by Peter DiChellis

Digging the grave isn’t the hard part. Dig steady. Breathe deep. Sturdy shovel, heavy boots. The midnight forest hides my secret. The stranger moans and whimpers, curled on the ground. Gagged with duct tape, bound with rope.

Pushing him into the grave isn’t hard. Prod with the shovel. Kick with the boots. His eyes go wild. Alive in a grave!

Finishing isn’t hard at all. Just heap loose dirt. Nothing more. His frantic squirms and muted screams intrigue me. I heap more dirt. Soon he’s quiet.

The hard part is working in a cemetery every day. Too many cold strangers, too many dull graves.

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Peter DiChellis concocts sinister tales for anthologies, ezines, and magazines. He is a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and an Active (published author) member of the Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. For more, visit his site Murder and Fries at http://murderandfries.wordpress.com/.