Getting Peppers
Getting Peppers
by theonehowl
"Shira, I don't care what you do about the mortgage for this month. Did you forget who pays the bills?" The voice over the cellphone sounded heavy and deep with resounding spite. "Six pack. Get it." Then the click. Then Shira had to look at the cell in her hand with a mix of concern and hatred. She bit back the crisp curses that bubbled up her dry throat. Her lips pursed around a clenched jaw. Firey tears tested the rims of her eyes, but her lashes snapped them back. Only a very unnoticeable smudge had developed in the mascara. She drove back the negative energies that swelled within her, just so the kids wouldn't notice.
"Mom! They moved," a four year old vocalized. The diagonal parking lain laid flat and bare by the previous car... the one she waited for as she spoke on the phone. She put the cell down, noticing that her hand shook the whole time with its crushing hold.
"What's up with you?" the other older brother asked. He had only been born a few months after, but his voice held a significant elderly strength over his sibling, a quiet undertone of deepness to it.
Shira blinked and pulled in to the space, a glance in the rear-view mirror to see if anyone else noticed her dazing off. Luckily, none sat behind her.
"I'm sorry. Your dad just eats up all my attention sometimes." She put on a convincing smile. Her eyes caught them, sitting completely oblivious to their parent's decrepit relationship. Oblivious to what was happening to this family of snakes.
When Shira turned the key and killed the engine, the distinguishing sound of rattling cages sang to her from outside in the dry, cooking dusk of day. They rattled on in her head, and maybe that was the only place her prison slept. In its darkness, nothing could be seen. Only the cold metal bars, secure and empty of sympathy, could be felt within her conscious.
Her mind didn't think of home. Not that place. It didn't want to go back there. The husband was only waiting for one singular excuse. The excuse would dwindle in meaning or logic after she came back with the "Six Pack". The kids didn't know. They would after a while. Her eyes darted back to see them.
If they knew... they wouldn't want to go back, either, her mind thought(while hiding in the cage). She quickly shook her head before climbing out of the minivan. She shortly opened the door for the two kids to poor out on to the pavement, who were engaging in rivalry and enthusiasm.
"You're tail is too fat!" the younger one yelled.
"You're too green." The older shot back with superior malice. Shira quickly quieted them, bending down to get in a loud but subdued "Quiet." They paused the argument until she turned around and then continued with a silent shoving brawl. The sounds of their bickering gave them away. The mother snake only went on like she didn't notice.
The grocery store was small but tucked conveniently close to their broke down cheap neighborhood. Raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and skunks milled about inside. A crying cub from inside made itself known, even all the way to the automatic door entrance. But the interior had a refreshing sweep of air conditioning. A few of the "customers" probably stayed around only to be inside somewhere cooler.
Shira shivered some when the air caressed her scales, breathing out a heavy sigh at the sound of crying. The memories of her own children at a very young age came sweeping back. None were too popular with her, which made her think of their futures. Her eyes sneaked a glance, seeing the two mildly cooling down from their fighting. She distantly pondered, barely noticing when she grabbed the cart(which made a whole chorus of cages ring out). Terrible ideas stalked her thoughts, ideas that belonged in a prison or a cage.
The shopping experience continued like all the others. She gathered some needed items for the house. She didn't forget her stop at the liquor section. The six pack rested quietly in her cage. Each bottle seemed to look more like weights, full of something ugly and nasty that her taste buds never agreed with. They weighed heavy on her thoughts, heavy and deep like His voice. The one who she just spoke to on the phone. The taste filled her mouth like a ma raj'. The heavy taste, deep and disgusting, just like Him. The calories and pounds of fat stood out so much more clearly. Anyone could be just as fat and lazy if they drank as much as He did.
"Mommm," the older one called up, on the verge of a request. "Can we get some Diabolic Chocolate Bars?" She heaved a sigh, half listening.
"I guess..." Once her authority on the issue became relinquished, the two youngsters scattered off. With their departure, a new feeling left her throat a little more dry than in the van. A twitch in her leg and the realization made her jump a little. The idea in that cage, that prison, spawned into something horribly wrong. Its the kind of idea that rapes, murders, steals, and corrupts. It's the kind desperate people make.
Shira looked down at her shaking scaled hands, like the idea was loaded and ready to go off. She only had to make a singular choice, a mechanical movement of escape. Stealth and cunning would assist. The problems could be solved. The nightmare would go away, just like the cellphone could if she threw out the window in her get-away.
The twisted scheme played out in her imagination. It thrilled her to the deepest, coldest core. All the while, her sympathetic insides churned and bruised at the mere consideration. She wanted to vomit and cry from the whole mess. That could be done later, and it wouldn't hurt like fists and kicks and strangling. It would just hurt-
"We found it!" The young one yelled, coming around a corner in a jovial mood. His little hand held the distinct bar of sweets and sugar.
"SHhhh!" Shira instinctively held a mothering finger to her lips as she leaned down with scolding, accusing eyes. The oldest one rolled his eyes when he received the same treatment after not doing anything wrong. He was used to it.
"We foun't it..." The youngest repeated more quietly with a vocal 't' instead of a 'd'.
"Come on. Let's go." She ushered them as she moved with her cage in hand. The many voices around the registers and the monotone beeping canceled themselves out to leave Shira privately in her mind, while the kids argued over something trivial as always.
It's right for you, a demon voice of herself whispered. It told her without words of the scheme, a devilish plan. She couldn't shake it out, couldn't escape it. It's alright. This is a modern day, where things work themselves out. They'll be found. Their father won't keep them. He can't function without you. They'll have a home. Everyone does. Everyone will understand. You're just a statistic to them, anyways. Just get out now.
She turned and bent down, where her kids lifted their heads to attention.
"I forgot peppers. You know where they are, right?" They both nodded. "Good. Go get two for me, please." They scampered off again. She did not include "hurry" like she usually says to them, because she didn't want them to hurry.
What did she want? Her feet didn't move as planned. Her eyes darted to every living being in sight, wondering if they would notice her leaving... She thought of the guilt and the blame that was all hers. She thought about how she would explain it to everyone- to the police, the neighbors, the father... her children. She thought about the story in her mind. The reason. It made her legs move in an automatic motion, carrying her closer to the doorway. No one noticed the snake woman abandoning her cage of groceries, including the Six Pack.
The feeling rushed inside her. The thrill of it broke the bars inside her mind. Her mind felt like it could think again, think about things outside her home... Things she never thought of doing since she heard the cryptic words of her doctor confirming her pregnancy. The hopes and dreams, the ones her upcoming freedom would allow, soared through her mind. Then... she noticed that they were the hopes and dreams she had as a child. Her mind went back to think of what kinds of dreams her two kids would have when they grew up, if any after the trauma of her departure...
"Mom!" Shira jumped at the shocking title. Her children waited behind in confusion, the younger holding two peppers quizzically. The oldest spoke.
"What are you dong?" Shira looked back outside, an excuse coming almost too easily to her.
"I..." she said. "Thought I saw someone I knew, or... used to know..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes scanned the wide open space of the parking lot. "Come on. Let's go." She hurried them back to the register, where her mind continued to think. No plans or schemes. Just an ambition formed in the hollow crevice of her head. She began to shed the horrific aspirations of freedom like that time of the month to shed skin.
Shira looked back down at her two loved ones, the older one twisting the younger's arm painfully in brute strength behind his back, and thought about their dreams.
--Comments much appreciate! I wanna know what everyone thought of this... this story that lacks anything Sexual! OMG say it isn't so!! DX ... anyways, comments, gimme :3 ----