Took me long enough, but I found it.
2238 Maple Street. Would have been a lot quicker if they had managed
to cut down some of the shit trailing all over the face of the house,
covering the address. Way too much trouble for a small pizza and
bread sticks. Anyway, I better get a damned tip from this. Rain too.
Fucking hate rain.
I step out from the driver seat, into
the pounding rain and go around to my back door, open it and slide
out the delivery bag. I hate my job sometimes, until I get those days
where I get hundreds of dollars worth of tips. Anyway, time to get
this delivered, boss is probably going to chew me out when I get back
to the store.
I approach a rotted, dilapidated gate
and ease it open and begin up the path towards the front door. Erie
as shit, that's for sure. No lights either. They probably gave up and
went to bed, if so, then I'm going to eat this fucking pizza for my
troubles.
I give the front door a few quick
knocks, after a moment, I delivered a few more. Nobody's home? Damn
it. No tip, but a free pizza? I guess I've gotta count my blessings.
I turn and begin down the path again and I hear a creak from behind
me.
“Is that my pizza?” a woman called.
“Uh-- yeah. Sorry I'm so late, I got
a bit turned around. Haven't been out this way haha,” I reply.
“I'm sorry sweetheart, meant to get
these vines cut, as much as I love 'em. You can come in if you want
while I get your money, don't want you getting sick.”
She was a small, not-so-intimidating
old lady so I figured, what the hell? I make my way forward again and
step into the house. Cliche moth balls smell and the sudden,
subconscious requirement to take my shoes off at the door. The house
was pitch black, strange for an old lady who seems like she could be
blown over with the slightest strong gust of wind.
She's been gone for awhile now. Is she
alright?
“I'm going to leave your pizza right
here on your coffee table alright? I won't charge you.” I called
out,
“Oh-- honey I've fallen and I can't
get up-- could you help me?”
“Of course! Where are you?”
“Back bedroom just in front of the
door!”
Shit. Just my luck. Could this night
get any fucking worse? Might as well go help her.
I feel across the wall for a light
switch and find one, flicking it up, I find that the power is out.
Perfect!
“Alright, I'm on my way!”
“Please hurry, I've got to use the
bathroom so bad.”
Fuck. Me.
She better not piss or-- shit all over
me when I help her up. If she does, I'll quit right on the fucking
spot. I didn't sign up to be a nurse aid.
I reach the end of the hall and turn
into the left bedroom, my foot meeting the bottom of hers.
“Please-- help me up honey--”
“Yep--”
I bend down and wrap my arms around
her frail frame. She starts groaning and it almost forces me to drop
her due to paranoia, but she was already too high up for me to drop
her like a sack of bricks.
“My potty is right behind me-- in
front of the nightstand-- set me up there.”
I do as instructed and without
warning, she begins to shit-- signaling the fact with a loud fart and
a few plops of muddy shit. She couldn't have fucking waited?
“Have a nice night, ma'am. Your
pizza's right out on the coffee table,”
“Hold on-- Emily wants to play with
you.”
“Emily? I'm sorry ma'am I really have
to get back to the restaurant,”
“Emily! Sweetie, he's right here!”
I'm not playing with your fucking cat
or dog, lady. I'm not going to spare a single moment getting out of
this God forsaken house.
“I'm sorry, ma'am--”
“She'll be here in just a minute. Emily! Where are you? There you are, sweetie.”
“She'll be here in just a minute. Emily! Where are you? There you are, sweetie.”
The old woman finished emptying her
bowels and though it was really dark, I could make out her smiling to
something behind me.
“I have to go.” I simply said.
I turn, ignoring anything else she has
to say and begin out of the bedroom. Time to leave her to her
dementia or whatever--
What the fuck!
The first thing I seen was two white
balls staring intently at me, they hung higher than the door too. Her
figure was slender and her arms and legs were impossibly stretched
and sharpened. A quick flash of lightning revealed set of long,
jagged, sharp teeth that seemed to be drooling and-- where her eyes
should have been-- there were just two dark holes. But what produced
the pale glow? How the Hell is this even possible?
I froze as she started easing her way
towards me.
“He's a nice boy, Emily. Play good
with him okay?”
The shadowy figure seemed to nod, and
after a long moment, she lurched forward and wrapped her arms around
me and carried me quickly to some unknown reach of the house.
I was slammed down onto a cold, flat
surface and, before I knew it, I felt my stomach begin to sting as
her face buried into my abdomen, gnawing on my rib cage and, shortly
after, my insides.