Quick Reader

ShortStory by Mark Laming

Suzy’smind was anywherebut on her supermarket shop as she kept going over the events of last Tuesdaynight’s creative writing course at the community centre. One of the members of their writing group, Simon, had shown his true colours and unleashed so much unhappiness. Like everyone at the meeting, she was staggered when it was his turntoread out his homework and those harsh words had slipped from his lips. He’d based his composition on their home town of Blackpool and named his fellow writers in the quirky tale.

Simon’sshort piecesaw them all trapped in the Blackpool Tower lift. The only problem was that he thought he was being terribly clever using their actual names and describing their personalities, warts and all. Throughout the encounter,hewas dismissive of any flair they may have had for story-telling and stitched them all into his fictional piece called ‘Quick Reader’.All hell had broken loose. Their mentor,Paul, wearing his redbow tieand the sternest of looks, had had words with Simon. Even after he had left, the rest of the group were still reelingfromhis acid remarks.

Suzy switched her attention to the weekly food shop and pushed the trolley with the dodgy front wheels in the direction of the pasta and sauces aisle. She stopped in her tracks on spotting Simon’swife, Jane, who looked like she had put on even more weight than the last time they met up at the Christmas party.Inavoice laced with sarcasm she called out, ‘Has your husband got stuck in any morelifts?’

Jane grimaced and whispered, ‘Oh, it’s you. I’ve already had someone from your writing class blank me in the street.’

‘And you wonder why –your husband’s homework is the talk of our group. What was he thinking about rubbishing us like that?’

‘I’m not defending what he did, but he’s really ashamed and upset.’

Waving her arms in frustration Suzy replied, ‘He’supset,hewasn’tthe onebeing pulled to bits.’

‘He always wanted to be awriter.’

Suzy was confused, ‘Now,holdonthere, what do you mean wanted to be awriter?

He’spenned some of the best stuff in the group. It was just his last one that really offended us.’

Jane took adeepbreathand went for it. ‘But he didn’twrite Quick Reader –Idid and all his other stories, even the novel he tried to get published.’

‘You! Oh, my God. That doesn’tmake any sense. Youdon’t even come to the classes.’

‘My husband always wanted to write but, the truth is, he couldn’t. Even jotting down a note for the milkman was achallenge. So, in the end Idid all his homework and the more creative Ibecame, the moreI enjoyed it.’

With ashaking of her head Suzy said, ‘Tell me you arekidding that all those things he read outwereyours,theywere incredible. That explains why he objected to doing the class writing exercises –he just did his homework and all along it was your work he read out. Ihave to say,without anydoubt,webelieved he was the most talented out of us all but the credit should have gone to you.’

Jane looked embarrassed with the compliment and leant down to pick up a pack of long grain rice, muttering, ‘Oh, that’sgood, the sell by date is next year.’

‘So, if you wrote Quick Reader,how did you know so much about the rest of our members and why did you dream up something so cruel?’

Jane steadied herself against her trolley and took adeep breath beforeanswering. ‘I’m really sorry but you have to understand Iwas furious with Simon. For years I enjoyed creating those tales and longed to join your writing circle.’

‘This is all terribly sad, if only you’d joined our sessions and not him, it would have made sense. He had no right pretending. Youstill haven’tanswered my question –how did you know so much about us and what made you write such horrible things?’

Jane coughed nervously without covering her mouth. ‘I was content to stand in the wings knowing Iwas the writer and not him. Over the years he mentioned all of you in great detail and Ijust had to write this final piece.’

‘Had to?’

‘Yes, put an end to his dream of becoming an author.You see Idiscovered he’d been unfaithful and Ihad given him another chance but this was payback time.’

Suzy looked stunned and shook her head vigorously.‘Oh, Jane, that’sawful. Do you know who the other woman was?’

Jane started to fiddle with her supermarket ‘bag for life’ and said, ‘Nope, but Ihave my suspicions it was someone in his office.’

‘But why did you have to lash out at us all?’

‘That’seasy.Iwanted to make him squirm for all those times he took the credit for my writing. Reluctantly he agreed to read my story which Iknew would mean him being asked to leave the group and lose you all as friends.’

‘Wow.’

Jane smiled when she said, ‘I told him to read it quickly as therewould be fireworks, hence the title for my final homework –Quick Reader.’ In amatter-of-fact voice she quickly added, ‘Now,Ireally must finish my shopping so I’ll say goodbye.’

Suzy watched Simon’swife slowly push the trolley down the aisle and out of sight. The revelation that this woman had dreamt up all those wonderful stories Simon had read out as his own was too much to take in.

She told herself, it was lucky Jane didn’t know that she was the lady who’d stolen her husband’skisses. She wondered if Simon had any moresecrets.