Valentine's Day

by James J. Gormley

By the light of the moon, John slowly brought his pickup to a stop at the bottom of the dark, tree-lined gravel road.

He was excited. His wife had agreed to meet him here on Valentine's Day, at their old makeout spot. After he got out and walked over to the picnic tables, he saw Kelli at one of the other redwood tables, sitting down, smiling, with a beer raised.

'Happy Valentine's Day!'� she shouted over as she put her bottle down and popped open John's as he ran over. 'You, too, you hot sexy thing!'� said John as he swung her around, trying not to hit the table which had the beer and the bags of munchies.

As John put her down, he noticed a small wool blanket on the table. 'What's that?,'� he asked.

'Go ahead, it's a surprise'� she said, smiling. As John whipped off the blanket with a magician-like flourish, the "Ta Da" words caught in his throat.

In a pie pan there was an impossibly bloody mound of meat; it was, John realized with horror, a human heart.

'What in the hell is this!?'� he asked.

'I read those e-mails you sent to that little whore on that sex site. And after I killed her'of course she thought she was meeting you'I just thought giving you her heart today would be so appropriate.'�

John stumbled, then fell down on his knees in shock.

'My only question is, shall I cut or shall you?'� Kelli asked as she held a bright, silver meat cleaver.