Night Terrors by Nick Fogg

His key fumbles in the lock. I shrink under the covers. Maybe tonight he’ll just fall asleep.

The bed sags. His alcohol-foul breathing slows.

I unclench my eyes.

But the space beside me’s empty.

How can it be?

I wasn’t asleep.

A hesitant knock at the front door. A wrung-out policewoman tells me there’s been an accident: his car, a tree. Nothing anyone could do. She’s so sorry.

I turn away. She mustn’t see my heart dancing.

Back in bed, a whisper slurs in the darkness, “You know I’ll never leave you, don’t you?”

Icy hands stifle my scream.

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FLASH FICTION 101 JUNE 2020 SHORTLISTED ENTRY

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