03.08 p.m. August 15, 2015** Edward Hospital, Naperville IL**
ROGER is speaking with his butler CHARLES.
ROGER: Excuse me Charles, could you briefly explain me why I'm now laying on a bed in this hospital?
CHARLES: Yes, sir. I would love to. However, I couldn't really promise that it will be a brief story.
ROGER: Okay then. We have enough time. Please, go ahead.
CHARLES: Good, sir. You know our neighbors, correct?
ROGER: Mr Adam and his wife. The strange ones?
CHARLES: Exactly, sir. You know that sometimes they travel for longer and when they arrive back home they have quarrels. Well, last time the quarrel lasted longer than usual. That’s why…
NURSE opens the door and pokes her head inside.
NURSE: It’s nearly time. You have five minutes.
CHARLES: Thank you, we won’t be much longer.
NURSE nods and closes the door.
ROGER: Five minutes? Five minutes to what?
ROGER sits up in the bed and groans, clutching his side.
CHARLES: Please relax, sir. I will explain it all. Mr. Adam and his wife arrived home early this morning, and they were making quite a racket. Disturbing you as you were having your breakfast. You sent me over to quiet them down.
ROGER: And did you?
CHARLES: I did, sir. But I’m afraid there were some complications along the way.
ROGER: Complications? What sort of complications?
CHARLES: Complicated ones, sir. You see, Mr. Adam and his wife were arguing about an affair he claimed she was having, and things got very heated.
ROGER: That’s disturbing. Who did he accuse her of being with?
CHARLES: With you, sir.
ROGER: Oh, is that all? Don’t scare me like that, Charles! I was about to get jealous.
CHARLES: I’m very sorry, sir.
ROGER: It’s fine, don’t let it happen again. But now, tell me why I’m in this hospital bed. I can’t remember a thing.
CHARLES: Yes, sir. Mr. Adam insisted that he have the chance to speak with you, so I brought you over. He kept ranting and raving about this affair, and threatened to tell your wife.
ROGER: What a selfish little man. Surely, Mrs. Adam set him straight?
CHARLES: Unfortunately not, sir. She wanted you to tell your wife as well. She said it would be better to put things out in the open.
ROGER: That's a terrible idea! If my wife found out about this, she would do everything in her power to ruin my life. I hope you put a stop to that talk.
CHARLES: Indeed I did, sir. I shot them both.
ROGER: Very good, Charles. Remind me to give you a bonus for that. But you never did explain how I got in this hospital bed.
CHARLES: Yes, sir. I was afraid that the police wouldn’t understand that I was protecting your life, and might try to charge me with some sort of crime. So I found Mr. Adam’s pistol and shot you as well. Non-fatally, of course, but you hit your head on the corner of a table as you went down, which seems to have affected your memory. It was a terrible accident, and I do apologize, sir.
ROGER: I forgive you, Charles. I know your heart was in the right place.
NURSE opens the door.
NURSE: The police have arrived. You’ll need to come make your statement.
CHARLES: Yes, I’ll be right there. Sir, I’m afraid I must take my leave now. They’ll probably want me to go down to the station with them.
ROGER: That’s awful. Will you be finished in time for dinner?
CHARLES: I can’t say for certain, sir. I don’t believe I can afford an attorney.
ROGER: Well, I can’t eat this hospital food, and I’ll starve if you don’t bring me something proper to eat. I’ll send my attorney to meet you there. You should be out within a few hours.
CHARLES: Thank you, sir. I appreciate your generosity.
ROGER: Think nothing of it, Charles. What good is money if you can’t use it to simplify your life?
CHARLES: Well put, sir. I will see you this evening.
ROGER: Indeed. I insist. Oh, and Charles?
CHARLES: Yes, sir?
ROGER: I’m in the mood for steak and potatoes tonight. I just realized that I never had a chance to finish my breakfast, and by now I’ve missed lunch as well.
CHARLES: Yes, sir. I’ll bring a bottle of your favorite Cabernet as well.
ROGER: Thank you, Charles. You’re a good man.
CHARLES exits with NURSE. ROGER pulls his blanket up and goes to sleep.
Written for Task #6 of the Second Creative Writing Challenge run by @steemfluencer!
The top section is the prompt, the rest was the challenge!