Rush Hour

by Shome Dasgupta

My dad walked up the stairs - his feet sounded heavy. He must be wearing those steel-toed boots. "Had a bad day, son," he said, and I could hear him unbuckling his belt. It made a clinking sound, and then it rattled as it was being dragged along the wooden floor. I didn't make it to the door in time, and all I could do was think about my mom. Lash after lash - I was glad that she was no longer here.

6S

Shome Dasgupta's recent works include the novel Pretend I Am Someone You Like (University of West Alabama's Livingston Press) and the short story collection Mute (Tolsun Books). He lives in Lafayette, LA and can be found on his website and on Twitter.