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Down in the Dirt v065

Optical Delusions

Adrian Ludens

    Merle seethed behind the wheel. Donna was cheating on him and tonight he would catch that nervy tramp in the act. His shaking hands found the door handle and Merle staggered from the pickup. The loaded .38 in his jacket pocket bounced heavily against his side as he staggered up the walk.
    At the front door, the keyhole would not hold still for the key. Merle poked at it unsteadily, then gave up and tried the knob. It was unlocked. Donna hadn’t even bothered to lock the door. Merle eased inside. If he turned right, he would enter the living room. But he knew that was not where his wife was. He ignored the living room and began to shakily climb the stairs toward their bedroom instead.
    The steps twisted under his feet. Merle slumped against the wall until the dizziness abated. The sounds of lovemaking came from inside the bedroom and Merle felt like a stranger inside his own home as he stood outside the door listening. Drunken rage consumed him. He drew the .38 and shoved the door open.
    Merle looked into the shocked eyes of Travis O’Connor, his next-door neighbor. Merle sneered and raised his weapon. O’Connor threw his companion off the far side of the bed. She landed on the carpet with a surprised cry and a thud.
    Merle squeezed off a shot that shattered the mirror behind O’Connor’s head. Travis rolled away and began pawing through the drawer of the night stand. Merle had never seen the mirror before and this made him even angrier. Donna was changing things without his permission.
    He aimed at O’Connor’s back but paused as a head peeked over the mattress. Merle saw the disheveled hair and frightened eyes of Maggie O’Connor.
    Merle’s jaw went slack and the logic he had drowned in a sea of drink surfaced long enough for him to realize he was in the wrong house before Travis O’Connor turned and shot him in the heart.



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