Welcome to the serialized version of my debut novella, Cherry Kills. If you’re just joining us, head over to the Navigation Page, or start directly from Episode One. If you’d prefer to read this in another format, head on over to Tiny Worlds Publishing and pick up the paperback or ebook!
Episodes:
"…a dark, weird, emotionally bruised horror novel with punk energy, grief, occult chaos, and a protagonist who feels jagged…"
Cherry rummaged through her dad’s closet looking for his baseball bat. She hated being alone in the apartment at night. Dad was out ‘at the shop,’ as he’d say. What shop that was and what he did there was unclear. Something having to do with antiques. But Cherry knew when to ask questions and when it was better to be left in the dark about certain things. They had a roof over their heads and food on the table. Wasn’t that more than some? She wrestled the chrome baseball bat from a curtain of dangling coats and shirts, and immediately felt better having the Louisville Slugger in her hands. As she closed the door, she spotted a box on the top shelf of the closet where her dad kept his hats. It was too high to reach. She moved a chair in from the kitchen, climbed up, and took it down.
It was the size of a VCR and heavier than she’d expected. She set the box on the shag carpet and lifted the lid; her heart sank. Inside was a revolver and an antique book. She picked up the gun which was so heavy she was forced to use two hands, and even then, the barrel was never completely horizontal. She set the revolver next to her on the carpet, looked down the hallway to ensure the coast was clear, and then carefully removed the book. It looked ancient. As if it would at any moment turn to dust in her hands. But she couldn’t put it down. She was too enthralled by the foreign letters and symbols on the worn leather cover. She ran a hand over the words and felt…strange. Electric.
A photograph fell out from between its pages. Cherry picked it up and felt an avalanche of emotions. It was her mom at a party. Her smile was Cherry’s smile. Her eyes, although brown and not blue, were Cherry’s eyes. The only photo she’d ever seen of her mom was in her dad’s bedside table. But this was a picture she’d never seen before.
A jangling came from the front door. It was her dad’s keys.
She slid the photograph back into the book and then set the book and revolver back into the box.
She’d just managed to put the box back on the shelf when her dad came into his room. Cherry was still standing on the chair.
“I was looking for a hat to wear,” Cherry said with an awkward smile. “Would you mind if I borrowed one?”
“Cher, I don’t want you in here while I’m out. You hear me?” Her dad frowned and helped her down from the chair. He shut the closet door and raised a brow. “And what are you doing with my bat?”
“Thinking about taking up the game.” Cherry walked out to the living room with the bat slung over her shoulder. On the coffee table was a VHS tape.
Cherry snatched the case from the table and shouted, “What did you bring us?”
Her dad took a beer from the fridge and cracked it open. “Nothing you’d like.”
“Wait—you got Jaws? Thank you! Thank you! Nothing scarier than ocean horror.”
“That right? I’ll order a pizza.”
Cherry looked at her dad’s eyes. They seemed distant.
“Dad?”
“Yeah Cher?”
Cherry paused, searching her dad’s face for more evidence of…of what? “What do you do?”
“What do I do? What do you mean?”
“For a job. You work at a shop?”
“That’s right. I work at a shop.” Her dad wiped a line of condensation off the face of his beer with his pinky. “What do you want on your pizza?”
Cherry opened the VHS case, took out the tape, and inserted it into the VCR. She wasn’t sure how far she wanted to take this conversation. Did she really want to know what her dad did for a living?
“What type of shop is it?”
“Well, we buy and sell antiques—nothing too exciting.”
“Is it safe?” She said it before she could stop herself. A silly question—of course it was safe.
Cherry’s dad put down his beer and looked into her eyes. “I’m a big dude, Dogstar. Nobody messes with me.”
Thanks for reading episode three, Seven Years Earlier <3
Next episode coming July 3rd
Cherry Kills was edited by S.E. Reid
Rather read a physical copy of Cherry Kills? No problem. Head over to Tiny Worlds Publishing for a signed (or unsigned) paperback. If you’re looking for an immersive experience, pick up the deluxe kit.
SNAPPLE CAP FACTS
I used several mantras to help me get this book over the line: process over product, we love hills, and fuck it.
Do you have a mantra that you use for writing?
It's strange that Cherry didn't know her father's occupation. My dad was an insurance underwriter. As a kid, I had no idea what that was. The pistol and photo will come into play later, I presume.
Whoa! Mitch Kills looks like my dad!