Run for your Life
Episode 2B (thanks to Aly for the prompt)
Teddy’s mother stood before him, smiling. It wasn’t the kind, heart-warming smile he remembered. There was something else behind it, something he couldn’t put a finger on.
“Mom!”
“Teddy.”
“Can you not call me that, please?”
“Why not, Teddy? It’s a nice name, a name I gave you. Besides, when I look at your wonderfully round belly all I can think is Teddy Bear.”
“Mom!”
“Teddy.”
“Never mind. How …” It was a question he had to ask, considering that she had been dead five years. “Am I … am I … dead?”
“No, dear. But soon you’ll wish you were.”
“What … what do you mean?” he asked as his body turned to ice.
“You’ve been a naughty boy, Teddy.”
“How so?”
“I know what you’ve been up to. What you were doing in there.”
Teddy’s eyes popped. “You … you saw us in there?”
“Of course. It’s my duty. I’m here to keep an eye on you. To ensure you don’t turn into a cheating piece of shit like your dad.”
“Dad …”
“Oh yeah. Why do you think I left him?”
“Oh. So you saw everything that went on in there?”
“Yes, my dear. Every disgusting bit. I wish I could unsee it all, but I can’t.”
“How … how long have you been watching me?”
“Ever since you started banging that two-bit whore.”
“Mom! Language!”
His mother raised an eyebrow. It had the desired effect.
“Okay. What do you need from me?”
“Let’s walk back to the house. Then you confess to dear Lydia.”
“Confess? No way!”
“But you must, Teddy.”
“She’ll skin me alive. I’m not doing it, mom.”
“Who are you talking to, Teddy?”
Teddy’s hair stood on end as he heard Lydia’s voice. He turned around slowly, hoping he had misheard. But there she was, lips pursed, slight creases over the brows, and hands on her hips. He stole a glance at his mom, confirming that she was still there.
“No one. No one. Who could I be talking to? There’s no one here, right?”
“Exactly why I asked, Teddy. So you were mumbling to yourself?”
“Yes, yes. Just gathering my thoughts.”
“I thought I heard something about a confession.”
“A confession? Surely you misheard.” He paused, waiting for a response. When there was none, he continued. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Oh, I just thought I should run too. Why were you walking? You can’t be done with your five miles already?”
“I only ran three. Felt this twinge in my calf. Figured I shouldn’t risk it.”
“Good thinking, dear.”
“Teddy! Time to confess!” His mother interjected.
He glared at her.
“Why do you keep looking there, Teddy?” asked Lydia.
“You … you really can’t see her?”
“See who?”
“Mom.”
“My mom?”
“No, my mom.”
“Confess or else …” Mom continued.
“But your mom’s … Oh, you poor dear. Are you missing your mom?” said Lydia. “I completely forgot it’s her death anniversary today.”
Realization dawned on Teddy, but he didn’t bother telling Lydia that he had forgotten too. He was already overwhelmed and feeling fragile. He took this opportunity to break down and start crying. Getting onto Lydia’s sympathetic side couldn’t hurt.
“Oh, come here, Teddy,” Lydia said as she pulled him into a tight hug.
He continued to sob, wiping tears from his eyes, but he couldn’t avoid the glares from his mom.
“Or else what?” he mouthed. He wasn’t sure what other powers she possessed.
A devious smile appeared on her face, and whatever comfort Teddy had received from the hug evaporated in an instant, replaced with cold terror.
To be continued ...
Back to Episode 1
“Mom!”
“Teddy.”
“Can you not call me that, please?”
“Why not, Teddy? It’s a nice name, a name I gave you. Besides, when I look at your wonderfully round belly all I can think is Teddy Bear.”
“Mom!”
“Teddy.”
“Never mind. How …” It was a question he had to ask, considering that she had been dead five years. “Am I … am I … dead?”
“No, dear. But soon you’ll wish you were.”
“What … what do you mean?” he asked as his body turned to ice.
“You’ve been a naughty boy, Teddy.”
“How so?”
“I know what you’ve been up to. What you were doing in there.”
Teddy’s eyes popped. “You … you saw us in there?”
“Of course. It’s my duty. I’m here to keep an eye on you. To ensure you don’t turn into a cheating piece of shit like your dad.”
“Dad …”
“Oh yeah. Why do you think I left him?”
“Oh. So you saw everything that went on in there?”
“Yes, my dear. Every disgusting bit. I wish I could unsee it all, but I can’t.”
“How … how long have you been watching me?”
“Ever since you started banging that two-bit whore.”
“Mom! Language!”
His mother raised an eyebrow. It had the desired effect.
“Okay. What do you need from me?”
“Let’s walk back to the house. Then you confess to dear Lydia.”
“Confess? No way!”
“But you must, Teddy.”
“She’ll skin me alive. I’m not doing it, mom.”
“Who are you talking to, Teddy?”
Teddy’s hair stood on end as he heard Lydia’s voice. He turned around slowly, hoping he had misheard. But there she was, lips pursed, slight creases over the brows, and hands on her hips. He stole a glance at his mom, confirming that she was still there.
“No one. No one. Who could I be talking to? There’s no one here, right?”
“Exactly why I asked, Teddy. So you were mumbling to yourself?”
“Yes, yes. Just gathering my thoughts.”
“I thought I heard something about a confession.”
“A confession? Surely you misheard.” He paused, waiting for a response. When there was none, he continued. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Oh, I just thought I should run too. Why were you walking? You can’t be done with your five miles already?”
“I only ran three. Felt this twinge in my calf. Figured I shouldn’t risk it.”
“Good thinking, dear.”
“Teddy! Time to confess!” His mother interjected.
He glared at her.
“Why do you keep looking there, Teddy?” asked Lydia.
“You … you really can’t see her?”
“See who?”
“Mom.”
“My mom?”
“No, my mom.”
“Confess or else …” Mom continued.
“But your mom’s … Oh, you poor dear. Are you missing your mom?” said Lydia. “I completely forgot it’s her death anniversary today.”
Realization dawned on Teddy, but he didn’t bother telling Lydia that he had forgotten too. He was already overwhelmed and feeling fragile. He took this opportunity to break down and start crying. Getting onto Lydia’s sympathetic side couldn’t hurt.
“Oh, come here, Teddy,” Lydia said as she pulled him into a tight hug.
He continued to sob, wiping tears from his eyes, but he couldn’t avoid the glares from his mom.
“Or else what?” he mouthed. He wasn’t sure what other powers she possessed.
A devious smile appeared on her face, and whatever comfort Teddy had received from the hug evaporated in an instant, replaced with cold terror.
To be continued ...
Back to Episode 1