One of the stories in the Friday the 13th Series…
Fun Fact:
The title of this story was inspired by the long-ago days when I accompanied my husband to local race tracks. One of his racing competitors ran a Mini Stock called Turkey Time and told stories about the birds on his Ontario, Canada farm.
About the Story:
When Eliza invites her relations for an early Thanksgiving celebration on Friday the 13th, she has no idea the turkey her husband brings home will escape slaughter and run amok, terrorizing the entire household.
Excerpt:
She continued to circle the wire crate. Its occupant never took his beady yellow eyes from her.
“Henry,” She hesitated over his name. Yes, she’d tried to make the best of things over the years but at times her husband did aggravate her right down to her very soul. “Henry, it doesn’t look quite—healthy.”
“Like I say, it was the last one that nobody else took.”
“I can see why.”
Henry turned indignant. “I thought you’d be right pleased. You ain’t shut up about how perfect you want this dinner to be. And the guys all say a fresh turkey beats all the frozen ones to hell and back.”
This turkey looked like it might have been to hell and back.
Eliza wailed, “Why couldn’t you just bring home what I asked for?”
“I got a real good deal on this cause, like I say, it’s the last one the guy had and cause it’s kind of—bedraggled-like. No matter. None of that’ll show once I’ve killed and plucked him.”
“You’re going to kill it? Here?” A measure of horror crawled up through Eliza’s belly. Should he be saying that in front of the turkey?
“Well, you ain’t gonna shove it in the oven the way it is, are you?”
“You know how to do it properly?” They’d had animals, sure, over the years. A goat that Henry had eventually sold. Assorted dogs and cats. Hens for a while. Henry had never slaughtered any of them.
Yet.
“Sure! Granny killed chickens for the pot all the time. Can’t be all that different with a turkey.” Henry reflected on it. “Better do the job soon. Your family’s arrivin’ later today, right? And I have to take that crate back to Mort.”
“Well,” said Eliza in the tradition of famous last words, trying to avoid the turkey’s gaze, “Just don’t make any mess.”
About the Author:
Author Laura Strickland enjoys writing across many genres. You never know what she’ll produce next, but you can bet it will have an edge and a dark twist. From Historical Romance, to Steampunk to Horror, her characters walk a fine line between light and darkness.
