All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller

You Don’t Remember Me, Do You? By Alex Kellet

literallystories2014

We were in the same class at junior school. You were only eight years old, I was nearly nine when you moved. I sat behind you. You were so clever; you used to be the first one to answer the teacher’s questions. I used to try and get close to you so I could copy your work.

One playtime, when a load of us played kiss chase, I let you catch me and you gave me a peck on the cheek. I stayed close to you for the rest of that day. I joked that one day we’d get married and I made you promise you’d be mine. I wrote you a letter, but you probably never read it. I guess I just couldn’t hold on to you. You still don’t remember me, do you? This is a nice kitchen, by the way.

We got separated when we went to high school, you were on the other side of the year. I used to watch you hanging around with your friends at break times. I remember every little thing, like when you got your hair cut shorter; I thought you looked amazing, so pretty. You were just sixteen, I’d just turned seventeen.

Then those other boys started hanging around. They were better looking than me, bigger and stronger as well. I was jealous. I shouldn’t have been, I’m sorry. They were just big apes. I told two of them that you liked them, and they had a fight. Do you remember? You got so upset, but I was happy that you cried. Still, it must have been nice that you had two big strong lads fighting over you, wasn’t it? Flattering, no doubt. But I remember how scared you were. They really went for it, and one of them got suspended, didn’t he? Those boys just made me so angry. They weren’t good enough for you. I think they hurt you and me as much as they hurt each other. I saw it on your face. That’s why I came here, just to tell you I’m sorry for all of that. You don’t need to be scared of me, I’ll be gone soon. I can’t believe you don’t remember me.

I went to uni after that, but I had some issues. ‘Doesn’t mix well with others’. That’s what my old school reports used to say. I never changed. Bit of a loner, me. I dropped out of uni in the second year because I couldn’t find anywhere to live. Somebody got freaked out about something and all of a sudden, no one wanted to share with me. So I decided if they didn’t want me, then I didn’t want them and I left. Sad, eh? No, don’t cry. I got some help and I’m much better now. Keep still a second, I won’t be much longer.

Then last week, I saw you on the street. You were heading home from work. I wanted to call out your name but I couldn’t. My voice just stuck in my throat. I felt so small. All those memories just came flooding back. I didn’t mean to, but I ended up following you back here. I shouldn’t have done it, they told me to stop doing that. I sat behind you on the bus, just like when we were kids at junior school. The smell of your hair made my heart beat so fast, I thought I was going to die. But I didn’t do anything. I just watched. You still don’t remember me, do you?

All these years later and I finally found you. I knew you wouldn’t remember me, so that’s why I hid behind that wall outside. I’m sorry for that, and for pushing my way in. You really need to calm down now, keep still. You’re getting blood all over these lovely Spanish tiles of yours. Maybe things would have been different if you’d never caught me when we were playing kiss chase. This is all your fault, really. And now look at you, on your last few breaths. Just think, it started with a kiss, I never thought it would come to this.

Alex Kellet

Image: Interior of a school classroom with rows of desks and a blackboard on the walls. From pixabay.com

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Published by literallystories2014

25 thoughts on “You Don’t Remember Me, Do You? By Alex Kellet”

      1. and thanks for your support in getting this on LS, I feel very privileged to be part of the community.

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  2. Hi Alex,

    The mental dysfunction of the male comes through so vividly that it’s almost frightening. The story begins with an innocent remembrance but after only a few hundred words, following an excellent backstory, it turns dark. I’ve known many such characters. Often they end up on on the streets after poor experience in war, but sometimes it begins much sooner, as it did for this fellow. It always seems to be easier to just blame the victim of one’s misanthropy. And with a shrug, this fellow will likely just walk out of her kitchen and back into the world, leaving her cold and dead on the floor, to victimize again. You did a superb job with this narrative, Alex. Congratulations, man!

    bill

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  3. Such an innocent start – how many times have we said that, or heard it from a long lost acquaintence. Ha – well this unrolls beautifully to a spooky, scary ending. Really enjoyed it and the short length is perfect for this piece. Thanks – Diane

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  5. Great juxtaposition with the sweet start that fools the reader into expecting a love story of some sort and then develops into something way more sinister. The consistent, simple, innocent tone throughout adds well to the creepiness.

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  6. wow! More Stephen King stuff here! Soooo like “Misery” by Stephen King. Unbelievable turn toward the dark. The tragic. The crazy voice of the guy is calm…which is more creepy.

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  7. Hi Alex,

    Ahh ‘Hot Chocolate”s ‘It Started With A Kiss’!!!!
    I think they had a hit record ever year throughout the seventies and into the early Eighties?? I can do a terrible Karaoke version of ‘No Doubt About It!’

    I loved this. It could have went darker and I can’t believe that I’m saying this but maybe it not going there, only enhances the menace.
    That POV takes a bit of handling – You did well with this!!
    I’m a sucker for dark fables, stories about bars, musicians and I think I like story interpretations of songs!

    Check out Fred Foote’s interpretation of ‘Stagger Lee’, I think it may interest you.

    Brilliant my fine friend.

    Hugh

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    1. Thanks Hugh, I’ll definitely check that out. I knew the song well after hearing an interview with Steve Coogan, I was reminded of Alan Partridge screaming the line and it made me think differently about it.

      Thanks so much for the feedback!

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  10. Alex

    I enjoyed how this piece probes the psychology of the psychotic torturer/murderer. Attempting to understand the motivations and “reasoning” behind these kinds of horrific crimes is surely the first step in stopping such behavior. It raises the question as to whether some humans are simply horrible brutes at heart, worse than an animal like a great white shark because at least sharks are killing for food and survival too, not simply for fun and pleasure. Your piece did an excellent job of going back into the protagonist’s past and showing/imagining how he sees things, no matter how twisted and vicious he is. (He’s still human after all, and this should be a reminder, or an alarm bell, to all of us). I couldn’t help thinking how a good sequel might be to narrate these events from the victim’s point-of-view. Your story also reminded me in some ways of Nick Cave’s great album, “Murder Ballads,” and of the Misfit in Flannery O’Connor’s great short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” Thanks for an ambitious piece of fiction, well-wrought.

    Dale

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    1. Thanks for your kind words and thorough criticism, Dale. That’s a really interesting take on it with the psychological aspect. There’s been a lot publicised about these incel (insel?) males, and how dangerous they are. I tapped into that mind set to create the character but it did creep me out a bit.

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  11. Alex,

    I loved the direction you’ve taken with the story. The typical romance elements are there, but you cleverly introduce Chekhov’s gun (or Chekhov’s kitchen ;⁠)) to slowly drive the reader to inevitably tragic ending. Well done.

    Natalia

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  12. With dawning horror, the reader realizes that the narrator is an unreliable sociopath. This is a challenging POV to assume, but this writer pulls it off with great skill.

    Claire Massey

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