Mother

The sign was plain white paper and black Sharpie medium point marker. "Missing Child: 16 years old - 777-8762". copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjuMez5DZR

And that was all. No description, no details, not even a picture. A disgrace to milk cartons everywhere. Ed saw it plastered to the men’s room door at his favorite bar. In fact, he saw it so many times; he finally scrawled the number on his forearm so he could call it when he got home. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEKdHLmKfj

The woman who answered the phone whispered so lightly he couldn't make out a word she said. She cried, whimpered, sobbed, and wretched in tiny squeaks but made no attempt at clarity, despite Ed’s insistence. Finally, he grew angry and shouted into the phone. Silence followed, the receiver going cold on his ear. Finally, the woman spoke in her tiny, worried voice. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1CDveaINs

“My daughter is gone... and I know you have her... please, I won't tell anyone... just tell me where she is... please..." copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBCb7k3c7x

Ed slammed the phone down and backed away from it. What the hell was that all about? Some freakshow, no doubt, a lonely old lady with nobody to gum at night leaves up a sign to entice just anybody to call. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JBbqu0SJA

Ed was a telemarketer. He knew all about the old farts who took up his time on the phone talking about their children who live far away and never call instead of talking about how they could take advantage of 2.8 % financing for the next eight months. His job was hard enough without lonely people talking his ear off and not refinancing their house. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NrEHRJQrx

But the woman on the phone was different. Maybe she was crazy enough to not even have any kids outside of her imagination. Maybe she got the idea from an episode of Magnum PI. At least the old boogers not buying his telemarketer schmeal had families to talk about, this woman was severely compensating. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbWsoqLWYg

He blew it off. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpRgOyYIfy

*****copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GK4JsPDUs

It took a few days of convincing himself, but halfway through a desolate workout at the sweaty gym, he decided to try again. The same woman, still very distressed, answered. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJbr1bAKVE

“Please… don’t hurt her; she’s all I’ve got…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHtbyERXNg

“Listen to me, OK? What’s your name?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡccRxnSC0Kk

“She didn’t tell you?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡn90nWXpVvb

“Who?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlnfoCQ4Jn

“Clarissa… my little girl.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eKuV0guS3

“Look… I just want to know your name.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡArF70bBy60

“Grenda….” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0slpEHctU4

“Ok… Grenda, I want you to listen to me. I do not have your daughter. The sign…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFbs1SBnQg

“Damn the sign! I just want her back …” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS44AGBtUG

He moved the phone nervously to his other ear and spoke more swiftly, trying to get a few important words in to gain some kind of foothold in the conversation. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡtodcmuA1Xr

“I understand that, but I need some more information….”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQqeu0C0dn

“Are you the police?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKyfq9aNly

“What? No…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgpeQimVLw

“Oh thank God, I’m sure you’d kill her if I‘d talked to the police.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBf36IXDNR

“What are you talking about?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRxDnsl3yR

“Please don’t kill her; I swear I didn’t talk to the police…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5z5emzcrq6

“I don’t want to kill her…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt28OjIQyV

“Have you raped her?”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBzaq1vIPU

“Oh god, lady… NO! I don’t even know her, I don’t have her, I’m just trying…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ7LuZDP4W

“You… don’t have my daughter?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdwfO9sJuv

“No.”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bEEn4BA0h

And the phone went dead. He looked up to see a line of gym-goers staring at him, waiting to use the phone. A man twice his size and shape loomed over him, even the man’s “mom” tattoo looked like it could kick Ed’s ass. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gzlB65UhF

“There’s a two minute limit on that phone, pal.” The big man said. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqUrz1LRBP

Ed handed it over and walked away. He went about his workout, only attending the gym once a week because he had to pay for it for another two years, three months, two weeks and four days. As he pressed the unforgiving bar over his throat the same hysterical mom voice counted the reps out in his mind. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡNV0ES3SUIG

After the workout he sat in the car and smoked a cigarette. The phone number was still on his forearm. He couldn’t get away from it throughout the workout; every upper body exercise he wasted time on gave him a view of the number. He had it memorized. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcbPqexLm9

What really got to him was that she had the nerve to hang up on him. Here he was, trying to help, and she cuts him off. Anybody else would have just hung up on her crazy ass after the first phone call. Maybe even call the cuckoo squad with the big nets and jackets with heavy strings. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOPsEV8wOF

He drove to his bar and went directly to the payphone in the back by the men’s room door. The sign was still there, looking out of place amidst the half-peeled pin-ups and dried beer labels. As he dialed the number a warm smell of rot wafted in and out of the men’s room. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tW7SJ5lpX

“Please…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YCVaXfAQk

“Shut up and listen lady, I got your daughter.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xePStgaRd

She was silent, except for the buzz of the telephone line, somehow louder than before. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiAdBBTEIU

“You there? Cuz if you ain’t there, I’m hanging up forever.”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LBgEsCvxy

“I’m here.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeUrAwLpog

“Good. Listen up; I want the following items in one big bag. You bring two bags I never call again. Got it?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoGLcReCXk

“Yes. Is she OK?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡpF4rnP7xcj

“Wha- yeah, she’s fine. This is what I want, write it down.” He holds the phone away from his ear and stifles a huge laugh. He pounds a quick shot and goes back to the phone. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfH1U596eI

“I want a large sausage and eyeball pizza from Aldos on the corner of 5th and Walnut, a pair of men’s Goldtoe socks, a bag of cat hair, and a small chalkboard with your address on it. Got it?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyTduM7hUD

She repeated everything back the very second he finished speaking. Her voice was brighter, almost shrill with either excitement or fear, Ed couldn’t tell which. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAGDlMpUZI

“Let me speak to her please… just for a secondcopyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3DmM1aAy4

“Not today, you make the drop first and then you talk to her.”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡACBRckCAaE

“I just need to know if she’s OK, please!” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJUU3nV9fQ

“No... I said…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7ZFD0abbg

“I’m BEGGING YOU sir, for the sake of my sanity…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qEBglgqFw

“Sanity, woman you are out of your…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKoIWKLv2X

“DAMMIT I WANT TO SPEAK TO MY DAUGHTER NOW!!!” She shrieked at him in a voice that sounded like a mountain lion with a fishhook in its balls. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRCeCVwno0

He hissed into the phone, careful so no one would hear. “Don’t you fucking curse at me Bitch, I’ve got your damn daughter and if you wanna see her…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxHWwsBSvH

“NO. You let me speak to her now or so help me I will rip out your heart and consume it in front of you!!!” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTVBDMj7nw

“You don’t know…”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡclnKQGVgvu

“No, you don’t know… I’ve killed thousands like you, better than you. I’ve scooped brains out of their heads, violated them with thick branches, I’ve eaten men’s genitalia in front of their emasculated, enslaved yet still living bodies, and I’ve broken legions… legions of men better than you.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN7Q71sVwV

His ear was red from pressing it too tight to his face. His hands went a pale white as the blood rushed out of them. Ed hung up the phone.copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡVu9kv6milv

And immediately it rang again. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡnASFdmNvMd

He backed away from it. He looked to the sign, hanging there innocently. The door opened and a massive man in a painter’s uniform came out of the bathroom, adjusting his sloppy white overalls. He answered the phone. Ed lifted a hand to stop him, but he answered anyway. He listened for a moment, looked at Ed, and then listened for another moment. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY2cz2DauZ

When he hung up the phone, the painter walked right up to Ed, smelling of turpentine, canvas, and cigars. His breath made Ed gag. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡzC4g46uCvZ

“Why don’t we have a drink or five? I’m buying.” He had a deep, rusty voice like an old cowboy. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2ZQexENSX

“I don’t think so…” Ed said. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOdbpQI15q

“I don’t care if you don’t think so, I ain’t asking. Sit down.” Ed sat down. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡND0nQJ29Wj

“Whadd’ya drinking Ed? You a whiskey man? A beer fella? What is it?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡuItWQFDwv8

“Well, if you’re buying… I like Scotch. Black label.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JUcVfKXik

“Black label it is.” The painter dropped a hundred on the bar. “As much as that will get us, ma’am.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu3gzKSntD

“Who are you?” Ed asked. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkoRT8L7vb

“I don’t know. I never met me before tonight.” He chuckled at that. “Not important who I am. I wanna talk about you. What do you do?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMG9Qqr9UG

“I’m a telemarketer.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTQcO8rtj5

“Well, ain’t that something. That what you set out to do there, partner?” The bartender opened a bottle and left two glasses. The painter poured two glasses to the rim and handed one to Ed. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDmoNWi6hk

“No. I went to school. I wanted my own business.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8jpsA8ci0

“And what would that be?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsfVdeX7Ft

“Toy store, you know… custom made toys. High dollar stuff, like the crap I never got as a kid. You need money to do that kind of thing, though.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9boogQzEn

“I’m sorry to hear that, I really am. Do you have parents Ed?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvmm9YrmIJ

Ed gulped his drink. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RmV8EZCUb

“Why are you asking me this? Who the hell are you? What did she tell you on the phone?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5i599nuRe

The painter smiled, his stubbly face stretched and worn. “She…. she wants to know about your parents. About your mother.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3D3KN4AVwN

“My father lives in Cleveland with another family. He’s sixty years old and has twelve grandkids. My mother’s been living in the dirt for thirty some years now.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡp01vQTJlKA

The painter winced and ran his paint speckled fingers across his wrinkled eyes. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH7OLWPZ7l

“Well damn, Ed… I didn’t know.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjyB76C0fz

“Car accident. I survived because I was in a car seat. My mom went through the windshield. My dad… later on, told me she left a bloody streak on the pavement a hundred feet in front of the car. That was my 18th birthday. He left the next day.”copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡa77xdbKcYi

The painter capped the scotch bottle and rolled it to Ed. He got up off the barstool and put a hand on Ed’s shoulder. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ892pF1r8Qu

“I am sorry. Nobody should be without a mother.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXldrhY2QI

And with that the painter walked away. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoOVfmJhFK

After finishing much of the Scotch, Ed decided to walk home and try to forget about everything. He knew it was futile if a bottle of black label couldn’t cover his memories, but he decided a walk wouldn’t kill him. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6J217zYXf

When he arrived home his front door was kicked in, the stainless steel deadbolt so much scrap metal on the floor and the heavy door split in several places. When he pushed the door open it fell to the ground in three separate chunks. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrTq3nAXQM

Whatever had burst through the front door had cut a swath through his living room and into the dining room. It was dark except for a light in the kitchen on the far end of the apartment. The sofa looked like it had been through a trash compactor. The air was thick with gypsum dust and debris. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGPwh3pf1z

There was a large black bag on his kitchen table. The scotch abandoned him, filtering itself through his liver to avoid being a part of this discovery. He approached it slowly. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJ0pa3kKFe

The pizza box was the first item he asked for and the first item he pulled out of the bag. Sure enough, the sausage pizza was peppered with eyeballs. He tossed it off the table, afraid to look at it. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jW3567eR9

He found the men’s socks, with feet still in them. The bag of cat hair was full of cats. He shoved everything back into the bag and tied it shut. He hefted it over his shoulder and headed out the door. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5vhdAto3V

His body heaving in pain from the hangover and shock at the gory findings he couldn’t go far. He stuffed the bag into the complex’s dumpster and went back home. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMTj1HmjQa

His phone was ringing. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡUry9ZIsD11

He stood outside the house, listening to the phone sound like some distant cricket playing a death song on its hind legs for him. Somehow, he had messed up like he had never messed up before. And now he was going to pay for it. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoPzbl2ylT

It continued to ring. Compelled, he went inside and moved through the darkness toward his phone. His muscles twitched under his cold skin, his breath gasping from him. He was crying. Snot ran down his nose. It rang again. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6LH9ywTIE

And again. And again. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMiRkHbAA9

He picked up the phone and it almost slipped in his clammy hand. He couldn’t bring himself to say hello. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNWp8yDOcq

“You don’t have my daughter do you?” The woman’s voice was heavy, but calm. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1UcF5BSNU

He couldn’t answer, he was too afraid. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡDueQCQnsDv

“Please, just be honest with me. Do you know where my daughter is? Do I have a daughter?” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSQ1CpRVCw

“I… I don’t know.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZKvMyIGXN

“I didn’t think so. You know, I try so hard, I miss her so much. You made me terribly angry. I haven’t been that angry in centuries. Not since… well, when I get angry I see things how they really are.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEuGkzkR2q

She paused and Ed gulped air and swallowed. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gxItQ06Ze

“I don’t have a daughter. I never did. But I’m so old, so old, I spent so many years alone thinking about a little girl of my own to love and cherish and nurture and teach and hold….” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76uyS1LcgE

“But I am the only one of my kind, and when I’m gone… you will be the only one who will know I ever existed. Well, there’s a painter who may have some dreams about me…” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQxaGTo6At

“I wish you could have known me a long time ago, before I got so old. I could do such wonderful things. I could have been a good mother to you as well. I still could be… but I’m afraid I’ve ruined that with my temper, haven’t I? I’m so sorry. Please, find some way to forgive me.” copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7EB9G01Jv

“I’ll leave you now. Please, take down the sign you found. It’s the only one left. I wish to cause no further harm…. Good luck to you.”_copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JCBNT3SVI

Ed listened into the phone until he passed out with it pressed against his ear. He slept deeply, full of dreams he wouldn’t remember. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTi6jt9D1j

The next day he took a cab to his favorite bar and peeled the sign off the men’s room door. He tore it up and burned the little pieces in an ash tray. He ordered a club soda and a cheeseburger. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWAhOOho2i

When he finished he walked over to the phone, and dialed a familiar number. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFxqPchRW0

End. copyright protection35ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmMiNBv4tr

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