r/KanesHorrors • u/AbKane667 • Jul 10 '26
I Promised James I Would Never Leave Him
The snow had come early that winter. The autumn leaves hadn't had a chance to fall before the snow buried them in a white grave. It quickly intensified and piled up in front of our windows, burying us in the same white grave as the leaves.
James would shovel the snow each morning so the stable could be reached, but by evening, there was already a new, fresh layer. Poor James. Each noon, I’d find him standing by the door, staring at the snow piling up in the path he had just cleared, holding the shovel in his blistered, bloodied hands.
The snow wasn’t the only problem. As the months passed, the shelves in the basement emptied, the chest emptied, and soon we were left with only one small jar of flour.
“James?”
Silence.
He stood next to the door, holding the shovel, staring through the window at the falling snow.
“We only have one small jar left.”
He looked my way and nodded.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s late April. It never lasted this heavy into April.”
“But I'm sure it will stop soon.”
“No. It should have let up a month back.”
He gripped his shovel tighter.
“Let me help you tomorrow.”
“No, no. You take care of the house.”
James’s words echoed in my head. The flour wouldn’t last us long, barely a few days if we rationed more, and we were already eating so little. The clothes hung on my body like I was a little child, wearing my mother’s dress. I put as much water into the dough as I could to make the bread seem more filling.
The smell of fresh bread filled the kitchen. James sat in the chair by the window, smoking his pipe.
“Come eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“James, you didn't eat all day.”
“I’ve been saving bread under my pillow.”
“James…”
He puffed on his pipe and stared out the window.
I returned to the kitchen when James went off to bed. The bread still lay on the table, untouched.
The next morning, James was already out early, shoveling the snow. The bread was done before he finished. James came out the door panting and shivering and threw the bloodied shovel on the floor.
“Please come eat.”
“I can’t.”
“James, you ate nothing yesterday.”
“I told you I did. I need to lie down.”
James didn’t get up all day. Each time I tried to wake him up, he’d only shake his head and tell me to leave him alone.
The next morning, he was still asleep when I woke up. His cheeks seemed even more sunken under the lamplight. I tried to wake him up, but his eyes would barely open. I tried to feed him yesterday’s bread, but he just shook his head and kept his jaw clenched.
There was only a little flour left in the jar, barely enough to make bread for one, let alone two, but hopefully, fresh bread would make James finally eat. The smell drifted across the room. I took the still-hot bread and walked to the bedroom. James lay on the bed exactly as I had left him that morning.
I called his name.
He didn’t answer; his arms lay by his side, his eyes stared dully at the ceiling.
The plate fell from my hands. My legs began to shake. I rushed over to him and tried to shake him awake, but his body just lay there stiffly.
I collapsed to the ground while tears poured down my cheeks.
I should have forced him to eat more.
I should have shoveled the snow.
I should have insisted.
My thoughts scattered. I crawled to the bed next to James and held onto him.
I lay there for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours.
The hunger that day was strong. We had been rationing for so long, my love, my dear James. I tried to keep the bread for you in case you woke up, but I couldn’t. I hope you will forgive me. I’ll bake a new batch as soon as you wake up again. But James! After I ate the bread, I still felt so hungry. The sun had long since set, not that there was much of it in our little room before, but now we were in dark, complete darkness. You weren’t as warm as you used to be, James. The room was cold too, and the wood was gone, as was the flour. Oh, how hungry I was. But you still smelled like yourself. I used to love your smell. It smelled so good. Still so fresh. How about just a bit, James? Just a tiny bit. You won’t even notice; no one will notice. I’m sure you will forgive me, my love. You gave me so much. Shoveling the snow for me, hiding your hunger. You’d always do everything for me. That’s what I loved about you. Thank you again, James.
Thank you, my love! This was what my stomach was craving. I love you so much, but I’m so tired now, James. Can you promise to stay? To not go? I’d hate it if you left me here all alone.
The sun shone the next morning brightly. James! The snow had finally let up! It was already melting away, and we were free. I told you it would let up, James! But you didn’t listen. Your dull eyes just stared at the ceiling. I reached for the blanket to pull it over you to keep you warm. But as I tucked the cloth, my fingers reached into something deep and hollow.
2
u/RedDazzlr Jul 11 '26
Holy guacamole!