Short Stories

15. Broken Faucet

Monday.

Drip, drip, drip

I almost drifted into a deep slumber when someone shook me awake.

"Could you fix the goddamned faucet for crying out loud! I can't take the dripping noise anymore," Monica complained.

"I will fix it in the morning," I said and tried to go back to sleep, but she smacked me on my back and almost pushed me off the bed.

"No, fix it RIGHT NOW, you useless piece of shit," Monica croaked.

It has been 5 years since we had been married. Things were going well in the beginning, but after two years or so, we have not been getting along. For some reason, Monica despises me now, and I don't know why.

I sighed and got up to tighten the faucet, but the water kept dripping.

"Sorry hun, I can't fix it tonight. I'll call the plumber in the morning and...."

"I'm gonna do it myself. You can't do anything right," she grumbled under her breath and headed to the bathroom.

Suits me, I thought and laid back down.

I jerked back up as I heard a scream followed by a loud cracking sound then....silence.

"Monica? Are you alright?" I called out, but no one answer.

I rushed over to the bathroom and gasped when I saw her sprawled across the floor in her own pool of blood, unconscious. An angry, gashing wound was displayed on her forehead. She must've slipped and hit her head on the sink.

I checked her pulse. She was still alive, although her breathing was weak.

I proceeded to call an ambulance but paused.

Is saving her life something I really want? All those years of verbal abuse will suddenly stop if I just wait. She suddenly opened her eyes.

"Ri...Richard. Call an ambulance," she said in a hoarse whisper.

Oh, the princess is awake.

"Monica, are you okay?" I leaned down and whispered.

"It hurts. Call someone," she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I don't think I will," I said calmly. "Sleep now."

"Rich...ard,"

I placed my hand on her mouth and pinched her nose. I looked at the clock, 2:30 am. I held on to her mouth and nose for approximately 10 minutes. They say it only takes 3 to 5 minutes for someone to suffocate and die, but I wanted to be sure. I looked at the clock after she drew her last breath. 2:40 am. I called an ambulance.

Tuesday.

Drip, drip, drip.

I woke up with a jolt. I had a long day at the hospital, crying and talking to her family about arranging her funeral, so I needed to sleep. But this damn broken faucet woke me up. How irritating. I guess Monica wasn't wrong when she was fussing over it. This needed to be fixed.

I got my tools and headed to the bathroom. I took out my wrench and started to tighten the faucet. Hopefully, it'll do the trick. I turned the water on and off and waited. No drips.

I went back to bed and closed my eyes.

Drip, drip, drip

Are you kidding me?

I ran toward the bathroom and turned the main faucet off. That's it, no running water. I turned around to leave.

Drip, drip, drip

What the fuck?

I turned the faucet, but no water came out. Where was this dripping noise coming from? I wondered. I suddenly had a throbbing headache.

I leaned over the sink and waited for the water to drip down.

"Ri...chard...."

My heart leaped against my chest. It sounded almost like the wind, but it was undeniably Monica's voice. And it was coming from inside the faucet.

No, what am I thinking? How's that even possible?

"Rich...ard...."

This was no mistake. I heard it clearly this time. The whispery voice floating through the pipe.

I picked up the wrench and hit the faucet as if to knock.

"Who...who is this?" I said in a shaky voice.

"Richard...call...an ambulance.." the voice from the faucet spoke.

I laughed out loud. "You are dead. You don't need an ambulance. YOU ARE DEAD!" I kept laughing like a maniac.

"Richard....Richard... Please...." the voice kept repeating my name over and over again.

"Shut up!" I screamed and hit the faucet with my wrench, but she didn't stop calling my name. I crouched down and started to take the pipes off. I'm going to find her. She was in the pipes, and I'm going to get her out!

I took the pipe apart. Water started to spray everywhere.

"Richard...help me!"

Her whispers kept nagging at my ears.

"NO! GO AWAY!" I screamed and swung my wrench at the invisible entity.

Then I slipped.

I hit my head on the sink and fell flat on the floor. I could feel blood gushing out of my head. I tried to get up but my entire body felt like it was paralyzed.

"Richard, are you okay?" the whispery voice spoke from inside the faucet.

I looked at the clock. 2:30 am. Which means in ten minutes, I will be dead.

Well played Monica, well played.