40 comments

Drama Crime Contemporary

Millicent sat across from the interviewer, relaxed and confident. A man pointed a finger at the interviewer. Five cameras softly whirred into action.

“We’re here today with Millicent Boone, best-selling author of the self-help book, Ending a Bad Romance. In this book, Millicent takes us, step by step, through the process of getting out of a bad relationship. So, Millicent, can you expand on this a little more?”

“Certainly. But we have to understand where we’re going before we know how to begin. That is, we must consider the endgame. To achieve our purposes, we look at…”

                                                           **************

Conrad woke up, finding himself chained and shackled in a basement. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, not to him. He had planned his escape well, as usual, yet the grimy, cluttered basement and the eerie, pale yellow bulb burning overhead spoke of something that had gone terribly awry.

For the first time in his adult life, Conrad was frightened. There could be only one reason to chain someone up in a basement, and Conrad felt the force of that reason fully.

He looked around, desperate to find a way out of the steel bindings. He found nothing that would aid him in breaking free. He did, however, spot something that horrified him.

He screamed until he could scream no more.

                                                       **************

                                         Step 1: Seize the Initiative!

You’re in a bad relationship. Maybe it’s a toxic one, maybe it’s something less malicious. No matter. The crux of the matter is that you need to find a way to get out of this mess with as little damage to yourself as possible.

Don’t wait around for your partner to make the first move. They’ll have the upper hand, and you’ll find yourself being dictated to. Haven’t you had enough of that? My guess is that you have, and you need to get some of your own back.

Take action – right now! Below is a list of things you can do to come out on top…

                                                      **************

Conrad heard the footsteps on the stairway. He shuddered slightly at who could be coming down to the basement. His mind had already run through the possibilities, but no one came to mind. At least, no one that wanted to murder him. Sure, he had taken advantage of a lot of women. Certainly, he had absconded with a lot of their money. That was what he did.

A figure stopped at the bottom of the stairs, shrouded in shadow. Conrad could feel their eyes on him, appraising him, judging him. Conrad felt his flesh prickle; he was soon to meet the person who wanted him dead.

The figure stepped forward, causing Conrad to gasp in astonishment. It simply didn’t make sense to him. Millicent Boone, his current girlfriend/mark, stared at him impassively. As if he were a butterfly in a display, stuck through the heart with a pin.

“I am officially ending our relationship, Con. Our bad romance is over.”

Conrad gazed at Millicent, his terror abating. Surely, he thought, this meek woman isn’t capable of murder. Teach me a lesson is what she’s doing.

“Millie. What the hell – “

Conrad stopped speaking when Millicent held up a notebook. A stylish, red notebook that showed lots of wear and tear.

“I found this at your apartment last month. Interesting reading, Con.”

Conrad became angry. He stood up and advanced toward Millicent, coming up a foot short of where she was standing, held back by the chains that bound him. Millicent didn’t flinch, didn’t move. She knew how far he could travel in his chains.

“You scammed a lot of money out of a lot of women. I found that as well.”

Conrad blanched. His secrets and his money were precious to him.

“Took some finding, I must admit. Secret compartments under rugs and furniture. Very clever of you to use magnets to lift the floorboards. No way anyone could suspect that they were there.”

“Yeah,” Conrad said, sulkily, “so how did you figure it out?”

“Saw it on a television show. And you had two magnets with handles in the storage room. I put two and two together and came up with – well – you know what I came up with.”

Conrad glared at her.

“Fine. Lesson learned. Let me go. I’ll leave town and you’ll have money.”

Millicent smiled grimly and left. Conrad didn’t like her smile. Not at all.

                                                   **************

                                        Step 2: Eliminate Retributive Acts

Now that you’ve taken the initiative, it’s time to deal with the possibility of retribution. Your partner will be angry. They’ll want to get back at you. You can’t let that happen.

Don’t threaten them with legal action; that’s like pouring gasoline on a fire. No, you must be forceful and direct. You must give them reasons not to mess with you, and those reasons should be deterrent enough. Remember, you are not in a relationship any longer. You are now dealing with a potentially dangerous person. They may want to harm you, or your personal property. You cannot let that happen.

Below is a list of things you can do to ensure that your ex-partner will stay well away from you…

                                                     **************

“Back again?” Conrad growled at Millicent. His mood had not improved the past two days; he had been given no food or water. His weakened state was assuaged somewhat when Millicent sat a gallon jug of water and some chips out for him.

Millicent watched as Conrad guzzled water and gobbled chips. She hadn’t set out any napkins for Conrad, so he wiped his fingers along his jeans and shirt.

“So,” Conrad turned to Millicent after he had finished his third bag of chips, “when you gonna let me go?”

“Who says I’m letting you go?” Millicent smirked. This did nothing to lessen the anger that Conrad was currently feeling.

“Look, we both know you don’t have the balls to do me in. It isn’t in you, Millie. Just – just let me go and we’ll part ways, ok?”

Millicent gazed at Conrad. She was, frankly, amazed that he thought she would believe him. He wasn’t the brightest bulb in the bunch, she knew, but surely he saw his future.

“I think you underestimate me, Con. The metaphorical balls are present and accounted for.”

Conrad blinked.

“What?”

“Let me explain it in simple terms. You have to die. I have to kill you. Simple as that.”

Conrad blinked again, then laughed.

“No way.”

Millicent sighed at his obtuseness and began working.

“You ever read The Cask of Amontillado? A Poe tale. One man walls up another man as an act of vengeance.”

“Oh! Ah! So that’s what you think you’re gonna do to me? Fat chance. Yes, I admit that you’re scaring me. Fine. I’m scared. But you can’t keep me here forever.”

Millicent stared at Conrad, shaking her head.

“Con, I can and will keep you here forever. That’s the whole point.”

“C’mon, Millie. Let me go. Seriously, I’m tired and smelly and I won’t come after you. Promise. Swear to God.”

Millie kept on working. Soon, she had enough cement mixed to do the job properly. She then turned to Conrad and shot him.

“What the – “

“It’s a dart gun, loaded with a powerful sedative. Amazing what you can get your hands on these days. You have ketamine in your system now. It’ll put you out – hello? – and he’s asleep. Wow, that stuff works fast. Ok, now I’m talking to myself. Nothing unusual there.”

Millie used a pulley system to get Conrad in place. She secured him to the back wall with more shackles. She then walled him up, but not before whispering in his ear.

“Don’t worry, Con. The rats will get you before you die of thirst.”

Conrad started screaming just as Millicent was placing the final brick in place.

                                                             **************

                             Step 3: Enjoy Your Freedom, Learn from Your Mistakes

When you end a relationship, the natural thing to do is to dwell on the mistakes you made in the relationship. I advise you to abandon these types of thoughts. Everyone makes mistakes; they’re inevitable, especially in relationship matters.

Concentrate on what you did correctly. You took the initiative, you protected yourself from retribution, and now you’re free to celebrate your accomplishments. You’ve just done something remarkable. Celebrate! Enjoy the freedom that comes from leaving a bad romance. You are now a wiser person, a better person. Reflect on your victory.

Rather than castigating yourself for your missteps, simply reflect on where you went wrong. Identify the red flags that were present early in the relationship. You’ll be in another relationship at some point. Use your new knowledge to your advantage. If something doesn’t feel right, get out immediately. Don’t let it snowball.

I have a few tips for what to do at this point. Read below to…

                                                             **************

Millicent visited the basement in the abandoned farmhouse two weeks later. It was quiet. Serene. Pleasant, even. Rats could be heard scurrying back and forth. Millicent was pleased that she could provide them with some food for the summer. Crucially, no odor emanated from the walled-in victim.

Just like the first three times.

July 21, 2023 18:06

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

40 comments

Amanda Lieser
18:18 Aug 15, 2023

Oh Delbert! I loved the psychosis that you decided to explore for this piece, and the formatting was incredibly delightful in the worst possible sense. You did a great job of bringing in the spine chilling thrill while also ensuring that we knew something was just a little bit wrong from the very beginning. You played into our comfort zones with the choice to write a book and then added those basement scenes to throw us for a loop. Nice work!!

Reply

Delbert Griffith
18:51 Aug 15, 2023

Thanks so much for the praise, Amanda, and for commenting on my little tale of darkness and horror. I blame Poe and public education for my macabre tastes in writing. LOL I'm glad you found it delightful because I wanted there to be a little lightheartedness to the piece. The MC is an evil person, certainly, but she can be fun as well - I think. I'd never date her, though. LOL Again, thanks so much, my friend. I truly appreciate your comments and insights. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Camille Dixon
02:59 Jul 28, 2023

Masterfully written, Delbert, from the attention-grabbing title to the pivots between the tense narrative and airy advice from Millicent Boone. Also, nice job ramping up the suspense by implying what Conrad saw in the basement. I think what I found most clever is the way the excerpts of Millicent’s advice speak directly to what she is doing to Conrad in the narrative, but as is the case in many relationships, she is so busy identifying the faults in her boyfriend(s) that she becomes a hypocrite. It is a splendid irony. The final section f...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
11:51 Jul 28, 2023

Thanks so much for the praise, Camille, and for the sharp insights. You certainly identified what I was trying to say. Millicent is a hypocrite, and self-help books are often devoid of the genuineness that we seek in them. Like many things - and people - in life, what we are shown is not what is true. The last line cements Millicent's true nature. I love her as a character, but I don't think I would ever want a relationship with her. LOL Again, thank you, my friend, for the sharp observations and the kind words. I truly appreciate both. ...

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Chris Campbell
03:17 Jul 27, 2023

Delbert, This was a shorter than usual piece but packed a hell of a lot in there. Nicely done, mate. Oh, what a serial crusader of revenge Milicent is. I like her! Showing one face to the public and hiding her true essence is something we all do in life. Maybe not to Millicent's extreme, but I can attest to "putting on a face" when out and about. It makes life simpler at times when one doesn't want to truthfully engage socially. It's obvious that Millicent's skeletons won't fit in her closet, so the next best thing is walling them into a ...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:22 Jul 27, 2023

Thanks so much, Chis, for the kind words. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on my little tale. I really like Millicent as well, so long as she's confined to the story. I don't think I'd like her in real life. LOL Maybe the dart gun is a little dated. Liquid ketamine didn't occur to me, but I can see how that would fit a little better. Thanks, my friend. Again, thank you for the commentary, Chris. It's always a pleasure to read your thoughts on my stories. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Ty Warmbrodt
11:43 Jul 25, 2023

Way to pay homage to Amontillado. Millicent is just as scary a character as Montresor was creepy. This was fine writing with a great take on the prompt. I loved how you switched from an interview on helping others to how she really ends her bad relationships. This is great storytelling. Bravo!

Reply

Delbert Griffith
12:31 Jul 25, 2023

Thanks so much, Ty for the kind words and the commentary. I truly appreciate your time and insights into my little tale. Cheers, my friend!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Russell Mickler
02:13 Jul 25, 2023

Hey there, Delbert - Okay, I like how you break this piece out into Millicent's steps inbetween Conrad's agony. The foreshadow of "what's in the basement with Conrad" plays well. Millicent was Conrad's mark? Like, Conrad was supposed to kill her? Confusing. Conrad ate three bags of chips? Yikes, that's gonna be a mess without a toilet ... ich! But goodness, we're walling Conrad up ... Yikes, a femme-fatal serial killer. In keeping with the prompt, I really think you needed to make Millicent Barbie in a new playset where you could wall-i...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:57 Jul 25, 2023

Thanks for the praise, Russell. And the suggestion about a Barbie sequel! LOL Oddly enough, my wife and I were watching a show where the blond female agent was kicking ass and taking names. I told her that maybe Barbie would appeal to a wider audience if she did something of this nature. My wife laughed, but I think it was simply to shut me up. LOL Thanks again, my friend, for the comments and the read. I appreciate it, truly. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Ela Mikh
01:38 Jul 25, 2023

This one definitely made my juices flowing! Your storytelling is impressive, as always - thank you for sharing

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:45 Jul 25, 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words, Ela. I appreciate you reading and commenting on my little tale, my friend. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Sophia Gavasheli
18:45 Jul 24, 2023

This was a great, classic crime Delbert Griffith story as per. I loved the snippets from Millicent's book, and how they tie into the action. By breaking up Millicent's murder of Conrad with seemingly innocuous tips, you build the suspense quite well. I also like how you play into the "who's really the bad guy" theme. In the end, it's all just relative. Critique wise, I think this story would have added nuance if you delved into the motivations if Millicent and Conrad. With evil people, I'm always interested in how they got that way, and it...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
23:04 Jul 24, 2023

Thanks so much, Sophia for the praise, and especially for the critique. Yes, the story was rushed. I submitted late, and I didn't have any time to revise. As you say, the story is a bit unfinished and unpolished. Your observations are apt, my friend. I need to revise the original, for sure, and make it something that's a little more well rounded. I appreciate that you saw this. Again, thanks, my friend, for reading and commenting. Your replies are always wonderful and insightful. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
22:50 Jul 22, 2023

Loved this Delbert, the format was well constructed and kept me interested from section to section as the story developed. Last line is killer.

Reply

Delbert Griffith
07:29 Jul 23, 2023

Thanks so much, Derrick. I appreciate the kind words, and the time you took to read and comment on my little tale. Truly. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Mary Bendickson
14:16 Jul 22, 2023

Certainly. Wall off your problems! 🧱🧱🧱 Interesting to know this is the genius that comes out when you write without inspiration. Got a struggle going on there myself. Cheers to you, too.

Reply

Delbert Griffith
16:34 Jul 22, 2023

Wow, thanks so much, Mary, for the sterling praise. As always, I appreciate you reading my twisted little tales. Truly. I understand the struggles of trying to write when nothing comes to mind. I think anyone who writes as much as we do can understand that problem. But, we do what we do, my friend: we keep on writing. Like Ray Bradbury said (paraphrased): if you write a short story every week for a year, you'll have at least one great story. It's impossible to write 52 bad stories in a row. Can't be done. Again, thank you, my friend. Che...

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Sherry Bazley
12:49 Jul 22, 2023

Well, Delbert, I for one didn't trust ole Conrad (CON-RAD) by a quarter-inch for one second despite his sugary promises. And I didn't trust Miz Milli-Cent not to do him in. Despite desiring to be Zen-minded in my thinking/doings, I found myself feeling flares of outrage over his imagined lies and thievery. I was a tad surprised at the end when you revealed Millicent's history. I reckon Birds of a Feather Flock Together, eh?? I'm enjoying the commentaries on the great Readsy stories near as much as the stories themselves and can hardly ...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
13:09 Jul 22, 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words, Sherry. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on my little twisted tale. Conrad was bad, and we find Millicent to be a semi-sympathetic character - until the last line. Now we are left with an entire Millicent Boone backstory that the reader can only imagine at. Is she really evil, or is she simply a victim of circumstances? I plump for the former; if she can write a self-help book about relationships, she can surely spot a bad 'un. Again, thank you, my friend, for your commentary. And I'll...

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Kevin Logue
11:19 Jul 22, 2023

Thoroughly enjoyed the mixed format and how the self help sections related to both Millicent and Conrad. Really strong writing, wonderful flow and delightfully sinister character. The last line creates a whole back story to be imagined in six simple words. Another great submission. Keep up the great work Delbert.

Reply

Delbert Griffith
13:03 Jul 22, 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words, Kevin. I appreciate the analysis and your sharp insights. Yes, Millicent goes from semi-sympathetic to dark in one line. The backstory might be fun to explore. Nice idea, my friend. Again, I thank you for reading my little tale and leaving commentary. Cheers!

Reply

Kevin Logue
14:08 Jul 22, 2023

Anytime Delbert, you keep writing them, I'll keep reading them 😊

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
09:08 Jul 22, 2023

Wow. That was amazing. Okay... I smell something different here. I didn't like Millicent, but the last line went passed that. She's just twisted! Sorry I can't offer more. I just don't have any more words.

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:25 Jul 22, 2023

Thanks for the kind words, Khadija. As you state, she is twisted, and she is very unlikeable. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Michelle Oliver
07:53 Jul 22, 2023

What a read. I liked the structure of this with the quotes from the book matching with Millicent’s actions. The fact that she has done this three times, implies she hasn’t learned how to identify a bad romance early on… or perhaps she’s a psychopath and seeks out bad romances so that she can repeat the process of doing away with the men. I liked your character name, Ms Mills and Boone? Haha Well done, a fun, but chillingly awful read!

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:23 Jul 22, 2023

Thanks so much, Michelle, for the kind words and for reading my twisted little tale. I wanted Millicent to be a sympathetic character - relatively so, anyway - until the final line. Only then do we get an inkling of just how dark and twisted she really is. In my mind, she is a psychopath that seeks out bad men to destroy. I'm also pleased that you liked my name choice. LOL Again, thank you for reading and commenting, my friend. Cheers!

Reply

Michelle Oliver
09:45 Jul 22, 2023

It worked, I was fully empathising with her predicament, falling for a man who was obviously a con-man and then ‘boom’, a great single line twist at the end.

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Susan Catucci
00:33 Jul 22, 2023

What a creep fest, Del - I enjoyed every word! This had to be great fun to write. You are truly master of the twisted vigilante, turning the tables on those who would dare cross that line of decency or, in some circles, plain bad manners. I dearly love your 'take no prisoners' approach to the despicable. Beautiful work, you know what you're doing! :)

Reply

Delbert Griffith
09:19 Jul 22, 2023

Thank you very much, Susan. Truly. It was indeed a fun write, and it came together quickly. I'm sure it could have been polished a little more with your help, but time was tight and I had to get the story submitted. This week, I'm determined to write a humor tale, no matter the prompts. Let's see if I can tickle that funny bone, yes? LOL Again, thank you, my friend. As always, I look forward to working with you. Cheers!

Reply

Susan Catucci
12:56 Jul 22, 2023

I'm in, Del - always ready for a good laugh! Thank Heavens we're both fairly good at it!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Kendall Defoe
23:46 Jul 21, 2023

Okay, I bow to the master! I think that Stephen King may have some competition... Excellent!

Reply

Delbert Griffith
00:00 Jul 22, 2023

LOL Thanks for the kind words, Kendall. I really appreciate them, and especially the comparison to the king of horror. It was a fun write. I enjoyed making Millicent a sympathetic character - until the last line. Again, thank you, my friend. Truly. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Michał Przywara
20:34 Jul 21, 2023

Heh :) Great format and premise. I'm reminded of cases like the firefighter who was an arsonist, who also wrote a novel about a firefighter who was an arsonist - and it was ultimately what linked him to his own crimes. Millicent knows what she's talking about. She's been used and Conrad is all around an ass. Maybe murder was an extreme solution, but who knows. He definitely seems like the retaliating sort. So, we're inclined to sympathize with Millicent… Until that last line :) I wonder how many other best-sellers she's written. Perhaps ...

Reply

Delbert Griffith
22:13 Jul 21, 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words, Michal. Truly. I wrote this tale with absolutely no clue as to what I was going to write about. I've been working on writing when I have no inspiration, just to see if I can still write something decent. If you found merit in this tale, then I feel like I'm growing as a writer. A real writer, one that doesn't necessarily need inspiration to write. And, you read Millicent as I intended her to be: a sympathetic character - until the final line. Thanks again, my friend. Your analysis is always worthy of a f...

Reply

Michał Przywara
23:16 Jul 21, 2023

No doubt! Inspiration is nice, but "waiting for inspiration" is a great excuse not to write. We have to make the effort.

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Bruce Friedman
18:47 Jul 21, 2023

Interesting story, Delbert. Fascinating to put have your "heroine" as the author of a book on self-help. As someone who also writes short stories and knows their limitations, I had the feeling that I would have liked more development of your characters and their relationship. Put another way, they were so vivid that I would have like to know them better to understand their motivation.

Reply

Delbert Griffith
22:05 Jul 21, 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words, Bruce. As you say, fleshing out the tale a little more would be beneficial. As I re-work the tale, I'll keep this in mind. Thanks so much for the insight, my friend. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Unknown User
20:54 Jul 23, 2023

<removed by user>

Reply

Delbert Griffith
22:50 Jul 23, 2023

Thanks so much, Joe. I appreciate the praise. Truly. Yes, the intent was to make Conrad despicable, and, eventually, Millicent. Who's the bad guy here, right? Again, thank you, my friend. Cheers!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.