A Stroke Of Originality

Justin walked into his son room with a small lamp observing the pictures his son drew on the wall.

“This isn’t good…” He mumbled to himself trying not to wake his sleeping son.

His son had drawn pictures of the sun, grass, and trees. These things were forbidden since the catastrophic wipe out a few years back, and the human race moved underground. If the authorities saw this they would take his child in for questioning. Justin had to get rid of it quickly. He rushed back to the kitchen where his wife was crying.

“Justin, they’re going to take him…” She was sobbing as he entered

Justin flipped his wife ash brown hair back around her ears and kissed her forehead. “Kath, I won’t let them take our son. We have to get that off the walls before morning. I want you to take Nick and go into our room while I clean it off.”

As he watched Kathy wipe her tears and go get their sun he moved quickly through the kitchen grabbing cleaning supplies and filling a small bucket up with water. She came back holding their son in her arms trying to move slowly so she wouldn’t wake him as she walked to their room. They gave each other a nod as Justin passed by her quickly but silently. Once in the room, he grabbed the small brush out of the bucket while spraying the wall with cleaner. He began scrubbing the wall as hard as he could trying to get the picture off the wall, but no matter how hard he tried it wouldn’t go away.

“SHIT!” he shouted to himself.

Kathy came running in the room. “Whats wrong?” she asked

“Nothing, its okay.” He tried to reassure her.

“It’s not coming off?” She asked.

“No, we can paint over it. Let’s grab the paint from the closet and paint the whole room.” Justin dropped his cleaning supplies and briskly walked back to the kitchen to grab the paint they had in the back of one of the closets.

When he came back into the room he gave his wife one of the paint buckets. “Cover it all up.” He smiled at her trying not to panic himself.

Hours went by as they painted their son room until the colony alarm went off notifying everyone that the day begins soon, and the inspectors will be coming around.

“It’s done. Hurry and shower, and I’ll be right behind you.” He kissed Kathy on the forehead before she walked away to the bathroom.

He did a few more brush overs on the wall and threw the rest of the paint back in the closet before he went to shower also.

When Justin got out of the shower he heard his wife at the door greeting the inspector and letting him in.

“Hello, Inspector.” Justin came and shook his hand.

“Hello sir, I noticed your child isn’t slipping in his room. Is there a reason why?” He shook Justin’s hand.

“He had nightmares so I let him sleep with me.” Kathy smiled.

The Inspector gave an awkward look. “Well how about we wake him and ask?”

Kathy, and Justin both looked at each other.

“Its okay go and, get him.” Justin nodded to Kathy.

As she walked away his heart started racing as he thought about what to do as she went to get their son.

“Here he is, just a bit sleepy.” Kathy came back snapping Justin from his thoughts.

“Hi, there young man.” The Inspector took a knee to get down to Nicks height.

“Hi, mister.” Nick spoke wiping his eyes.

“Did you have bad dreams last night?” The Inspector asked in such a nice voice to try to get him to tell the truth.

“No mister.” Nick mumbled still rubbing his eyes.

The Inspector just looked at Kathy, and Justin as he grabbed Nicks hand, and walked him towards his room. “Well, unless you’re having bad dreams this is where you must sleep. Okay, Nick?” he smiled at Nick

“Yes mister, but where’s the sun?” Nick looked at his freshly painted walls.

“What did you just say?” The Inspectors tone had an edge to it, as his grip on Nicks’ hand tightened.

Justin panicked and quickly struck the inspector over his head with a nearby vase knocking him unconscious. Shock on Kathy and Nicks face as the Inspector laid there unmoving.

“What did you do Justin!? Why?” Kathy cried out grabbing Nick.

“You and I both know what the punishment is when you speak of it!” Justin turned to her. “DEATH BY STRANGULATION!”

“DEATH IS THE PUNISHMENT FOR HURTING ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL!” Kathy was now yelling back at Justin which caused Nick to start crying.

Justin took a knee near Nick. “Its time for you to take care of mom now okay. No crying, I’m going to have to go away for a bit so I need you to be a man in my place.” He smiled rubbing Nicks’ head.

Kathy just stared at Justin. “Justin…” was all she could get out before he kissed her.

“Get out of here before security comes from him not checking in. You didn’t see anything, but you have no go now, and no buts.”

Justin turned away from them both and walked into the kitchen grabbing a knife. When he came back to Nicks room his son and wife were still there.

“I can’t leave you, Justin, I won’t.” Kathy was still crying.

Justin hid the knife behind his back so Nick wouldn’t see. “You have to. NOW GO!” Justin yelled trying not to let a tear fall down his eyes.

He slammed the door after his wife and son finally left, and walked near the inspector laying on the floor unconscious. “I’m sorry.” He let out as he impaled his knife through his heart killing him. He then leaned on the wall taking a deep breath and impaling the knife into his own heart.

“Live…. On…”

Back with another Flash Fiction! Hope you guys enjoy this and feel free to comment and like below. This one was kind of hard for me since I stepped out of my comfort zone of fantasy and action.