It smelt like something dying.

Julie had smelt Darren’s vomit and faeces every day for a year, so she was used to bad smells, but this was something different, something rotten. She held her Darren closer.

Around the circle, the other Mothers had noticed it too. Some refused to make a scene and sat with a fixed smile in their perfect clothes, others wrinkled their noses and nudged the person next to them – “do you smell that?” … “awful, it wasn’t mine.” It took a moment for a prim Asian lady to perk up and ask, “can anyone else smell that?”

The circle burst out in agreement. Everyone had something to say about the smell and everyone wanted to be heard but…

In the corner sat a large- no, enormous, peeped a voice in the back of Julie’s mind – woman. She was silent. An impassive face stared out from between curtains of ropey, brown hair, looking just past Julie’s head. In her lap was a tiny child, and the woman moved her meaty palms over it.

One by one, the Mothers realised the woman’s silence and stopped chatting.

“I’m quite sure it’s nothing at all.” The elderly woman running the group said.

And the meeting went on. Breast-feeding, toilet-training, burping. But still, under it all… the smell.

“-stop him being sick?”

“Feed him with a spoon, that works for- “

Julie’s breath caught in her throat and she coughed quietly, hoping no one would notice – that the woman would not notice.

“-meant to be yellow?”

“I think that’s a sign of –“

She pulled Darren closer to her chest and tried not to stare.

“- beetroots and potatoes, always does the trick for my little one.”

“But beetroot is simply awful for their digestion.”

“Where did you- “

“Look, I’m sorry but what is that smell?”

It was the prim lady again. The others were nodding, ready to break into rowdy agreement when –

“Shut up.” The large woman said.

“Excuse me?” The prim woman sounded shocked.

The large woman said nothing.

“Excuse me, Miss… your name?” The group-leader had chipped in and Julie could see the fright on her wrinkled face.

A pause.

“Clarence.”

“Clarence, we don’t talk like that here.”

A vein stood out on Clarence’s sweaty forehead. Her arms started to twitch- that poor child- and her round face became red. “I- I’m sorry. I’m new to it all.”

A few sympathetic murmurs and, for a blissful second, Julie thought it would all blow over.

But: “You can’t speak to me that way!” The prim lady had stood up and was walking over to Clarence.

Quiet simmered.

Clarence stood up, her child still mummified in her arms. “I-I’m sorry for what I sa-“

“I don’t care. Our babies shouldn’t have to hear your foul language.”

The prim lady had the upper-hand, but then Clarence headbutted her in the face.

Afterwards, Mothers would tell the police how Clarence had “thrown herself on the poor woman, bashed her skull in”, and the police would believe it, for only such a full-bodied assault could destroy a face that way. But it was only a headbutt. And it was powerful. The prim lady’s face seemed to cave inwards, and her short scream became muffled in Clarence’s enormous, sweaty head.

“It was like they were kissing”, one of the toddlers would say.

Then the prim lady crumpled to the floor.

Screams shattered the silence.

Julie was forced off her chair by a wave of Mothers – furious, terrified, confused Mothers– and swept away from Clarence, who stood still and silent above the prim lady’s heaped form, and for a terrified moment Julie thought she had lost Darren, but he was in her arms, he was safe. And still, the smell lingered.

“Calm down everybody!” The group-leader called out.

Here was a voice of calm, here was protection, their children were safe now.

“Stop her!”

“Call the police!”

The shouting was so loud that Julie could not hear what the elderly woman said to Clarence, but, even from afar, she could make out the fear that had settled like a caul on her wrinkled face.

“Get us out of here!”

The shouting got louder so Julie could not hear what Clarence was saying as she placed her child on the floor – oh, sweet Jesus, somebody save that child– nor what she said as she took a step forward.

“Run! She’s going to-”

The sound of the fist connecting to her wrinkled face broke through the shouting. The body did not even totter, it slammed down atop the prim lady’s and lay still.

Then, amid the screams, Clarence picked up her child and, with impossible speed, moved in front of the only exit. There was anger on her face. There was fury.

“I can’t help the smell!” Clarence wailed, looking down at her child. “He keeps… he just keeps making a smell.”

“Get away from the door!”

“You’re crazy, I’ve called the police.”

“Don’t leave, please. I’ll get upset if you leave.” Clarence pushed a ropey string of hair from her face and smiled a rotten smile.

Julie held Darren closer, bringing his tiny head into her bosom, wrapping her arms around him so the woman could not get to him, so the smell could not get to him. You’re safe, my sweet, you’re safe you’re safe you’re

A Mother: “Get out of the way, you stupid – “

“Stop!” It took Julie a moment to realise it was her own voice. You idiot, he’s in danger now. She’s looking at us, at him, and she’s going to hurt him. She continued: “Clarence, I think you should let us past, it’ll be better for all of us that way.” It’s not worked, you idiot, she’s going to pounce just like she pounced on the prim lady and the old lady.

“I… I want to carry on with the group. I didn’t want to disturb everything.” Clarence sounded confused. She was a beast used to conflict and talking was something new.

“We will carry on, but later. Look at the time, the group has ended now anyway.” Stupid thing to say, she’ll never fall for that! The time! Who cares about the time?

Clarence looked over her shoulder at the clock on the wall. “Is it… I didn’t realise, I’ve never been to one of these before. I just wanted James to make a friend.” She smiled down at her baby and it was not a terrible smile.

“James? That’s a sweet name, I think he will make friends. But you should let us out now and James can make friends later.”

Clarence looked up from little James. “You’re trying to trick me.”

And it was over. “No, I’m just – “

“Don’t try to trick me you slimy bitch!” Clarence roared.

Julie did not think. She turned to protect Darren as she suddenly heard the pound-pound-pound of Clarence running towards her –

you slimy bitch

and, in desperation, she reached out to find something to protect Darren, to save Darren from the

you slimy bitch

Her hand found something.

Bang.

…

Julie stood above Clarence’s crumpled body. Darren was crying and she pulled his tiny body into hers. You’re safe, my sweet, you’re safe it’s all over.

Below them, blood leaked from the giant woman’s head, pooling around the dented chair lying on the floor.

The scary lady is gone, it’s just you and me and

A baby was mewling in the giant lady’s arms.

It’s just you and me

And the air smelt

you and me

Rotten.

***

“Kitty did not sleep well the night of the murder”… More horror shorts with Sleepy Head