Fiction: My Mother's Cassette Tape

By Andy Graber

Sitting on the toilet bowl in my mother's bedroom, I suddenly screamed out in horror!

2 Days Ago:

My mom had been sick for months. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of weeks, if not days before my mother would succumb to her death.

My name is Bob and I am forty years old. My parents had only one child, and that child happened to be me. My dad passed away when I was very young, so I really can't recall any memories of him at all. Actually, I don't remember much of anything, to be honest. I just remember being extremely nervous and very quiet most of the time.

Sadly, I found out some things from my childhood that I must have completely blocked out of my mind only hours ago, after listening to my mother's message on her cassette tape.

Who would have ever expected this, I uttered to myself in confusion and sadness? I surely didn't!

Why was my mom so angry at my father?

Where did all of her hatred towards him come from?

Unfortunately, those questions can never be answered.

I have no Aunt's or Uncle's as far as I know, while mom didn't have any friends, either.

Anyway, I remember visiting my mom at the hospital two days ago, in what would ultimately be the very last time that I would see her alive. I didn't know that at the time, however. 

To the best of my recollection, this is how my last visit at the hospital went with my mother. 

Hi, mom. 

Oh, hello Bob.

I'm so glad that you came to visit me, son. It's been a while since you last visited me.

I'm sorry, mom. I just can't stand seeing you in this condition.

Can you understand, mom?

I do, son. I do.

How are you feeling, mom?

Well, I have my good moments as well as my bad ones, son.

Right now.

I am not in any pain.

Son.

Yes, mom?

As you know, I don't really know how much longer I have to live. That being said, now would be the perfect time for me to tell you something that I made especially for you.

What is it, mom?

What did you make for me?

When I was diagnosed  with stage four cancer, I knew that my days were numbered. That being said, I made a tape recording message for you on my old cassette recorder. I made the tape as a way for you to always hear my voice whenever you wanted too, son.

Although rarely recalling any closeness whatsoever with my mother, I still gave my mom a long loving embrace and began to cry.

Once my time is up on earth, that is when I want you to  listen to my tape, son.

Not while I am still alive.

Understand, son?

Of course, mom.

Whatever you want, I'll do.

I left my old tape recorder in my top bedroom drawer. You can't miss it.

Ok, mom.

After an hour of being with mom, a nurse came into the room and told me that visiting hours were over.

I hugged my mom goodbye, although it felt really awkward, and wished her a peaceful rest of her evening.

Tomorrow came, and I got a call from the hospital telling me that my mom had passed away late last evening.

Although I was expecting to hear the news eventually, I didn't think it would be so quick. I felt as if I were a frozen icicle.

Mom was cremated just as she had wished. I have her urn on top of her bedroom night table.

The weekend came, and I suddenly remembered what my mom had told me at the hospital.

That's right, I forgot all about my mother's tape recording message that she made just for me.

I went to her bedroom and took out her old cassette recorder.

Oh my God, this is going to be kind of spooky, I uttered to myself while having mixed feelings of not knowing what was on the tape.

I pressed play and began listening to mom's message.

Hi, son, this is mom. I just wanted to tell you that I wish I had never given birth to you. You looked and acted exactly like your goddamn father, and that made me sick to my stomach! I killed your father, Bob. Did you know that? I made it look like an accident, and the police fell for it. I was always such a good actress. On numerous occasions, I wanted to kill you as well! However, I never did. Instead, what I did to you when you were growing up was far worse than death…

I heard my mother's voice giggling like a young little girl, while standing in her bedroom in complete disbelief.

Well, son, I guess that just about wraps up what I wanted to say to you. I hope you enjoyed hearing my voice for the final time, as I heard her giggles coming from the cassette tape. Bye, son. See you again one day. Mommy wants to see you again!

Suddenly, in a fit of rage, I smashed her tape recorder to the floor as hard as I could.

Although shattered and broken, I somehow mysteriously kept hearing my mother's voice on the broken tangled up cassette tape.

Hi, son. Hope to see you again one day.

Hi, Bob, I killed your father!

Hi, Bob, hope to see you again one day.

Hi son, you looked and acted just like your goddamn father. That made me sick to my stomach!

Finally, I couldn't take it any longer!

I took her urn and went to the bathroom to flush my mother's ashes down the toilet bowl.

While opening her urn, I heard mom's voice again.

Hi, son, you looked and acted just like your goddamn father. Seeing and hearing you made me sick to my stomach! Hope to see you again one day, son! Mommy wants to see you again one day.

I began hearing those eerie creepy giggles of hers again, and again, and again! 

Finally, I dumped my mother's ashes into the toilet bowl, and dropped my pants feeling like I needed to take a crap.

Suddenly, I felt watery hands touching my naked ass coming from inside the toilet bowl, as I screamed out in horror.

Andy Graber in addition to writing, also likes to solve riddles, sing and create various types of art.