Tim Law is an author of fantasy, horror, detective and general short story fiction as well as the occasional poem or two. He heralds from a little town in Southern Australia called Murray Bridge. A happily married father of three children (plus four cats and a rabbit), family is very important to him. Currently working at the Murray Bridge Library in the role of Library Manager he has dreamed since his early high school years of becoming a full-time author. Working for a library, surrounded by so many wonderful authors it is difficult not to be inspired to write. Tim finds inspiration from playing board games, family movie night, family time and the world around him. The greatest inspiration of all for him comes from asking the golden question “what if?”

The Sad Story of My Brother Vin

My brother Vin, he lives in our bin. Lucky for us, he’s incredibly thin. He survives most days on tonic and gin. So hard to discuss the trouble he’s in. It is a sad, sad story, that of my brother Vin.

Vin gives a shout, whenever we go out. When we say he can’t come then he gives us a pout. We know though that Vin is a terrible lout. Every night he is with us ends like a boxer’s bout.

Vin once had his Mary, a woman so scary. I always thought her arms and her legs were too hairy. Vin always said that she was his fairy. Granted his wishes did Vin’s girl Mary.

For the years Vin had her, they are all one big blur. Happiness, smiles, and a character slur. Vin took offense to a young whelp, a cur. The kid tried to woo Mary as a wine connoisseur.

Vin rolled his dice. He was not very nice. The young man’s throat with a broken bottle Vin did slice. Mary made a sound that resembled some mice, then clutched at her heart as she fell into some slice.

The day Mary did die, oh how poor Vin he did cry. He still lets out the occasional sigh. Poor Vin, needing to know why? What did his Mary want with that guy? We all so want to tell him, but we’re afraid he’ll detect our lie.

Mary once said, she needed Vin dead, afraid of him she was as they slept in their bed. She dreamed each night that he’d stain the sheets red. Each morning Mary checked that she still had her head. I told Mary that I feared not for her but for Vin instead.

So sad that she was right, that Vin was the fright. Now money is tight as we keep Vin out of sight. Each time we see that blue and red flashing light, we think with delight that perhaps over is our plight.

Should the police knock at our door, we’d be hiding no more. Isolation is such a complete and utter bore. I wonder if Vin will ever call a war, go down fighting and settle some imagined score. Some battle only he knows he has with the law.

Until then I’m guessing, in camo I’m dressing. With my daddy’s old shotgun I’ll be a-messing. All of this is simply because my brother is stressing. Vin’s stressing is sadly with my dressing just messing.

Vin is awaiting the day when he gets blown away, then with his Mary he hopes he will stay. I honestly don’t know what to say. The way that I see it, it is too great a price to pay.

Until that day comes true, I’m trusting you. It might be that one day I’ll need to shoot through. Until then I guess I just do what I do. You’d do the same if on your foot was my shoe. Now my heart is so blue. You look at me sadly as if you already knew.