This short story is an entry in the 2003 Soc.Sexuality.Spanking Summer Short Story Contest and is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission. Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice. The author would appreciate your comments
Category: Line
Justice Long Delayed
By
"You're Crawford, and you're late." He said. He had been waiting for this one a very long time.
"A star is never late!" she retorted.
"Joan, correct?" he asked as he made a notation on his clipboard.
"Yes, of course. What is this all about," she demanded. Her tone supercilious.
"You are not a star here. I suggest you watch your tone of voice." His eyes flicked down to the sheaf of notes before dropping them onto the desk. "Right then, it'll be wire hangers for you Ms. Crawford," he announced mysteriously.
He reached over and opened the top drawer of his desk, retrieving a bundle of metal hangers before he tapped a button on his intercom, "Christina? We're ready for you."
"I demand to know what this is all about! Christina! What is this?" she said immediately when she saw her adopted daughter.
"Hello Mommy dearest," Christina said sarcastically. They had never gotten along well. The girl was too stubborn. Not at all like Christopher.
Joan's face flushed, but she was too concerned about what was going on to correct the girl's impertinence. "Where am I!?!"
"Well, Mother you might remember that you died some time ago? No? Well, they said you might not. You'll have to take my word, for a change. Even when you died you had to treat me like a...."
The man cleared his throat, "Christina...." he said calmly. He raised a hand to intercept Joan before she could start a tirade.
The woman shook her platinum blond curls and apologized, she fixed cold blue eyes on the aged starlet. "You see Mother, when you died they put your soul in limbo so that one day you could pay for all the harm you did to me, and your other children, and now that time has come."
The man sensed another outburst from Christina and quickly stepped forward. "As your daughter has explained Ms. Crawford you are here to repent for your sins. One of which was the systematic abuse of your children; in particular your daughter. We've had you in limbo, waiting for her to die so that we could arrange this little family reunion."
"I never abused the ungrateful...." Two red spots brightened the center of each pale cheek, and her eyes glittered furiously. "I tried to keep her from being spoiled. Is that so terrible? But no...she always had to fight me...always had to argue!"
He could see she intended to go on for some time, so he raised his hand slightly. Joan found herself unable to speak. The hangers were handed to her daughter. Christina smiled maliciously, "Just wait till Chris gets here, Mommy Dearest," she said.
Suddenly Joan wore childish pajamas and everything around her seemed much bigger. The door opened and a sliver of light illuminated the darkened room.
"DIDN'T I TELL YOU NO MORE WIRE HANGERS, JOAN?" An angry voice demanded.
Whack!!!
The sound of a little girl wailing filled the room. The hanger slashed down over and over.
Whack!!!
The End
© Copyright Kessily, 04 July 2003
Reviews
Ted <quixotoes(at)aol(dot)com>
This first-line entry is delicious, funny, supernatural and wickedly just. It takes an obvious tack and sails it through to a perfect ending, which should not be discussed, lest it spoil anything.
Ladiejj <ladiejj(at)msn(dot)com>
The title is a nice description of what this story will be about, it fits well. I think the Author shows some great imagination in this story. It is a nice idea and a good use of real people and their situation. I think that the story flowed well and the dialog between the mother and daughter rang true, and gave us an insight into the relationship. Also thought the first line was a clever pun. I think the story would have worked better at least for me if the Mother had stayed an adult at the end and gotten what she deserved that way. I kinda felt that the idea that someone who suffered as a child would then want to make a child suffer was a little weird. But all in all a solid story and kudos for the imagination showed here.
Haron <haron(at)newsguy(dot)com>
The set-up of this story is rather original, and the outcome is immensely satisfying. The author makes an excellent use of the first line. A very nice story to read and re-read.