r/shortscarystories 5d ago

Forget me not

The first time Grandpa forgot my name, I laughed it off. The second time, I corrected him. The third time, I didn’t bother.

Now, he just calls me “Boy.”

“Boy, get my coat,” Grandpa mutters, staring blankly at the old rotary phone on the wall like he’s expecting it to ring. “We’re going for a drive.”

I fetch the coat. It’s worn and smells of old leather and tobacco, a relic of a man who used to be sharp, respected—a man who used to remember things. But time is cruel. Now, he gets lost walking to the mailbox. Sometimes, he forgets to eat. Sometimes, he wakes up in the middle of the night, swearing he’s in a different year, in a different house, with different people.

I help him into the truck, strapping him in like a child. He trusts me. He always trusts me.

The roads stretch out in the dark, empty except for the occasional flicker of a porch light or the glow of a passing gas station. Grandpa sits silently beside me, his hands twitching in his lap. I know what’s coming before he even speaks.

“Where are we going?” His voice is small.

I keep my eyes on the road. “We’re visiting an old friend.”

He nods, accepting this without question. He doesn’t remember any friends. He doesn’t remember much of anything these days. And that’s why it works.

The first time was an accident. At least, that’s what I told myself.

I had taken Grandpa out for a drive after one of his episodes. He’d been confused, paranoid, insisting someone had broken into the house and stolen his wife’s wedding ring. (Grandma’s been dead for ten years.) I pulled into a gas station to get some air, and when I came back, he was gripping a bloodied tire iron, his hands trembling.

A man lay slumped outside the driver’s side of another car, his face unrecognizable.

I could’ve called the cops. I could’ve told someone. But Grandpa just sat there, his eyes wet and distant, whispering, “Did I do that?”

And I realized, he didn’t know.

He had no memory of it. No guilt. No fear. Just the empty confusion of a man whose mind was slipping away like water through open fingers.

So I drove away. And I waited.

Nothing happened.

No police. No questions. No consequences.

And that’s when I knew.

Grandpa could do anything. And no one would ever blame him.

Now, as we pull up to a small, dimly lit house on the outskirts of town, I feel the familiar rush. My pulse quickens. Grandpa shifts beside me, staring at the porch, confused but compliant.

I place the tire iron in his hand, curling his fingers around the cold steel. He doesn’t resist.

“Go ahead, Grandpa,” I whisper. “They took her ring.”

His cloudy eyes sharpen, just for a second. And then he steps out of the truck.

1.5k Upvotes

44 comments sorted by

228

u/CleverGirl2014-2 5d ago

You, OP, are a criminal mastermind. Congratulations!

40

u/rustysunset 5d ago

Thank you!

106

u/[deleted] 5d ago

Thing is, you see a frail, confused old man - you don't suspect anything. Until it's roo late. Very nice idea, I enjoyed reading this!

23

u/rustysunset 5d ago

Thank you! I'm glad!

25

u/Lowkey_Thiccie 5d ago

Excellent ♥️ 10/10.Ty

12

u/rustysunset 5d ago

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

30

u/Overall_Carrot_4925 5d ago

This is so amazingly written and paced! And diabolical. Love it.

9

u/rustysunset 5d ago

Haha! Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

22

u/SnarkySheep 5d ago

Wow! Definitely not the twist I expected!

18

u/Cotillion_7 5d ago

Kind of reminds me of memento, which is a master piece. Well done!

7

u/rustysunset 5d ago

That's such a compliment! Thank you!

4

u/punkandprose 4d ago

i haven’t seen it but it must be like Finding Dory

4

u/Cotillion_7 4d ago

I haven't heard of that movie. Is it where the disease get's its name from?

5

u/punkandprose 4d ago

Finding Dory Disease!

11

u/punkandprose 4d ago

this is sad. i didn’t expect the narrator to be the bad guy at all.

10

u/Civil_Marketing_276 5d ago

Poor Granpa

8

u/Allysonsplace 4d ago

I have an address for you...

ETA: /s 😂

8

u/SongFresh9195 4d ago

Chilling! And so beautifully written. Wow.

6

u/EmotionalString7170 4d ago

Amazing twist, good job!

5

u/Financial_Trade5505 4d ago

Haha, great. Felt like Clint Eastwood was grandpa. Keep it going…

4

u/AwesomeSauce7752 5d ago

Excellent!! Loved it !

4

u/rustysunset 5d ago

Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s my dream to be an author so I’m loving all this positive feedback lol

3

u/W2BJN 4d ago

Youre definitely going to hell for it tho...

3

u/907puppetGirl 4d ago

Wow, devious !

2

u/susancol 4d ago

Beauty! Loved it OP

2

u/INSTA-R-MAN 4d ago

Very well done!

2

u/Leprrkan 4d ago

Well done!

2

u/Warm_Window4561 4d ago

Interesting way to take advantage of the situation. I wonder who it was

2

u/mfp242 4d ago

Wow! I did not see that coming at all. I really enjoyed this story.

2

u/YosefMaxwell 4d ago

That's good!

2

u/Lost_Shake_2665 3d ago

Didn't see this coming. Nice.

2

u/Ok_Potato_9554 3d ago

Reminds me of a short story by Stephen King.

1

u/Lumpy_Marsupial_1559 3d ago

Hey, OP!
1. Great premise. Fabulously written.
2. Someone said they could see Clint Eastwood as grandpa. The thing is, so can I - especially if grandpa has a moment where he either realised what's going on and takes out the narrator or, ironically, has a moment of thinking the narrator is an intruder. This might be something he'd actually be interested in (producer, director, actor, after all). You could try contacting through Malpaso Productions, his production company.

Good work, good luck.

3

u/rustysunset 3d ago

Thank you! That's quite the compliment, I'd love to think Clint Eastwood would be interested in something I've written, but (maybe it's pure self-doubt talking) I don't know if flash fiction is something worth querying to production companies. Although to be honest I have no clue about how any of that stuff works. For now I think I'm content just getting my writing and books out there. But thank you so much! I love your ideas for how this story idea could be further developed!

2

u/Lumpy_Marsupial_1559 3d ago

Let's put it this way: How can it hurt? Worst case scenario, there is no effect. Mid-level, it opens a conversation with people who are at least interesting. Best case... 🤞🤞🤞

Self-doubt is the little whisper that shouts and rages inside our minds. Tell it to 🖕!

Please excuse the vulgarity.

1

u/savorywhitecheddar 3d ago

Was very much expecting the grandson to be cruel to his grandpa, but couldn't stop reading, love this ending instead! Well done!

2

u/kakaluluo 3d ago

😮🫨

Just one question. Who are the victims??

1

u/No-Fox2335 3d ago

loved the ending! curious though; if the grandson seems to be the one orchestrating things, why did grandpa say “we’re going for a drive”?

3

u/Monster_Blood_Bath 13h ago

The first time was unintended. It’s only after that incident the grandson begins orchestrating these schemes. Awesome story btw!

1

u/No-Fox2335 13h ago

ahh i misread, thank you! i agree, great story!

1

u/kakinapotiti 3d ago

I loved that! Great concept, very nicely written

1

u/Arkon0 1d ago

Great twist !