First published back in June of 1987, A.G. Gersdorf’s short story ‘The Bird’ was released as a stand-alone story for the Fastback ‘Horror’ series. Fastbacks were designed to encourage reluctant readers to take up reading, keeping the stories short, sharp and exciting.
The story was later reprinted within the ‘Claws & Feathers’ (1989) Fastback Anthology.
The story was later reprinted within the ‘Claws & Feathers’ (1989) Fastback Anthology.
When Rhoda Snider was crushed to death after the bleachers collapsed during a water-ballet show on the university campus, her husband simply felt a sense of relief. David Culpepper had been married to Rhoda for ten long years, over which she had gradually worn him down.
David knew Rhoda too had been far from happy with her chosen partner. She’d not even taken his surname after they married. Determined to keep her family name which was so tightly associated with the university.
But now she was gone forever, and David couldn’t help but feel free. Although for whatever reason, he couldn’t seem to shake Rhoda’s lasting presence. Her loudmouthed mynah bird even had his dead wife’s voice. Imitating Rhoda’s resentful tones so well. It was like hearing her from the grave, forever complaining about one thing or another.
David had been given a week off work to mourn. But all the time that despicable bird kept screeching at him. Driving him to distraction. It got to the point where he had to rid himself of it. Let it loose into the world. But even that wasn’t enough. The bloody thing kept coming back. Calling out to him from the porch rail directly outside their apartment.
“David, why did you kill me?”… Why was it saying such things? Why wouldn’t it just go? Moreso, why did he constantly feel so guilty?...
For this double-fastback we have a downbeat and altogether miserable story, that tries to tiptoe somewhere between a strange psychological horror and oddly a black comedy. Not that it’s actually got all that much in it that’ll have you smirking. Essentially, it’s all focused on this poor fella’s miserable life, how he’s been emotionally overruled and held back for the last ten years. Unable to follow the life and career he actually wanted.
But now he’s free… only he can’t seem to shake the lasting impression of his dead wife. This is all projected through her loudmouthed mynah bird – Patty – which he soon renames Mac, another small thing to try to cut all ties with his previous life.
David also has a cat – Alex – who he adores. A cat which you see him putting all his love and affection into. This is of course because he’s lonely and in need of emotional support. Although he has a couple of close friends, it’s David’s interactions with these two contrasting pets where we see the broken man struggling.
So yeah, it’s not exactly a laugh-a-minute. Unfortunately, though, the story doesn’t really take us much further than this. A glimmer of hope for a new life, that’s cut short in sudden tragedy. Or is it revenge? Who knows?! It’s not exactly an accomplished tale. It certainly doesn’t have a clearly defined ending, but rather a mildly ironic conclusion.
The Fastback runs for a total of 59 pages (which are just 4” x 5.5” with an average word count of around 100 words per page).
© DLS Reviews
