On Repeat

Oscar is his usual self at the wrong time. 300 words

On Repeat

Oscar came home full of noise and bluster, slamming the front door of the cozy bungalow behind him so hard the walls shook.

“Mimi honey, I’m home!” he hollered.

His wife of many years came out to the hall.

“Don’t do that again,” she said through gritted teeth.

“But how will know I’m home, if I don’t tell you?”

“I know what time you get home, it’s the same every workday. For once, why can’t you be quieter?”

“In all the years I’ve known you, have I ever been quiet?” Oscar said, peering at her pale face.

“I have a splitting migraine. It throbs like a base drum!” Mimi told him.

“You’ve never had one of those before!” Oscar said as he took her hand.

“I’ve never gone through the change of life before either. Things become different when that happens.”

“What can I do, sweetheart?” Oscar whispered.

“Keep the noise down to a dull roar. I’ll have to lay in a darkened room until I’m better.”

Oscar nodded. He was about to ask her one more thing, but she was gone. His stomach was rumbling, so he decided he’d make his own supper.

This wasn’t something he did often, so it became a noisy affair. Pots and pans banged as he began to spread ingredients and other utensils all over the kitchen.

Mimi came out of the darkness of the hall and selected a large butcher knife from the block. Coming up behind her husband, she screamed as she plunged it into his back. He fell to the ground, bleeding profusely, as she turned slowly and went back down the hall to the bedroom.

Hours later when her blinding headache was finally gone, Mimi came looking for Oscar and was met by a horror she didn’t understand.