A mother and her young daughter have a long trip home. During a brief stop at the gas station that sees the nine year old make an extravagant purchase of snacks and trading cards, it leads to an argument. Words said in anger come back to haunt the mother when a freak accident changes everything. “Whole Again” from THE DROWNING MACHINE AND OTHER OBESSIONS by author Emma E. Murray explores the terrifying aftermath of a mother spiraling into despair that transforms into a macabre miracle.
Lift your spirits by dusting off a short story and sharing it with us. Submit your own short story to the Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.
The Plot
An unnamed mother and her daughter, Cora, are traveling late at night to get home. Cora is a self-assured nine-year-old but still immature and naïve. When the mother stops at a gas station, her tiredness leads her to absently send Cora into the station to buy a snack. Cora’s naivete results in her purchasing three bags full of treats. The little girl isn’t aware of the financial implications to her mother of her rash actions. The mother leans into her exhaustion and frayed nerves with a verbal outburst directed towards the young girl. The mother regrets her actions but sets that aside when yet another situation to address presents itself.
Shortly after continuing the journey home, the low tire pressure light alerts the mother, and she pulls to the side of the road. Another financial decision she must make is whether to attempt changing the tire herself or call a roadside service. As she contemplates her options, Cora gets out of the car and asks her mother if she needs help. The mother snaps at her.
As Cora plays with her trading cards, one falls to the ground. The mother sees the headlights, but Cora doesn’t. The result is the mother’s mental breakdown until a miracle occurs…
Little by little, Cora returns to her.
What Lies Underneath
The dynamics of a parent and child is explored in all its complexity in “Whole Again”. A parent can most definitely love their child even when that child makes them upset or feel overwhelmed and lash out toward their child. The mother in this story is dealing with a perfect storm of competing emotions that come to a head at the most imperfect time. The rest of the story tries to answer the question…
Is it possible to will someone back into existence? The mother certainly tries.
What Makes It Killer
“Whole Again” explores grief and what that can do to the human psyche. Emma E. Murray does a poignant job of taking the reader through the devasting loss and the hope that this mother has of having her daughter back, whole again, if you will.
The Drowning Machine and Other Obsessions
Short Story Title: “Whole Again” by Emma E. Murray
Book Title: The Drowning Machine and Other Obsessions
Publisher: Undertaker Books
Represented by Clara Chuiton at The Rights Factory
Emma’s Socials:
