RIP Dave by C A Keith

First attempt at homicide wasn’t so good. Second shoe strike, this fella wasn’t so lucky. I mopped up the remnants and any evidence that would tie me to this deadly crime. Scrubbed my shoes clean, and disposed of the body. I was the only one working that dark late night shift. I dragged the body that I wrapped in an old sheet I had in my trunk.

With a shovel, I worked quickly. Tipped the body in the large hole, poured over some BBQ starter fluid, and stood back. My fingers, shakily struck the match and I tossed it in the dark hole.

Whoof! The body ignited immediately and burnt off safely in the gaping hole in the ground. Smoke plummeted from the hole to the sky like smoke signals.

I kept my eyes to the blackened road for any traffic. After an hour the smoke cleared and I made quick work to refill the hole. I dug up a small bush and placed it in the fresh site and sprinkled dead leaves around. Glad it was fall, lots of brush to cover freshly dug earth.

I locked our work doors. Who would be coming at three am anyways. Turned the sign over to close, to be sure. Ripped off my clothes and slipped them in a plastic bag with my shoes. Stepping into the hot shower, the heat felt good on the back of my neck and back. My back would remind me later with new aches and throbs.

After drying my hair and dressing, slipping back on my shower flip flops, I turned over the sign, ‘Open’.

People were arriving earlier than usual at the gym. I tried to remain calm, three more hours, I reminded myself.

“What’s that on the floor? Over there by the door?”

I quickly turn to look, neck crackling like an old staircase.

A leg! I kicked it back into the storage room it was in between.

“Ah!” I laughed nervously. “It’s just a piece of rope. Must’ve been a piece from the boxes I was unpacking and stocking.”

The gentleman laughed. Sweat beaded from my forehead. I went back and wrapped up the leg with an old towel someone left at the gym and tucked it into my bag. I would throw it in the bin at the back of the gym on the way home. Garbage pick up was in a few hours.

I scrubbed any other remnants and scoured the room for an last remains.

I walked out the door. Hopefully I got away scott free.

You’re dead to me now Dave !!

So dearly beloved.

We mourn the loss of Dave. He was very frightening in his prime. He was known for his tangled sultry webs.

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive.”

He was clever. He lie in wait as he entranced his prey to his web.

No more. Poor Dave.