Shopping List by Mitch Workman

Author:Mitch Workman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror books, horror anthology, horror short stories collections, horror collection, horror anthology books
Publisher: HellBound Books
Published: 2017-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

Brandon Cracraft’s Shopping List

Shopping List:

Orange

Strawberries

Grapes

Cookies

More Cookies

Milk

The Shine

Brandon Cracraft

My roommate, Carl Clutterbuck, called me a “tighty-whitey Christian.” It’s technically correct, but I still blushed whenever he says it out loud. My parents taught me old-fashioned conservative values. Even though I passed my eighteenth birthday three months ago, I still insisted on calling every adult “sir” or “ma’am,” even the older students. I built my life on the bedrock of true Christian values: honor, dignity, self-respect, love, charity, and forgiveness.

“What’s up?” Carl said, setting aside his comic book and looking over my shoulder. “Are you checking out that Christian Grindr again?” Ever since we became friends, Carl started wearing a silver cross around his neck. My parents would flip out if they discovered my roommate was gay, but I figured Jesus would be okay with it. He liked hanging out with harlots, tax collectors, and perverts.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not a dating app. The Shine allows us to track the good works done by other students. It inspires us to be our best person. Whenever I think that I don’t have time to put in a little work at a homeless shelter, or should hoard a dollar rather than donate, I look at the selfless acts of my fellow students.” I smiled as I showed him some of the good works being done around campus.

Carl’s brow furled, and I gave him a quizzical look. “This all seems great, Jonah. I mean, I’m all for charity.” I nodded. Carl taught me that gay people could be generous and moral. “The thing is, it seems like bragging.”

I threw my arms up. “There you go again,” I said. “Is this what public school does to you? Why do you always have to be so negative? I’ve posted on here a couple times. It’s about inspiration, not acknowledgment.”

It was time to ask. “You should go to church with me sometime.”

“I don’t ask you to go to the gay bar,” he said, collapsing back on the iron-framed bunk. “Don’t ask me to go to church.” He looked away from me. The blood rushed out of his face, making his blue eyes appear sunken. “I met some evil people in a church once.”

I turned back toward my phone, looking at some pictures that my family sent me of my baby brothers. They didn’t send me pictures of my older sister, Mary, anymore. My parents wanted me to go to Christian College like she did, but I couldn’t miss out on the chance to enter the best pre-med program in the state.

“God loves you,” I reminded him. Carl nodded and returned to the adventures of Green Arrow.

***

The first time I had a wet dream, I was thirteen years old. I shared a room with Hosea and Malachi, both of which were chronic bedwetters. I barely knew what had happened, but I felt that my body had done something terribly wrong. I peed myself to hide the fact. When it happened again, I repeated the behavior.

Since I didn’t have the guts to ask my parents, I decided to consult my pastor.

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