The Death of Me
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The time: the 1960s. The place: a mid-sized town in northern Florida.
Police patrolling a middle-class neighborhood discover Waldo Fleenor bleeding profusely in the driveway of his own home. As the officers wait for an ambulance¸ stanch the young man's wounds¸ and question him about his attacker¸ Waldo mentally revisits past events that led to his present situation.
The trouble begins with the arrival of his baby brother¸ Jamie¸ who replaces three-year-old Waldo as the primary object of their parents' affection.
As time passes¸ the differences between the brothers become more apparent. While intelligent¸ sensitive Waldo grows up homely and sickly¸ Jamie develops into a handsome¸ athletic youth. By the time the siblings reach their teens¸ the contrast between popular¸ good-natured Jamie and brooding outcast Waldo is as obvious as day and night.
Waldo's vague animosity towards his brother crystallizes into bitterness. Ultimately¸ Waldo decides the only way he can step into the light is to eliminate the long shadow cast by his brother. For Waldo to truly live¸ Jamie must die¸ and Waldo sets in motion a twisted plan to remove his hated rival once and for all.
A novella.
Available in EPUB¸ Kindle and PDF formats.