My Next Guest

Fiction in The Obsessive World of Podcasting

“Thanks for listening to the “It’s True, But We Never Knew” podcast, I’m Kelsey Confidential. As always, thanks to our sponsor, Warren Home and Auto, for all your insurance needs, and to  Dr. Sylvia Leach for helping me gain the confidence to follow my dreams talking about your worst nightmares.

Tune in next week and tell your friends to subscribe to the best obscure crimecast in the Great Lakes.”

Kelsey turned off all the podcasting equipment and covered it in plastic sheeting. The basement of their old craftsman on Coldwater Road got really dusty.

She picked up her smokes and a bag of watermelon Jolly Ranchers and walked up the stairs.

One day she’d quit.

It was ironic to her that Dr. Leach had convinced her to do the podcast, and wanted her to quit smoking, but the stress of doing the podcast had made it unrealistic for her to quit.

At the top of the steps she hesitated.

I should just toss these damn things to the bottom of the stairs and sit in the garage sucking on Jolly Ranchers and drawing.

Kelsey made an underhand motion with the cigarettes, and a few candies spilled over the top of the bag. She didn’t let go of the smokes.

She shoved the soft pack in her back pocket, hoping she’d sit on them when she got out to the garage and opened the side door.

Kelsey heard a wheezy inhale. Then someone slapped her across the face.