The descent of self-indulgence


The man she buried is back and knocking. “It can’t be,” said Evelyn has she attempted to steady her hand and light a cigarette. It was just her imagination. Evelyn chuckled aloud “I have it all now!” With the sudden passing of her rich husband, she found herself a very wealthy woman. The money, the house, all of it. She repeated the teary-eyed speech she gave the police. If the tinsel town big shots had seen that little routine she wouldn’t have needed to marry a rich man at all she mused.

Evelyn poured herself a drink and lounged on the tufted Devan. She raised her glass and mockingly said “Here’s to you baby, you got what you deserve.” and quickly downed the glass of Gin and added “and now so did I.” Again, the knocking returned. Evelyn slammed her glass down and cursed the local kid she assumed was playing a Halloween trick. Without hesitation she went to the door and swung it open ready to confront her tormentor, but nobody was there. Just the cool night air. Evelyn tightened her silk robe around her to warm up and returned inside.

The drink had finally put Evelyn’s guilt-ridden mind to rest, but for how long? A few hours later Evelyn stirred from her drunken slumber. As the haze started to clear she again heard it, that awful knocking. She checked the clock handing on the wall. It was 1:30 a.m. “No snot-nosed kid would be out this late.” She reached for the phone and picked up the receiver. As she did the knocked ceased. She set the phone down and went into her bedroom.