Flash! Fiction by Peter McMillan - HTML preview

56

“Oh, God!” cried Allison, losing an earbud as she jerked away from the window. “How horrible! I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“What’s wrong honey?” asked Daddy.

“Just a truck carrying animals to the slaughterhouse,” said Mother with a wink, which Allison didn’t see.

“Mother! How can you say things like that?” shrieked Allison.

“It’s just part of life, dear. I know how you feel about the zoo and eating meat and all that, but it’s nature. It’s natural. There’s nothing wrong with it.” Mother was getting fidgety and her stomach rum-bled.

“Mother’s right, Allison,” said Daddy. “We’re at the top of the food chain, so every living thing below us that can be eaten is on the menu, so to speak.”

“Daddy! You, too? You’re both so— I don’t know, cruel. I can’t believe it. You’re different. Don’t you have any compassion?” Allison sobbed into her pillow.

“No dear,” answered Mother. “It’s not right or wrong. It’s just necessary, and, I’m sorry Allison, but I didn’t have breakfast, and I’m getting a little peckish. Daddy, let’s pull into that rest area ahead.”

Daddy pulled into the shady spot at some distance from the facilities. Before Allison could unbuckle her seatbelt and jump out, Mother turned around and plucked off the little girl’s head and popped it into her suddenly cavernous mouth.