Love Me Tender

by Red Wolf

Bruce hated it when they fought. There was something crude about it that disturbed him deeply. It made everything seem cheap and took the shine off a relationship.

It had been that way with Gloria. She had slapped him and sworn, stamped her feet and stormed about his house in a fine rage. She even started to break his few possessions as her temper grew.

But that was yesterday and a lot had happened since then. Gloria had come to see the error of her ways, for one. It had made Bruce's heart soar when he'd shown her how much he loved her. He smiled to himself as he thought of the expression on her face at moment he made his point.

Fumbling with his keys, as he juggled an armful of groceries, Bruce finally managed the lock and shouldered the door open. He was a slight man, whose slightly disheveled manner of dressing made him look bookish and hid his wiry strength. So many people looked at him and saw a pushover, an easy mark, but he had his limits. Gloria had learned that yesterday.

Walking to the table, Bruce shoved his work aside to make room for his groceries. That was one of the things he hated about his tiny house; everything had to be multi-purpose. He had to put his work aside to eat at the table or move his chairs around the house to where he needed them.

As he unpacked his supplies he hoped that would soon change. He'd recently learned from his local delicatessen that there was a growing market for processed meats in the neighbourhood. His grandfather's recipe for salami may be the idea that made him, if not wealthy, at least comfortable.

Opening the refrigerator, Bruce put the last of his shopping away and took out the large package of meat that he'd prepared the previous night. He opened it on the counter by the kitchen sink and began to methodically feed the cuts of marinated meat through the mincer.

As he looked into the bowl of minced meat, Bruce smiled. He never liked it when they argued and Gloria had never expected to see him wielding the meat tenderiser that had killed her. But she was in a better place now, beyond the realms of petty arguments. Her disagreeable nature may just be the key that gave Bruce a shot at a better chance in life.

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15 Minute Ficlets — word #103: transformation

Published Babble Horde — 05.02.2005
Published FictionPress — 05.02.2005

fiction | horror | original fiction

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