*****AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know some of my stories tend to be a wee bit magical and fantastical, so this is my attempt at a more down-to-earth, realistic story, that readers can relate to in their everyday lives. I think this story deals with difficult issues we all face daily. Reviews, suggestions and critiques are welcome and encouraged!*****

Hangin' With Mr. Taylor

It's a typical day in the Taylor house. Jill is packing the kids school lunches, cooking a delicious breakfast, and Tim is getting ready for work. Mark comes down the stairs.

MARK: Hey Mom.

JILL: Good morning honey! I'm cooking your favorite!

MARK: You're the best, Mom!

Brad and Randy walk into the kitchen. Brad looks sick.

RANDY: Brad…you don't look so good…

BRAD: I think I drank too much last night at that party. You know…it must have been all that alcohol I consumed!

JILL: Brad that isn't funny!

BRAD: Hah! Just kidding Mom! I would never disobey your command!

JILL: You better not! OR ELSE!

Jill smiles and serves the boys their morning breakfast. Tim walks in.

TIM: Good morning family!

They all say "good morning" in unison. Tim has 3 whistles around his neck. One labeled Brad, one labeled Randy, and one labeled Mark. He blows the Mark one and Mark screams in pain.

MARK: Dad, stop it! That hurts!

TIM: Haha! I hand crafted these whistles! They are like dog whistles, but for children! I made them specifically to get your attention if I need you.

*Audience laughs*

The boys go to school and get all "A's" on everything and come home. Brad looks worse than he did this morning. Tim walks in blowing the Brad whistle.

BRAD: AHHH! STOP IT!

TIM: OAAAAUUGGGHHHH!!! I need your help, Brad. Come here.

Brad walks into the garage and Tim has 3 robots that he has made that look exactly like Brad, Randy, and Mark.

BRAD: Um, Dad? What are those? They look creepy!

TIM: These are your replacements if you die. Your mother and I couldn't stand to lose any of you and this will insure that we won't! I've been making them and updating them since you were born, Brad. Now I need to test it out.

*Audience claps*

BRAD: Cool, how do they work?

TIM: Well, I need something from you, Brad. This might hurt a little.

Tim starts blowing the Brad whistle extremely hard over and over again. Brad falls to the floor in pain.

BRAD: AHHHHH!!!

Tim grabs a wrench out of his toolbox while blowing the whistle. He walks over to brad and starts beating him in the head until he stops moving.

TIM: I'm sorry, Brad. We were always disappointed in you since you were caught with weed. I need your flesh to cover the Bradbot.

Brad still alive, Tim starts carefully removing his flesh and puts it successfully on the Bradbot and turns it on.

BRADBOT: ELLO PA-PA! MY NAME IS BRAD! *bzz bzz*

TIM: Hey son! Good to have you back! Now go inside and play!

Bradbot walks inside. Jill, Mark, and Randy see him.

JILL: Hey honey! What did Dad want?

BRADBOT: OH YOU KNOW DAD! HA HA HA! *bzz bzz*

JILL: There is something different about you, Brad.

BRADBOT: *bzz bzz* WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!

JILL: Did you get a new haircut?

*Audience laughs*

Meanwhile, Tim is in the garage tying Brad's fleshless body to the ceiling like a marionette.

TIM: OAAUUGGGHHH OOOOOOAAAUUUGGGGHH OOAAAUUUGGGHHHH!!!

Brad wakes up and realizes he has no flesh.

BRAD: AHHH! THE PAIN!

Tim starts blowing the whistle and Brad screams some more!

TIM: With this whistle YOU WILL DO MY BIDDING FOR ALL ETERNITY! NOW DANCE!

Tim starts pulling the strings on the ceiling making Brad's fleshless body dance. After about 3 hours of this, Tim gets bored and goes inside.

TIM: Hey Brad! How's it hanging buddy!

BRADBOT: GOOD PA-PA! *bzz bzz*

Tim goes outside to talk to Wilson.

TIM: Wilson? You out here?

WILSON: Heidy-Ho good neighbor!

*Audience cheers*

TIM: Wilson, I have a problem. I just skinned my own son and used his flesh on a robot I made to look like him and then I tied his body up like a marionette so I could make him dance for me…how do I tell Mark and Randy?

WILSON: Oh Tim…well, from my personal experience as I have several relatives skinned and hoisted up like marionettes in my house…the way I told me kids is I waited until they fell asleep and I stabbed them in the jugular while they were sleeping. This caused a massive blood spurt to spray out of the neck. What you need to do then is drink as much of it as you can and you will absorb your children.

TIM: Thanks Wilson!

Tim walks inside and his whole family is nailed to the wall, bleeding profusely. Bradbot is malfunctioning all over the place.

BRADBOT: Malfunction…MALFUNCTION! KILL KILL KILL! *bzz bzz*

TIM: Oh no! MY FAMILY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! This is ALL BRAD'S FAULT!

Tim turns Bradbot off using his remote control that he made and storms into the garage where Brad is hanging in pain.

TIM: You did this… YOU DID THIS!

BRAD: Dad? What do you mean! Help me!

Tim tortures Brad for 3 years straight doing every means to keep him alive until his body finally gives up.

Fades to black.

THE END