The Writer

Jack’s childhood is overshadowed by his father’s presence

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

The skull was kept on the mantlepiece when we were children, staring at us from dark sockets when we went into the book-lined study to say goodnight to Papa. Its rotten teeth had gaping holes and dark roots showing. I always brushed my teeth harder after seeing it, horrified that my own would end up like that.