PRMOPT: Rhyme, Wine, Light
TIME: 25 mintues
Tea Chat
The light filter through the wine glass, scattering dancing, refracted patterns across the open air countertop of granite. Hailey was mesmerized by it, the mushroom tea she had taken morphing the designs into living, line art animals.
Her therapist next to her continued his questioning. “Did you kill your daughter?”
The words distorted as if through layers of radio waves transmitted through space.
“What?” she asked, still gazing at the dancing elephant and fox, now combining into a turkey.
“Are you a murderer? Did you kill her?”
The words resolved that time. “Hunh, that rhymed.” Her mind was on fire. Colors were swirling out of the flecks in the granite and coating her animal friends.
The therapist snapped. “You killed her!”
The sharp words filtered into her ears. “No. No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, Hailey. You did.” The voice was calm now, testing.
“I think you did it.” Hayley looks lazily at the therapist, standing in the only shadowed corner of the kitchen. “You hated her for some reason. She never told me why.”
“Good. But remember. You killed her.”
“I don’t think—”
“Yes, Hailey. Don’t make me tip my hand.” She took a deep breath. “You killed your daughter.”
“I, I did?” Hailey’s timid voice choked on emotions.
Sighing in relief, the therapist nodded. “Yes. She was an ungrateful child who kept acting out. You killed her in self defense.”
“She—”
“Drink your tea, dear.”
She did.
“Remember. It wasn’t your fault, but you did it.”
“I killed her. It was an accident, but I did it.”
“Yes.”
“Should I tell the police?” Hailey looked up like a frightened rabbit.
“That sounds like a wonderful thing to do. Let me help you.” The therapist stepped into the light, his suit pristine and hair turning grey. He picked up her cell phone with a gloved hand and handed it to her.
Hailey revealed all to the police. How she had done it in self defense and really did love her daughter. How she felt so sad now that she was gone. She was dangerous and shouldn’t be left alone.
After she hung up, Hannibal Lecture grinned. Pulled out his knife, and got to work.
The End