The Happy People

"Honey, I'm home!" a smiling man declared as he entered a clean home to a smiling wife and chidren, who rushed over and hugged him before the children entered the living room and the wife moved into the kitchen: the sound of cheering echoed across the entire area, like an audience from an old television show.

Before long the children returned carrying an old smoking pipe and a pair of slippers, which they gave to their father - recieving a pat on the head as he motioned them off towards the old television set and they ran excitedly over.

Taking a seat in his chair the man lit his pipe and turned on the television, the black and white world in which the family existed suddenly turned into vivid color as the television showed images of shootings and other atrocities from across the modern world.

The children clapped excitedly as the father nodded, taking his paper as he began to read - letting his children watch the grisly images as if they were Saturday morning cartoons.

After a few moments the wife came into the room carrying a plate full of apple pie - she looked over to the television and smiled at her husband:

"..oh honey, you'll spoil them.." she said.

"nonsense, I pay good money for that television - may as well make use of it.. besides, it keeps them happy.." the man replies, putting away his paper as he took the plate.

"..I know.. how was work?" the woman replied as she took a seat on a nearby sofa.

"can't complain as long as they pay me can I? we caught a screamer today.." the man said, taking a fork and digging into the apple pie.

"oh! you haven't had a screamer in a long time - I suppose you got extra?" the woman enquired.

"no deal, I'm afraid - sure, it was a screamer but it was no bleeder.. you know how it works: no blood, no pay.." the man said, taking a bite of the apple pie.

"..I'm sorry honey.." the woman said.

"ah, don't worry about it - we have plenty of others.. bound to be a couple of real bleeders.. like last year.." the man said.

"oh yes, that was quite lovely - you even brought one home.. the children were ever so happy.." the woman smiled.

"..that reminds me, honey - have you fed the lurker yet?" the man said.

The woman's eyes grew wide and she gasped slightly, getting to her feet as she dashed out the room "..oh! I completely forgot! poor dear will be starving!".

"..I told you to take care of it, you know lurkers don't last long without food!" the man shouted, growing angry: canned laughter surfacing from the unseen audience.

"..I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the woman called out, rushing into the kitchen and taking a slab of meat before she ran to the hallway.

"I'll show you sorry, you useless piece of crap!" the man yelled, getting to his feet and tossing the plate across the room - shattering it against the wall and storming into the hallway: the canned laughter once again erupting from the invisible audience.

The children completely ignored this scene as they giggled to one another, watching the carnage on the television screen.

"..I'm sorry! I-!" the woman said, opening the door to the basement and tossing the slab of meat down a set of stairs - as she did so the man came up behind her and shoved her down the stairs: the canned laughter now grew hysterical.

"if that lurker is dead I'm going to break your damn spine.." he growled, racing down the stairs after her.

However by the time the man reached the bottom of the stairs a thin figure had already grabbed the slab of meat and began devouring it, resembling a human male with long hair and chains wrapped around his arms and legs - only a pair of briefs keeping him modest as he crouched down like an animal: evoking an "aww!" sound from the audience.

The man smiled as he stood up, letting the woman get to her feet as he nodded a little:

"..well, look at that honey - the lurker is doing just fine.." he declared.

"..y-yes.. he is, isn't he?" the woman replied.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you honey, tell you what - how about you make me a nice slice of apple pie and we can watch some more shows before we put the children to bed?" the man said, wrapping an arm around the woman as she nodded slightly.

"..of course, honey.. I'll be more careful next time.. I promise.." the woman said as the couple went back up the stairs to the sound of riotous applause.