Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Entry #100

Man In The Moon
by Jack Hardway


The moonlight hit him full in the face through the window. Onny squinted, opened his eyes, looked up and out at it. Big, hulking, cloud-framed moon that looked as if it would fall out of the sky under its own weight and crush him, end-of-the-world moon.

He sat on the bed and lit a cigarette, smoked it down fast. She was still on the couch, the syringe was still beside her. Sleeping or dead, couldn't tell.

He walked through the two-room flat to the fridge. The salisbury steak dinners were still in the freezer. He pulled them out, shoved them in the oven, cranked up the gas, smashed a roach, wiped his hand on his shirt. They were celebration dinner for the big score, but they had gone through the snow fast and passed out, him on the bed. He went back to the window and sat. The man in the moon looked back at him, smiling or laughing, hard to say.

He wasn't hungry anymore. He put another smoke in his mouth, brought up the Zippo. Smelled the rotten eggs, the gas. Goddam pilot light out again.

Your steak dinner'll never cook that way, the man in the moon said inside his head. Smug bastard.

That's all right. Onny felt good, clean, just fine. He thumbed open the lid of the Zippo. You can call it whatever you want to, Onny Slovik knows it's hamburger.

13 comments:

Joni said...

Sheer apathy. Very strong. You conveyed it so well. Great job.

anne frasier said...

:D

loved it. you have a great voice, jack.

very well done!!!

Anonymous said...

What strong writing. This is defintely one of my favorites.

bekbek said...

Mine too! This is fantastic! Especially the last paragraph. You made me laugh out loud, even though I was also horrified.

Hamburger, indeed!

anna said...

I agree - great voice.
good strong writing.
enjoyed every word

Anonymous said...

And, BOOM! Guess not enough gas had leaked out yet, eh?

Anonymous said...

Well, Jack, for someone who claims not to be a writer, you do a fine imitation. This is a great story and so completely chilling. I heard the boom the instant he hit the Zippo!

Unknown said...

Fascinating how you got a full, entire story here. . . backstory and all.

Verrrrry satisfying!

And clever.

Anonymous said...

Jack, you are so right - any way you look at it, it is hamburger! Well done!

Anonymous said...

Excellent.
-Roy

Robert Ball said...

Talking about your brain on drugs! Well done (pun intended).

Fran Piper said...

Strong, vivid voice. Excellent writing. I enjoyed this a lot!

Anonymous said...

How much gas is in there? I hope his neighbors are at a safe distance.

Interesting moment and character study. Very Earthy. High marks overall.