by Jon Athan
She said, “I have to keep eating. I have to keep living.”
She tossed the spoon aside, then she grabbed a handful of the butter mixture. She slurped the mixture from her hands, then she sucked her fingers clean. She dipped her fingers into the jar again, then she yelped.
Grimacing from the insufferable pain, Cindy shouted, “Shit! Shit, what was that?!”
She slowly pulled her hand out of the jar, then she gasped. Her index finger was severed at the top interphalangeal joint – the tip. Blood squirted from the wound like a garden sprinkler. The detached finger was jammed in the peanut butter and plain butter mixture, spouting blood like a fountain at the mall.
Lightheaded from the dismemberment, Cindy shambled towards the counter. She wrapped her twitching finger in a thick paper towel and tried to stop the bleeding. Hopeless, she departed from the filthy kitchen and returned to her bed. She sat at the edge of her mattress and grabbed her phone. Although she wished to keep her deformities to herself, she knew she would not survive without a helping hand.
Deki was out of the question. A neighbor could help – if she were in a friendly neighborhood. An ambulance was her best bet, but her ego would not allow it. Even with death knocking at her door, she refused to be seen in public.
Cindy sighed, then she reluctantly dialed Charlotte's number. As the call connected, she said, “Charlotte, sweetie, I need your help.”
Charlotte responded, “Oh, hey, Cindy. How are you? I've been trying to call you. I don't know if you saw my calls or not. It's just that I haven't heard from you in a while, hun. Is everything okay? I've been meaning to talk to you about the wed–”
“I need your help,” Cindy interrupted. “It's urgent. It's... It's between life and death. Please, don't ask any questions right now. Just listen to me. Please.”
“O–Okay, sure. What's going on? What do you need?”
Cindy glanced at her reflection on the mirror in the living room. Her face was smeared with peanut butter, her throat was stained with dry orange juice, and bits of carrot were stuck between her teeth. A hole on her stomach was clogged with toilet paper and her severed finger was wrapped in a paper towel.
She was falling apart.
Without taking her eyes off of her reflection, Cindy said, “I need you to bring me two bacon double cheeseburgers, an order of large fries and large onion rings, and a strawberry milkshake from Carl's. Actually, make it three bacon double cheeseburgers.”
Charlotte remained silent for a moment, then she burst into a giggle. She asked, “What the hell are you talking about, Cin?”
“Bring me the food as soon as possible. I'm saying: drop what you're doing and hurry. I don't have much time.”
“Are... Are you being serious right now? What is this about?”
“It's a life-or-death situation. Please, hurry. I love you, Charlotte.”
Cindy disconnected from the call before Charlotte could respond. She couldn't bear to hear her best friend's concerns. She couldn't muster the courage to explain everything over the phone, either. She quietly sat and stared at her monstrous reflection as her phone vibrated. She ignored Charlotte's calls.
Cindy whispered, “Please, hurry...”
Chapter Eleven
Friends Through Thick and Thin
Glass shards from broken cups were spread across the counters. The jar of peanut butter sat near the sparkling shards, licked clean. An empty carton of orange juice, an empty gallon of milk, and the crumpled wrappers of cheese and butter were sprawled across the linoleum flooring. The refrigerator was plundered.
Cindy sat on the floor, wheezing as she struggled to breathe. She stared at the cupboard under the sink. She could see the sink pipes, a bottle of soap, a bottle of clog remover, and a few plastic bags. She contemplated drinking the soap, but she figured she wouldn't receive any calories from it anyway. Chugging the clog remover would surely kill her, so she didn't consider it.
The troubled woman leaned forward and narrowed her eyes as she stared into the dusty cupboard. An intrusion of cockroaches skittered across the back of the cabinet, searching for shelter. How much protein does a single cockroach contain? The answer could probably be found through a quick internet search, but time was of the essence.
Eat or be eaten.
Teary-eyed, Cindy whispered, “I have to keep eating. I can't stop or I'll... I'll die.” She grimaced as she crawled into the cupboard and slowly reached for one of the pesky cockroaches. With a quivering lip, she stuttered, “I–I have to... I have to survive.”
Before she could pick a cockroach, knocking reverberated through the apartment. She leaned away from the cupboard and stared at her front door. She crawled away from the sink, then she staggered to her feet – barely keeping her balance in the process. She peered through the peephole and found Charlotte waiting on the other side of the door.
Cindy slowly unlocked the door, keeping the noise at a minimum. She didn't want to alert Charlotte of her presence behind the door. She didn't want to alarm her before she could enter the apartment, either. She needed to ease her friend into the situation before she could reveal her heinous figure. She tiptoed away from the door, then she crouched behind the counter.
In a raspy tone, Cindy shouted, “Come in!”
The door knob jiggled, then the hinges squealed as the door swung open.
Charlotte stood in the doorway, a brown bag clenched in her right hand and a strawberry milkshake in her left. She stared into the dark apartment with a furrowed brow, baffled by the bizarre circumstances.
Charlotte asked, “What's going on? Where are you, Cindy? Cindy?”
From behind the counter, Cindy said, “Come inside and close the door behind you. I'll tell you everything, but I need to make sure you won't abandon me.”
“Oh, please, hun. Let's just stop the theatrics. Let's stop with the drama. You know I'd never abandon you. What's going on? What are you doing?”
“I don't look good, Charlotte. Please, listen to me. Come inside and close the door.”
Charlotte sighed and shook her head, worried. She entered the apartment and closed the front door with her foot. She walked towards the living room, unaware of her friend's location. As Charlotte strolled towards the dresser, Cindy walked towards the front door. She blocked the only exit with her grotesque body.
Cindy said, “Charlotte...”
Charlotte glanced over her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes as she examined the figure near the door, trying to pierce through the shadows. As her eyesight adjusted to the darkness, her eyes widened and her jaw dangled. She stepped in reverse and trembled uncontrollably. She was appalled by her close friend's deteriorating condition.
She whispered, “Oh, God...”
Cindy's condition had worsened since she called Charlotte for the favor. Her skin appeared to be drooping on her muscles, as if she were wearing an over-sized suit of human skin over her body. The rosy patches and huge bruises were evident on her flabby arms and legs. Her brunette hair was falling out, plucked from her dome like dandelions at the park. There were two bald spots on the right side of her head.
Cindy stared down at herself, ashamed. Teary-eyed, she lifted her shirt and revealed the wound on her stomach. In order to show Charlotte the extent of the damage, she softly scratched her breast – barely touching her skin with the tip of her finger. With the gentle scratch, the skin peeled and spiraled towards the floor, like the shavings of a sharpened pencil.
Trembling like a frightened pup, Charlotte stuttered, “Wha–What happened to you? What... What's going on here, Cin?”
Cindy swallowed the lump of anxiety in her throat, then she explained, “You remember how I was losing so much weight, right? Well, it wasn't from any exercise or a good diet. I lied about that. I've been using these.... these 'miracle' capsules and something went wrong. And, now, I need to eat and I need to eat a lot or these capsules will eat me from the inside. Please, tell me you brought everything I ordered.”
“Y–Yeah
, I've... I've got it right here.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Cindy nervously smiled as she grabbed the paper bag and milkshake. She kept her head low, trying to avoid eye contact. She brought the food to the kitchen table, then she carefully sat on a chair. She moved slowly and carefully. She feared her bones would crumble with too much pressure. Charlotte remained in the living room, paralyzed by her fear.
***
Charlotte watched Cindy with wide eyes, astonished by her feral motions. Cindy frantically unwrapped the burgers and took giant bites. Occasionally, she'd even take a bite from the paper, which she would happily eat. She leaned forward in her seat and tried to block Charlotte's view with her bony shoulders. She couldn't stop herself from eating, but she tried her best to stop her friend from peeking. She devoured the fries and onion rings, then she chugged the milkshake.
As Cindy gulped, Charlotte asked, “Was... Was it enough, sweetie?” She sniffled as she tried to contain her tears. In a cracking voice, like the voice of a teenage boy going through puberty, she asked, “Are you.... Are you going to be okay now? Huh? Did... Did it work?”
Cindy loudly swallowed, then she lifted her t-shirt. She stared down at her body, hoping the side-effects would begin to reverse. Her skin was still bruised and rosy. Her eyes widened as her skin wavered. The skin on her stomach slithered like a snake in the grass, quivering and rippling like waves at a shore.
Although Charlotte could not see it, Cindy could feel a change in her figure. She could feel a burning sensation across her body as her skin moved and her organs shifted. She didn't reverse the side-effects, but she bought herself some time. She couldn't tell for certain how long she would survive on a fast food diet, though.
Cindy said, “I need more food.”
Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair, still struggling to comprehend the situation. She asked, “Well, have you tried calling 911? Couldn't they just get you on a feeding tube or something?”
“I thought about it, but I just couldn't do it. I just don't have the... the courage or the confidence to do it on my own. I'm not beautiful like you. Hell, I look like a monster from a damn horror movie for crying out loud! I'm... I'm hideous, Charlotte. You can see it for yourself, can't you? I mean, I couldn't imagine riding in the back of an ambulance like this. I can't do it. I need help.”
Charlotte coughed and grunted as she fought the urge to sob. She wanted to stay strong for Cindy, she wanted to be her shoulder to cry on. Yet, she could feel Cindy's agony through her cracking voice and depressing words. She shared her friend's pain, which caused her to sniffle and look away.
Charlotte said, “I'll help you through this, hun. You know I'm always here for you. Why don't I drive you to the hospital? Hmm? I'll be with you every step of the way. You won't have to do any of it on your own. I promise.”
Cindy glanced down at her bare feet as she pondered the suggestion. She frowned and said, “I just can't go out looking like this... I can't.”
“Don't be stupid, Cin. If it's a life-or-death situation, your appearance doesn't matter,” Charlotte rebutted. She glanced at the foot of the bed, then at the dresser. She said, “We'll cover you up a bit, then we'll get going.”
Charlotte grabbed a pair of sandals from the floor and tossed them into the kitchen. She grabbed a hooded coat and a hair tie from the top of the dresser.
She handed the coat to Cindy and said, “Put this on. I'll tie your hair in a bun, then you can cover yourself with the hood. No one will see you until we're at the hospital. When we're at the hospital, I really don't think the doctors will care about what you look like. They're there to help, okay?”
As Charlotte carefully styled her hair, Cindy said, “Okay, okay. Thank you, Charlotte. I... I really owe you for this – for everything.”
“Don't worry about it. Let's just get you the help you need. Come on, sweetie. You can lean on me if you need some help.”
Charlotte gently grabbed Cindy's waist and helped her stand. Cindy tossed her arm over Charlotte's shoulder, using her friend as a crutch. The friendly couple staggered out of the apartment, racing against the effects of the deadly capsules.
Chapter Twelve
The Drive
“You have to help me out here, okay? Come on, I'm... I'm parked right outside,” Charlotte said as she practically lugged Cindy down the hallway. “You have to work with me, Cin. If you want to... to get through this, you have to try. Help me, hun. Don't give up.”
Cindy hobbled down the corridor, dragging her feet like a child dragged to the doctor's office. She grunted and groaned with each painful step. A burning sensation surged from her ankles to her thighs. Her eyelids flickered as her vision adjusted to the bright fluorescent light in the hall. She could see the finish line at the end of the corridor – two glass doors leading into the alleyway.
Cindy weakly said, “I'm... I'm trying. It hurts, Charlotte. It hurts so much.”
Charlotte stroked Cindy's thinning hair and said, “I know, I know, but you have to try. I can't do this on my own. I can't carry you without some help. Come on. I'm parked right outside. Please, help me out. Don't give up.”
“Okay, okay. I'm... I'm trying.”
Cindy bit her bottom lip and groaned as she tried to walk on her own. Charlotte kept her arm wrapped around her waist, ensuring her friend would not tumble and crumble. The couple raced down the corridor at a snail's pace, ignoring the prying neighbors and keeping their sights on the exit. (There was always one neighbor with the need to check-up on everyone and everything.)
As the doors swung open, Cindy shrieked and staggered. Charlotte glanced at her friend and gasped. Cindy's bottom lip dangled across her chin, barely attached to her face. The piece of tender flesh was bloodied by the instinctive bite. Most of her mandibular teeth were visible due to the missing lip, like the teeth of a zombie in a horror movie.
She wouldn't be biting her bottom lip anymore – that was for sure.
Awed, Charlotte placed her palms on Cindy's cheeks and said, “It's... It's okay. Everything's going to be okay, hun. You just have to... Just try not to touch yourself, okay? Act like you're at a museum and you are a rare sculpture. Okay? Okay.”
Cindy nervously smiled and said, “Whatever. Let's just get the hell out of here. I want–”
“Wait! Just give me a second, okay? Just one second. I want to make sure everything's good for the ride.”
As Charlotte scampered towards the black sedan parked in the alley, Cindy teetered and stared up at the sky. The sun vanished and nighttime arrived. The sky was painted black and dappled with stars. The luminous moon and stars illuminated the dingy streets, whisking the ominous shadows away. It was an unusually calm night.
The most peaceful night on my worst day, Cindy thought, appropriate, isn't it? The stars did not align for the troubled woman. The world always seemed to work against her. She'd find a few moments of triumph, like the first week of her diet, then the universe would bring her down. She was not blessed with good luck or fortune – such was life.
Cindy turned her attention towards Charlotte. Charlotte grabbed a large blue-and-white beach towel from the trunk. She covered her back seat with the towel, obviously trying to avoid a mess from her friend's seemingly decaying body.
Cindy stepped closer to the car and asked, “Are you rolling out the red carpet just for me?”
Charlotte stopped her frantic movements and glanced over at Cindy. She stuttered, “I–I just thought... I thought it would keep you warm. I just, um... I just cleaned the car, too, so I figured it wouldn't hurt. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It was insensitive of me. I should have–”
“Don't worry, Charlotte. I was joking. I probably would have done the same if I were in your position. Can I sit now? I feel like my legs are going to fall apart.”
Charlotte furrowed her brow and tilted her head, bewildered. She was surprised by Cindy's casual jokes and forgiving attitude. Knowing her insecurities, she expected her friend
to throw a temper tantrum.
Charlotte said, “Sure. Get some rest.”
As Cindy situated herself in the back seat, moving with an abundance of caution, Charlotte rushed to the driver's seat. She buckled herself in, then she glanced at her friend through the rear-view mirror. Cindy couldn't secure herself with the seat belts due to her fragile body. She could only hope the drunks were still at the bars and the potholes were finally repaired by the city.
The engine purred as the pair drove off.
***
Charlotte said, “I'll try to get you there as fast as possible, but I can't drive too fast. I don't want you to fly out of your seat. Just let me know if I'm going too fast or if you're going to throw up or something.” As she glanced towards her left for any oncoming vehicles, Charlotte took a right out of the alley and whispered, “This is a brand new car, too...”
Absently staring at the ceiling of the car, Cindy responded, “Just get me there as fast as possible, Charlotte. I can handle the pain. I just want to get this over with as soon as possible.”
“Well, even if I drive the speed limit, it'll take about 20 minutes. Just hang in there, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine.”
“Do you... Do you really think they'll be able to help me?”
“I've never seen anything like this before, but I'm sure they have procedures. I'm sure they know what they're doing. They're going to take care of you, Cin. Try not to worry about it. Stressing about it probably won't help your system.”
“Yeah. You're probably right...”
The car rolled to a stop as the couple reached their first red light. A few cars drove across the intersection, but the night was surprisingly tranquil. The roads were practically empty. There were no blaring horns or screeching wheels. The drunk drivers either drank themselves into oblivion or continued their parties elsewhere.
Charlotte drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she stared out the windshield, lost in her thoughts. She was unnerved by Cindy's ghoulish groans of agony. She tried to stay strong, but the cries were disquieting. Curiosity got the best of her. She couldn't remain quiet, she could not bite her tongue.