In Depends Day

CRACK

BOOM

RATTLE

Johnny and Billy looked at each other with mutual exasperation.

"We celebrating December 12th now?" said Johnny as another burst of fireworks went off.

"At least grandpa isn't waking up," said Billy. He nodded to the old man sleeping on the armchair in the corner of the room.

BOOM

BOOM

POP

"That sounded like a gunshot."

RATTLE

Suddenly, the old man jerked upright and yelled.

"What!"

"Just fireworks, Grandpa," said Johnny. "Go back to sleep."

He reclined back into the chair, and resumed snoring.

It was a few minutes later that they noticed the smell.

"Johnny, I changed his Depends last night. It's your turn," said Billy.

Johnny groaned and got up from the couch.

"I'll do it in the morning."

He walked past the window to the staircase. In the window behind him, heavy snow was falling and accumulating in the yard.

"Johnny, wake up! We have to shovel Mr. Tiedeman's driveway," called Billy into his bedroom.

"Let me sleep..." mumbled Johnny.

"No bro, he doesn't pay us if it isn't done by 8. Get your ass up."

Johnny stirred and got out of his bed.

As he got dressed, he peered out of his window and saw the foot of snow blanketing their driveway.

"Ugh...it's gonna take an hour," he said to noone.

The brothers got their snowcoats on, and trudged outside. They walked down the street to Mr. Tiedeman's house three doors down. Mr. Tiedeman had better snow shovels, so they usually used his. Billy went to the garage door opener and attempted to open the cover. It was frozen shut, and did not respond to his tugging and pulling.

"He's got a remote inside, let's go ask him to open it."

They sloshed through the snow to the door, and knocked on the door.

No answer.

Johnny became impatient and pounded on the door with all his might. The door slowly swung open.

"Huh? Why is the door open?"

They tentatively walked inside.

"Mr Tiedeman!" they shouted. "Mr Tiedeman! Are you here?"

They walked slowly from the kitchen into the living room.

"Oh shit.." said Johnny.

A middle-aged man in a plaid flannel was laying on the living room floor, in a pool of blood.

Billy ran over to Mr. Tiedeman and tried to rouse him. The body was stiff and lifeless.

Billy turned around and stared wide-eyed at his brother.

"Johnny...he's dead bro..."

"What the fuck happened?"

"Bro there's a big hole on this side of his head...we have to call the cops."

"Was that a gunshot? What the fuck are they doing setting off fireworks in the winter?"

"Bro we need to go home and call the cops."

They hurried back out of the open door and trekked back through the snow to their house.

They walked inside, and cringed as the smell of feces hit their noses.