The Willow

The Willow

by: Ryan Gray







It was a dismal day in the town of Ortonville. For no bells were heard on this Christmas day. No jubilant sounds of families reunited. Only the wailing sirens of ambulances and Police cars could be heard. Snow falling and gently crunching under the feet of spectators to the horrific tragedy. Just moments ago, a tractor trailer collided with the Goodrich family’s station wagon. Everyone inside, was killed instantly.

I was there that day, that day my family was killed. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. It happened on my street, in front of my house. The driver of the truck was intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level over three times the legal limit. The station wagon was pushed off the road into my willow tree, crushing every last bone in their bodies. In the car, were my Pennsylvania relatives, Steele, Kay and Frank. Steele being my brother, Kay, my sister in law and Frank my nephew. The truck driver survived, with minor injuries to his leg, hand and neck. The feelings I felt that day, can only be described as this, pure rage and sorrow. These, I would later find out were no things to combine.

Every summer Frank would stay with me. I always will remember and cherish the times we shared together. He would always help out around the house, doing this and that. He also enjoyed learning about my work, as a design artist. Although I loved having him at my home, he wasn’t supposed to be here today. He came unannounced, without warning. Isn’t it funny how things happen like that? It was the wrong place at the wrong time. If you really think about it, everything happens for a reason, a bigger reason behind everything. That’s why it was no surprise to me, when I sought revenge on the man who killed my family.

My name is Jane Goodrich and this is my story. I have dedicated my life to finding the man who killed my nephew and his family. Four years time has passed since the accident. All those years of keeping my feelings bottled up inside, pretending everything was okay. Nothing was okay. When I drove on the highway, and a tractor trailer pulled out, I would consequently, black out. The doctor took my license last spring. Now I have to ride my bike to the store (and at my age, sixty-two, is no small accomplishment.) I always felt like a part of me was missing. I remember when we were first building our house, ten years ago. Franklin was only about five at the time, and had fallen into a gopher hole; the only thing prevented him from falling all the way through, were his arms, spread out over the ground. My sister, Regina, helped him out; those are one of those things you never forget. His favorite part of the farm, he always told me was the windmill. He’d say, “It’s like the watchful eyes of the farms past, looking over us. I never forgot him, though at times it seemed as if I were happy, I never ever forgot.

Every day, I wrote in my diary, plotting ways to kill that S.O.B.. I imagined him falling off the Sears Tower. I’d push him into an industrial garbage compactor. Sometimes, I even thought of stretching him out on the “Rack”. I’d have days where all I could do is cry, just cry because of that crazy drunk. Just sitting there, in the dark, I really had time to think. About the sweet revenge I was going to have. Oh, and believe you me when it rains it pours, revenge is sweet.

Yesterday, the nice young men in bright white coats came…to take me away. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

They said, “Ms. Goodrich, I’ll have to ask you to come with us.”

“Why, whatever for”, said I.

“Your family is very concerned with your mental health”, they said.

“Sir, I assure you that I am very well, now scat, before I call the Sherriff”, I said.

They grabbed my arm, but I quickly drew it back, running upstairs. I locked the door to the room, and grabbed the gun off of the wall. I could hear them pounding on the door but, I was too busy loading the shells to really focus. The door finally burst open but, I was ready. BANG! BANG! I shot both of them, with accuracy, I never knew I had. I lived in the country, neighbors far apart, but still I needed to dispose of the bodies. With all my might, I drug them out to the larger barn. I put them into the trailer and hooked it up to the John Deere. I drove them out to the back ten, where nobody went, often. I reached a fairly desirable spot, and dumped them out of the trailer. Suddenly one of them started to move.

He said “Please no, I…”

I struck him with the shovel, and he was dead. Just to be sure I hit the other man too; he emitted a blood curdling scream, so I hit him again. He knew no more. I started digging their grave (It would only be a shallow one). Finally It was done, I put the bodies in and covered the grave; oddly enough, I felt a feeling of satisfaction. Scared by the feeling I drove back to the barn, parked the tractor and went into the house. I went upstairs to clean the mess. I t was only moderately dirty, because of the angle they were shot at. I started with the carpet, cleaning up the blood, onto the walls, then to the wall lamp. After that I was considerably tired, so I sat down for a warm cup of coffee, which was quite refreshing in this cold weather. I knew I had to make my move soon; the authorities would be looking for me soon. That night, I figured out my master plan. From all my research I knew bob, the wretched truck driver, would be at home now. He was un-married, no one to call the cops, this would be a piece of cake. I would go in with a rope and some Chloroform, and nothing else. He had everything I would need already built into the house.

Although, I had a suspended license, I got into my SUV and drove the 50 miles to the god forsaken mans house. It was 2:00 am, bob was sleeping, he had to work tomorrow. (He was fired from his trucking job, and forced to take a job at the local pet shop). I parked, stepped out with my rope and drugs and walked up to the door. I tried the door. Locked. No problem though, I apprenticed an amateur locksmith in my younger years. I walked back and got my kit, I picked the lock. It went “CLICK”, and I was in. I steadily walked through the house, treading ever so carefully. I found his bedroom, opened the door and crept in. I inched over to him and placed the chloroform soaked rag on his face, followed by quickly restraining his arms. He mumbled something, I couldn’t hear and then moments later he was out. I drug him to the cold, damp garage and formed a noose around his neck. I tied the loose end to the garage door, leaving a very short length of rope in between. I waited, an eternity it seemed, for him to wake up he finally did. However he was incapable of talking, due to the gag I had placed around his mouth. I sat as I told him who I was and why he made me do this. I told him it was all his fault that this didn’t have to happen. I told him how it repulsed me to breathe the same air as him and live on the same earth. That’s when I did it; I hit the garage button on the little black clicker. His body was slowly raised above the gray floor of the dismal garage, at which point, he started to gag and choke. After about thirty seconds the choking seized and his body stopped twitching. I went to his kitchen grabbed the largest knife he could find, intent on shoving it in his corpse, and then suddenly I was in bed. I looked around, somewhat frightened and realized I was lying in a pool of sweat. I got up and put my robe on and realized that it had just been a dream, or at least I hoped that was the case. I also remembered that Frank was staying with me. Nauseated that I could have even dreamt those things I hurriedly ran up the stairs to Frank’s room. There he was lying in bed, fast asleep. I quickly rejoiced and went down stairs to the kitchen. I made myself a cup of coffee and sat there. I thought to myself, I have to stop reading those Stephen King novels. I just sat and thought.









“Last night I had a revelation

Somehow I have to make you pay,

It’s all about manipulation

And what it takes to get my way

I don’t believe in soft solutions

No one makes a fool of me

Without receiving retribution,

No one hurts me and goes free

I’ll play on your fears,

I’ll leave you in tears

You’ll never be the same, my friend

You’re walking a line,

It’s a matter of time

You’ll never rest easy again

I’ve got the power to bring you down

I’ve heard it said, to err is human

It’s forgiveness that’s divine

I thought about forgiving you

But, I want revenge

I want what’s mine

I think it’s time to settle the score

Now, it’s time to set the record straight

You’ll know its coming

You won’t know how

Or when, you’ll have to watch and wait

I’ll play on your fears,

I’ll leave you in tears

You’ll never be the same, my friend

You’re walking a line,

It’s a matter of time

You’ll never rest easy again

I’ve got the power to bring you down

You know it feels intoxicating

To be intimidating

It’s invigorating to

See you shaking

I’ve got the power to bring you down

You know something,

You see it coming

You know I will

Stop at nothing”.

~Red Delicious Quotes