Hello! Here is my entry for Writers Jam 2025.

Prompt: Anniversity

Word count: 2,199

Leonard,

It’s been a long time. I fucking hate your guts. 

“Hey Len, how many did you have?” 

It was New Years, of course he had more than a couple. 

“Doesn’t matter, I can drive. So shut up and get in.” 

“Jesus, you sure?” Leslie’s accent was thick. It reminded Lenard of their hometown. Reminded him of grandma. It pissed him off to no end.

“Len, I can drive.”

Like hell Lenard was going to let that limp dick behind the wheel of his car. 

“No. You drive like shit. I’m not letting you touch my Pontiac.” 

“But…”

“But what?” 

“Well…” Leslie scanned him over. He grabbed at his elbow the way he always did when he was anxious, which was often. After a deep breath the chicken shit dropped it. His scrawny form ducking into the passengers side. 

Leonard smirked, he could always count on one thing: his little brother was a spineless pussy. 

I doubt this is a surprise – well now that I write that I think it’s a tad stupid to say. I’ll rephrase: I doubt my hatred for you is a surprise. I’m sure this letter seems like a bad joke. I’m supposed to be dead, right? 

Another firework boomed above them. Little sparks of color peeked through the canopy of trees that covered the back road from Leonard’s in-laws. The bastards had thought it would be just peachy to go out in the middle of butt-fuck-nowhere and build a quaint colonial. Stupidest fucking shit. Jenifer’s parents were loaded, yes sirree, and if he wanted to get any he’d have to behave. Annoyance bubbled into rage and he stomped on the pedal.

Leslie grabbed at the door to brace himself. Pale and scared little Leslie. 

“There isn’t even anyone on the road. Calm down!” 

“It’s just that it’s dark and – and I really don’t think you should drive. What would your wife think?” 

No shit it was dark, they were on a two lane country road. There wasn’t a street lamp for miles out here. 

“Don’t bring Jenifer into this!” 

Leslie flinched at his voice. He’d drop it like he always did. Sniveling little Leslie could shove it up his ass. Lenard glanced over at his brother. He stared straight ahead jaw clenched as hard as his hands were against the door and the console.

Fucking pansy. When’d he get all mouthy and bitchy like a woman? Leslie used to just take it. Little bastard used to be quite too. Wasn’t until a few years ago that he started acting like this. It pissed Lenard off more than having to waste New Years at his chucklefuck in-laws.

Lenard took a turn too quick. He did it on purpose. Did it to make his dumbass little brother piss himself. But he didn’t scream. And the curve straightened and eased up so Lenard let off the gas. He shot a glance at his brother, he expected him to be scared shitless but Leslie stared back indignant. Eyes like their mother used to look at him with. A single wrinkle just above his left eyebrow, just like hers. Lenard shuddered.

Leslie slammed his hand hard on the dash. “For the love of God look at the road!”

“Fucker don’t touch my car!”

“Len if you love this car so much you should swallow your pride and let me drive it. You’re weaving all over the damn road!”

“Leslie if you don’t shut your fucking mouth I’ll beat the shit out of you once we’re back at the hotel. I’m not letting you drive. You can’t handle this car!”

Quiet between the two settled over the car. A DJ talked over the generic drum machine intro to a pop song. A distant boom sounded from fireworks. Lenard was in a sour fucking mood. He knew he never should’ve invited Leslie, but Jenifer had bitched him out. Some bleeding heart shit about family.

“A couple of dings is better than you totaling it,” Leslie said under his breath. 

That was it.

Lenard took his right hand off the wheel and grabbed Leslie’s shaggy hair. He pulled his head down and bounced it off the glove compartment. Leslie’s yelp was covered by a loud thud.

He had hit something.

He had drifted into the other lane while he was dealing with his brother.

He caught it out of the corner of his eye.

“My God, Len I think that was a person,” Leslie said, oblivious to the blood that trickled from his busted nose. At least he had got him good.

“No, it fucking wasn’t. It was a baby deer.”

After you hit that “baby deer” I pulled my vanishing act. Two weeks after New Year’s I think. Y’all even dug me a little grave right next to mom. I didn’t think you’d bother. I wonder if you had a service? If we happen across each other I’ll make sure to ask. That little stunt I pulled ten years ago was a bitch and a half. I did nearly die at the river that day, I guess I saw an opportunity and took it.

That reminds me, do you remember that time the two of us and Brad were at Aunt Sue’s. You and Brad were fifteen and I was eleven. We were all at her pool, she was out getting groceries or something. You and Brad had pushed me in the pool. You two were using one of those poles, you know with the net, to push me down and keep me under water. You remember that?

The baby deer had been playing with sparklers. It was dead.

Lenard looked around to see if its mother or anyone was around. Nothing.

Leslie, the useless fuck, just started crying. He had the baby deer cradled in his arms. The headlights engulfed their bodies. Made it look they were both dead, both going into that light.

“Jenifer’s still at her parents house,” Lenard said. “She won’t be coming back to the hotel until late tomorrow.”

“What the hell are you talking about? We need to get help.”

“What I’m getting at is that we can get rid of that thing and wash up before Jenifer gets back. She’ll probably ask why my car’s wrecked to shit, but we’ll just tell her we hit a baby deer on the way back.”

Leslie gawked up at him. His bloody nose dripping and mixing with the blood form the baby deer. There was a dent in his hood and Leslie’s blood had probably stained the seat or the mat. It was his fault they were in this mess. God, he hated him.

“I’ll say you were driving.”

“Len, what the fuck?”

“If you don’t help me clean up what you made me do – I’ll tell the cops you were driving.”

Leslie stared back at him slack jawed. “Lenard, this isn’t a fawn this is a—”

“Who do you think they’ll believe? You’re a bum who can’t hold down a job. I’m married to doctor with lawyer parents.”

“It’s your car,” Leslie stammered.

“With your blood’s in it. You kicked me out and made me walk back to the hotel.”

Leslie’s face dulled. If the moron had backed down earlier they wouldn’t have to deal with this. Lenard wondered if he’d return to his usual spinelessness or if he’d maintain this new found machismo.

Wind rustled the trees. Another firework popped.

Lenard could wait. A policeman could roll up and he knew he’d be fine. He’d gotten out of this type of shit before. He was a winner. His little brother on the other hand, he’d never won a damn thing his entire life.

“Len,” Leslie’s voice shook. “Len, what do you need me to do?”

“I’ll park the car on the shoulder. We can dump the deer’s body in the woods.”

“Just dump him in the woods?!”

“Yes, Leslie. Have a problem with that?”

His brother lifted the baby deer’s body from out of the way his Pontiac. Leslie stood off the side of the road gripping the dead thing to his body. Once Lenard had grimaced at his hood one last time he turned around to lead Leslie into the thicket.

His in-laws had shown him all over this land. Who’d thought it’d come in handy now. When he thought about it that baby deer was trespassing. He had every right to hit it. There was a hole just past a creek on the neighbor’s property. It wasn’t far. His in-laws had said that hole went down a thousand feet or something ridiculous like that. There used to be mines around here and that hole was a vent or something. It was dark and the flashlight from his car was dim. It barely lit up the path in front of him. Leslie couldn’t see shit and kept falling over branches and getting caught on shrubs. A light drizzle started. It was warm for winter, but still cold as hell, only a few degrees above freezing.

“Here,” Lenard shone the light over the hole. From years of erosion it looked just big enough to fit the baby deer. It’s maw a black hole despite the flashlight.

Without any words Leslie obeyed. He had to dig out some of the wet dirt form the mouth of the hole for the body to fit. With a push the baby deer disappeared into the earth.

Speaking of disappearing acts, remember Kimmy? I was real sweet on her back in college, so of course you had to go sweep her off her feet. What else are big brother’s for?

Poor Kimmy didn’t know how cruel you could be.

Remember how you took her up to that cabin? I know you took her up there, the one our great uncle used to own. You have a habit of making people disappear near water.

Did she not want any? Did you get mad? I talked with some of your college exes, you have a habit. You and your temper.

It was spring break, no one batted an eye when some pretty twenty year old vanished. “The bimbo probably just ran off with a boyfriend,” that’s what the police told me when I asked about it all those years ago. Called poor Kimmy a bimbo. Kimmy was a good girl just like your Jenifer.

I knew better. I knew you had something to do with it. Well, it took some time but I think you should check the envelope. There’s two items inside. Have a good look then keep reading.

Lenard looked around the living room. Jenifer and Kurt had gone over to her parents for New Year’s Eve. No one was in the house. Who the fuck had put this bullshit on his coffee table. He pushed open the curtains and expected Brad’s car, but the driveway was empty. Not even foot prints in the fresh snow.

It had to be some stupid prank Brad had talked Jenifer into. Had to be.

He dug around in the minella envelope. A piece of scotch tape held a small pocket closed. He tore it off and inside there was a photo and a newspaper clipping. The photo was a polaroid of an older couple stood in front of shiny new boat. Deja vu hit him. Sweat began to bead on his forehead. In the goddamn reflection of the boat, he could see his own face and besides him Kimberly. He tossed the photo down.

The newspaper clipping was from January ten years ago. It’s headline read: Seven Year Old Missing. He scanned the paper avoiding the headshot of the boy. Lenard knew full well he’d recognize it. Taped to the back of the clipping was a tooth.

Chills ran down his spine. It had to be a bluff.

Did either of those help jog the memory? Don’t worry about any police business. Like you said when you hit the “baby deer” who’d believe a bum like me?

You’re pretty good at getting rid of bodies, I’ll give you that Len. After all these years I couldn’t find Kimmy, but you’re really shit at getting rid of murder weapons. I found the knife. One of grandpa’s old military ones. And you still drive that Pontiac. I have to say they didn’t match the color very well on the new hood.

You should start thinking about how my reintroduction to the family will affect Jenifer and your son. Did you really have to name him after dad? Good kid though, his teachers all say they love him. He’s tall for a nine year old. Looks a lot like his mother. Looks a lot like you.

When I was walking in the forest with that dead “baby deer” I begged God for forgiveness. I think God only offers that when you’re dead.

Look Len, don’t worry about all this. I’d like to keep these issues in the family, no need to have any outsiders try and deal with it. I’m sure you’ve stormed up and down the house by now but I think it’d be in your best interest if you checked the cellar. It’s like family reunion down here.

Happy Fucking New Year.

-Leslie