SHUDDER

by
Sean McGahey

An aristocratic-looking opium-smoking novelist sits watching two golden retrievers in the throes of spasmodic fits. "Lucky" the larger of the dogs has already bitten her tongue off with blood pouring from between her teeth and splashing across the white tiled floor; "Paisley" has already lost control of her bowels and creates an interesting almost modern art looking feature on the floor with her excrement and blood looking remarkably like John Prescott. Eventually they both flop to the floor like two bags of fat and bones.

“What a waste of two beautiful dogs” muttered William as he carefully steps over them avoiding the matted lumps of blonde dog hair"

The novelist closes his note book, lights up a cigarette and slowly gets up from out of his chair.

"Waste? How on earth am I to write about poisoned dogs if I’ve never experienced the real thing?"

William lights up a cigarette and pours himself a drink.

"What kind of novel are you writing?"

"A preposterous tale of murder and rape"

"Don’t you mean rape then murder?"

"Don’t be absurd!! Murder then the unholy act of brutally vandalizing the victim’s body...rape"

Looking slightly worried William quickly finishes his drink and asks, "So how are you going to experience this barbaric ritual of murder and…rape?"

"I’m glad you asked!"

The novelist places his note book and pen on the table and from the inside of his smoking jacket pulls out a small revolver.

William takes a step back "What’s with the gun old chap?"

The first bullet thuds into William’s chest creating an almost perfect black hole the size of a 20 pence piece his brown jumper slowly turns black with blood, William falls backwards and hits the wall, his face turns chalk white and is gasping for air.

The second bullet slams into his stomach, the novelist opens his note book and starts writing in short hand and looking at William as though he were a painting or a statue in a museum.

William slumps down to the floor with a look of complete horror and disbelief with his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish, the novelist kneels down beside him and whispers, "You cannot believe that this is actually happening? Can you? Don’t worry my dear brother it’ll soon be over for you and the start of something for… them."

With a loud thump the fourth bullet cracks into the side of William’s head, the side of his skull shatters on the floor like an egg being dropped.

"Is he dead?" asks a voice from the back of the room from behind a large heavy red curtain.

"Absolutely dead as a door nai.l"

The curtain is swiftly pulled back and three naked men stroll forward already lubricating themselves.

"Now take your time boys, I don’t want to miss a thing"

© Sean McGahey
Reproduced with permission