Resident Evil
Wednesday 13th October, Story #318/366
The atmosphere in the living room is starchy with indignation and anger. Everyone bristled with it.
The man (if such a term could be loosely applied) was dangerous! How could They allow this?
Matt Gill's second favourite thing to do, after abducting schoolgirls, was setting fire to the homes of people who'd crossed him. He didn’t care who else was inside. The last one, the family were all in there.
Gill was supposed to be serving two life sentences, so why was he out? And (the residents of Bomere Heath demanded of each other over the rims of their teacups, biscuits clutched in shaking fingers) how, in God’s good name, had he been allowed to live next door to a school?
Most of the kids walked home. The school was an old building, albeit with modern extensions. It couldn’t cope with a lot of traffic.
They considered standing along the route like sentries.
"What about lollygaggers?" Barbara said, swooping in for another custard cream, "And... what about the rest of the time?"
“What we need,” said Sheila, frowning, “is to watch him so he can’t do it again."
A ripple ran round the group. The palpable sensation of each person imagining being the one to prevent another grisly abduction. Sheila glared round at them all. “We don’t want to confront him," she added hurriedly. "He’s dangerous. Someone could get hurt." Several pairs of eyes looked back at her, undeterred. "I mean it! It must be by the book. Above board. We're not breaking the law for that scum. He’s not worth going to prison for.”
Nobody seemed convinced by this speech.
“Be simpler if his liver exploded or something," Gerald pondered. I mean, we all have jobs. We can't run 24-7 surveillance on some ponce."
“Cancer,” said John who ran the local shop.
"I'll give him fucking cancer," Darren Jones muttered.
"I reckon we can," Sheila was warming to her own idea. "Enough of us are retired, or stay at home parents... Maybe not 24-7. Not yet. But if we get more people involved..."
That's how come I'm bundled up against the cold snap, watching this fuckers house.
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Word count: 366
(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and author's note.)
Submitted on Wednesday 13th November
Quick Author's Note
The criminal is real, and so are the crimes. And the place. The rest... entirely invented.
A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This continues my 318 (!!!) daily micro-fiction story streak since 1st January.
ONLY FORTY-EIGHT DAYS TO GO!
That's just seven weeks!
Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day!
Rachel Deeming
Gerard DiLeo
Thank you
Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and I am extremely grateful for your ongoing support.
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About the Creator
L.C. Schäfer
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More stories from L.C. Schäfer and writers in Fiction and other communities.
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By L.C. SchäferExclusive • 2 months ago
Comments (9)
The passage paints a chilling portrait of a community teetering on the edge of vigilantism, fueled by fear, anger, and a desperate desire for control. The characters, seemingly ordinary people, are consumed by their distrust and outrage over Matt Gill's release, and their discussions—laced with dark humor and casual cruelty—illustrate how quickly moral boundaries can blur when people feel powerless and afraid. Their growing willingness to take justice into their own hands, even if it means breaking the law, reveals a disturbing willingness to prioritize personal vengeance over the principles of fairness and due process. The atmosphere is suffocating, as the group's collective paranoia builds, and the narrator, observing it all, seems caught between a sense of justification and an unsettling detachment. It’s a stark reminder of how fear and anger can lead to a dangerous kind of unity, one that disregards the line between right and wrong.
Never mess with feisty pensioners. Those canes and walking frames are deadly weapons!
Some people should mind their own but feel obligated to fix a wrong But retirees should know better
But how does one give another cancer?
My money’s on the pensioners. They can be a savage bunch when cornered! Thought this was brill.
Sounds good in theory, but retirees and stay at homes haven't got what it takes to stop someone like that. I like the premise though.
Love the clever name play in your title. I could feel the fear of what might happen in your story. Very well done!
Very interesting. This could expand into a crazy thriller!
Very intense. I hope they do stop the monster. Riveting writing, LC.