Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Entry #158

Nerves and Secrets: A Confessional Tale
by Angela Norton


I can’t wait any longer. I have to tell her. I was sort of hoping it would just go away, but it’s obvious now that won’t be the case. Will she be willing to try and work through it? Is that even possible? The thoughts pulse in my head as I walk around our dining room table, and with trembling hands set down plates and silverware. I try to calm down by taking some of those yoga breaths she’s always talking about, but not knowing what that really means I end up half choking, half hyperventilating.

“You okay in there?” my wife calls from the kitchen. The aroma of garlic and oregano fill the air, and I look up to see her staring at me with concern on her face.

“Fine,” I squeak in a higher than normal voice, indicating I’m anything but fine.

“Dinner’s almost done. Will you pour us some wine?”

I grab the first bottle I see and set about uncorking it. Guilt catches in my throat. At the very least, this news will be enormously upsetting and will shock her stable existence to its core. At the very worst, oh god, I can’t even think about it.

She joins me at the table. It feels like there’s a jackhammer in my stomach. To steady myself, I take a long gulp from my wineglass and decide it’s now or never. It’s ironic, I picked a red wine.

“Honey,” I begin a little shakily, “I’m a vampire.”

19 comments:

Laurel said...

No one is dead, just undead! That was derinitely not the last line I expected. Way to close us down with a bang!

Sandra Cormier said...

I never saw such a frightened vampire in my life! I wonder how he manages to smooth talk his victims?

JR's Thumbprints said...

Reminds me of "Vamped" by David Sosnowski. Your protagonist wants to come clean, wants to set the record straight. Over a glass of wine of course. Truth in wine is what it's all about.

Patsy said...

Maybe he should have mentioned this before his wife put garlic in the dinner?

laughingwolf said...

lol... love it!

and nowhere does it say the vampire's a 'he'... well done keeping it ambiguous, angela! :)

a great last entry, too...

Deb S said...

A nervous vampire? LOL. Good twist.

Amanda F. said...

Reminds me of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which I adore. Kudos on the vamp twist. :)

The Preacherman said...

Excellent twist. Love it!


Four Dinners

Catherine Vibert said...

Nice set up! The details were fun, and I wasn't expecting the last line.

Precie said...

Great twist. What an unusually human vampire.

Anonymous said...

ahh, nice foreshadowing with the garlic and oregano. if nothing else, she's going to have to change the way she cooks...

Esther Avila said...

So funny - I did not anticipate that last line - I kept thinking, "What is he so nervous about?" - adultery? lost his job? but when I got to the end, I just cracked up laughing and then read it again - :) Great little story

PJD said...

Same reaction as everyone else here. Loved it. I love that he says it apologetically, as if he were telling her he smashed the car into the back wall of the garage and then hung some blankets there or something to cover it up.

Or... is he just coming up with yet the lamest in a whole series of lame excuses for going out from midnight to four a.m. every night?

Angela said...

Many thanks to everyone for your comments on my entry! Your support and feedback have been both helpful and extraordinarily encouraging!

Initially I had another idea that just would not come to fruition, so at the last second I decided to ditch it completely and went with this instead. In doing so, I opted for a less literary approach, but I took a chance and I'm so pleased and excited that you enjoyed it! Thanks again!

BernardL said...

Honesty is the best policy. :)

Aniket Thakkar said...

In this world full of lies and deceit, to tell the truth is an act of rebellion. :D

Wonder who bit him though. Was he being naughty now, fooling around with the other kind?

I liked this. :)

Chris Eldin said...

LOL! A vampire you want to comfort. Good one!
:-)

JaneyV said...

He's the veggie type isn't he? How very sweet of him to be nervous of his wife's reaction.

I really enjoyed this.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I thought he was going to confess something else. The nervousness was described so well. Great work! Realistic interaction.

Perfect score.

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