox. I rolled my eyes in knowing.

Beneath the couch cushions, my fingers closed around the handle of a flathead screwdriver.

The plastic felt smooth, almost malleable. Like clay. But the steel point was thin and sharp.

Sharp enough to get the job done!, as Bob would say.

I slowly raised my hand, pointing the tip down at his back. The Can-Do Crew followed my every move.

My heart pounded in my chest as I gathered my strength.

BADUMP

BADUMP

BADUMP

The kisses stopped suddenly.

“June…”

“Y-yes?” I froze.

“What is… Are we going too fast?”

“What?”

“You just… you don’t feel into it.” His heavy body pulled away from mine. I took a shuddering inhale as the pressure lifted, but it still felt like I was getting crushed.

That feeling was never going to go away.

“Maybe I should go.”

“No… no! That’s not it! Wait!” I protested as he sat up. I still held the screwdriver behind his back.

“Please… Don’t leave?”

Something in my voice stopped him. He finally sighed and shook his head, giving me a comforting smile.

“After such a sweet plea, how could I?”

He pulled me up and to his chest. I quickly shoved the screwdriver back beneath the cushions.

“It’s no fun alone, is it?” he murmured in my ear.

“No, it isn’t.” I sighed. We stayed like that for a while.

A gust of wind blew from the kitchen. The doggy-door flapped.

James turned towards the sound.

“Oh right! You mentioned you had a dog!” He smiled and pointed at the bowl on the kitchen floor. “Did I scare them?”

“Oh, she will be back soon. She likes men.”

“Can I call her?”

“Sure.”

“What’s her name?”

“... Lilith. Their name’s Lilith.”

His smile froze for a moment. Oh, right. Christian.

How come I remembered that, but not his name?

Was it something Biblical though? Jeremiah?

Jonas seemed to ignore what was on his mind and stood, facing the kitchen. “Lilith! C’mere girl!” He made kissy noises with his lips. I found it strangely endearing.

“Maybe it would help if you kneeled. She’s a bit shy.”

“Really? Okay then…” With a grunt, he hauled himself to one knee on the plastic tile. He gently called for Lilith again, patting his large, fleshy thigh.

I moved to stand behind him.

BADUMP

He wasn’t all bad, this one.

BADUMP

None of them had been truly bad.

BADUMP

But that didn’t matter.

BADUMP

This had to be done.

Squelch.

“... Oh.”

That was all I managed to say.

The screwdriver’s yellow handle stuck up straight from the man’s eye-socket. I had aimed for the artery in his neck, but he had turned to look at me at the last moment.

Oh well. This didn’t splash that much.

His other unmaimed eye looked back at me with mutual surprise. Then he began to spasm. Shivers turned to heavy trembles as his body seized, still on one knee. He toppled over gurgling, wet pink spittle coating his chapped lips.

Loud cheering went up from the TV, making me jump more than the past moment.

“Yee-owww!” Dizzy exclaimed, eyes spinning around. Muck and Scoop giggled. Bob laughed hardest of all, slapping his blue overall knees.

The upbeat music of the show’s opening theme flooded the living room. The colorful palette of Bobsville painted the floor and the body trashing on the tile with vibrant colors. The spasms nearly ceased when I heard the joyous tippity-tap of paws coming closer.

“There you are, sweetie.”

A dog-shaped shadow slid over the tiles, enlarged on the wall by the kitchen light. I reached down to pull the screwdriver out of the man’s eye. The plastic handle was still warm from how tightly I had held it.

I suppressed a shudder as the steel came away wet, but the amount of blood was truly minimal. I hummed at the discovery, filing that information away. For later.

I wiped the screwdriver on his large flannel shirt. I also checked his pockets, and took out his wallet.

“Kyle! Jezus, it wasn’t even- oops, never mind, honey.” I giggled as I checked his driver’s license. It was expired.

About 50 dollars in cash. Condoms. A few point cards. I sighed. He didn’t have insurance, either.

Oh well. I wouldn’t need those pills anymore, anyway.

If I took them, I might… lose her again.

Every time I left, I was so scared to find her gone. I wouldn’t be able to handle that. Not again. I did not want to leave her alone, at all.

But a good mother provides for her baby. And I was a good mother.

I heard a series of crunches and wet smacks as Lily began to eat Kyle. I smiled, but looked away. Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I tapped on one of the dating apps.

My eyes switched between the screen and the calendar on the wall as I typed and swiped.

“This is good! Thank you, mommy!” Lily said. Her little voice was so sweet it tore straight at my heart.

“That’s good, honey. Don’t make too much of a mess, okay?”

Mommy loves you, Lily. My darling. My precious girl.

“Well done Can-Do Crew! We did it! Again!” Bob cried from the living room, his and the machinery’s laughter echoing inside my head.

“Yes crew… We did it… again… and again… and again…”