Home from the Lake

I just got home in the past half hour

From a great weekend at the lake,

I can’t remember how I got home,

I think I’m about to flake.

The driveway’s empty, I lost the car,

The house, as quiet as a tomb,

And where the wife and the kiddies are?

Must be in another room.

The air round here had been highly charged

For weeks, till we got away,

So I suggested a trip from home

If only just for a day.

I thought we could sort our problems out

Just for our marriage’s sake,

I thought that we might find love again

Together, up at the lake.

The kids took buckets and floaties too,

They said that it would be fun,

And Jen took some of her own home brew,

She’s legless, after just one.

We packed them all in the four wheel drive

And headed up for the shack,

It’s on a reach that they call the beach,

It took an hour to unpack.

But Jen got drunk, as she always does

And spoiled the night of the first,

Her mood was black, while on the attack,

I said our marriage was cursed.

I saw no love in her eyes that night,

And even her smile was forced,

So stone cold sober the second day

She said, ‘I want a divorce.’

I thought that she might get over it,

I said, ‘We’re here to have fun.

Let’s call a truce for the kids at least,

Be happy, for everyone.’

She said she would, but she wouldn’t talk,

Just glowered, down at the beach,

While I and the kids would take a walk,

Have fun in the sun, at least.

Now in the drive, I can see a car,

A man has come to the door,

He says, ‘We pulled out your four wheel drive,

What did you do it for?’

I look bemused as he says to me,

‘Your children, for heaven’s sake!’

My heart stops for an infinity,

‘You drowned them all in the lake.’

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[T.S. Sky]

Quite the interesting tale. Well written.

[A Soap Mess Stories]

Not what I expected by the ending, but maybe the man was the wife's lover. Sad but tragic twist.

[Coyote Poetry]

A terrible ending to this tale my friend David. You led the reader to the sad ending. Thank you for sharing your amazing words and thoughts my friend.
Coyote

[Tony Jordan]

Got me again. I was expecting the fancy man to be pulled up in the drive not the bizzies.
Class David - sure what else is new?
Hope you're well my friend - spring-a-sprung there yet?

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

This is like a movie, in fact I'm struggling to recall something that I have seen along these lines. It's a tragedy nonetheless; and in this case, it shows that he had a mental break altogether. Very sad and well written.