by Jon Athan
The troubled woman loudly swallowed the remaining flesh as she stared at the gaping hole on Charlotte's neck. Blood continued to pour from the grisly gash due to the severed jugular. Lips and chin covered in her victim's blood, she leaned closer to Charlotte's face, then she kissed her murdered friend on the forehead – a goodbye kiss.
Cindy whispered, “I owe you for everything.”
Hands buried in his resplendent hair, Deki stood in the corridor. In utter awe, he watched the savage attack. Due to his important call, he fortunately missed the first bite, but he caught the second mauling in all its bloody glory. He was baffled by the peculiar kiss, too. The entire situation sent him into a tailspin of uncertainty. He wanted to shout, he tried to run, but his fight-or-flight response told him to wait-and-see.
Deki stuttered, “What... Wha–What did you do? Oh, God, what... what the hell did you do to her?! Why did you do this? Why?!”
Cindy glanced over at Deki and said, “I'm not a piece of trash you can just... 'throw away.' I'm not a piece of shit you can just flush down the toilet. I'm not some rare animal you can parade for the world. I'm better than that and you know it. I'm not done here. I'm not done with you, Dr. Deki.”
Deki was shocked by the threat. He staggered in reverse, then he lurched into the first room to his left. He found himself in the bathroom. He locked the door, then he stepped in reverse. He glanced around the room, as if he were unfamiliar with his own home. At heart, he knew he made a foolish mistake.
The bathroom was fairly standard. The room had white marble flooring and matching walls. To the right of the door, there were two sinks and two large mirrors. To the left, there was a spotless bathtub. Directly across the door, there was a walk-in shower. Unfortunately, there was only one way in and out of the bathroom – the door.
In his frightened frenzy, Deki had accidentally cornered himself.
***
Deki inhaled deeply, then he stepped towards the door. Without a safe escape route, his options were limited. He narrowed his eyes and protruded his bottom lip as he planted his ear on the door. He finally composed himself, taming his crippling fear and controlling each quavering breath. He listened to the ruckus beyond the door.
Squishing and slurping sounds echoed through the apartment. The sound of obnoxious chewing, like someone eating with his mouth open, accompanied the peculiar suction noise. Identifying the actions occurring in the living room without stepping out of the bathroom was rather simple: flesh was being consumed and blood was being guzzled.
Deki retrieved his cell phone from his pocket, then he swiftly dialed 911 – his finger trembling with each tap.
A female operator responded, “911, what is your emergency?”
Deki stuttered, “Some–Someone just died in my apartment. Someone just got killed in my damn apartment! I need help!”
Cindy slowly lifted her head from Charlotte's mutilated throat. Her neck and chin were drenched in blood. A puddle of blood formed on the floor around her bruised knees. She glanced over her shoulder and stared down the hall. She heard Deki's loud and worrisome statement. Like Deki's ability to identify the situation outside of the bathroom, she could predict the entrepreneur's next move. In the face of danger, the man would surely retreat and call the police.
Cindy whispered, “You're not going anywhere, Dr. Deki. No, you're not going to live while I die. I won't... I won't allow it.”
She staggered to her feet, teetering left-and-right. She was still disoriented by the sickness, but she felt rejuvenated by the flesh and blood she consumed. She walked towards a recliner and grabbed the heavy side table. The lamp and the picture frame collided with the floor as she lugged the piece of furniture down the hall. She leaned on the bathroom door and caught her breath.
Cindy said, “Deki, Deki, Deki... You better hang up that damn phone. I'll make it easier for you. I promise.” There was no response. Cindy smirked and said, “If you open the door, I'll make it quick. You have my word. You won't suffer like Charlotte. Deal?”
Once again, there was no response. The young woman slid towards the door. She planted her ear on the door and listened. She could hear a soft, quavering whisper, like a rat's squeak in an empty auditorium.
Deki whispered, “Pl–Please, send help. Send someone, anyone. Please.”
Cindy giggled and shook her head, amused. She said, “I don't think so.”
She inhaled deeply as she lifted the table from the floor. As if she were using a battering ram, she hit the door with the table. The door rattled and groaned, but it did not budge. The deranged woman was persistent, though. She pulled the heavy table back, then she struck the door again – one, two, three... five strikes caused the door to swing open.
Cindy dropped the table and stepped into the doorway. She gazed at the entrepreneur with a wry smile as she breathed heavily.
She said, “There you are, boyfriend. Why are you trying to hide from me? Hmm? You know it makes me sad when you run away from me, don't you? You don't want to make me sad. No, you're not that stupid. You're a doctor. Doctors aren't stupid, right?”
Cindy simpered like a conniving child as she stared at Deki with zany eyes. She savored the young man's horrified expression – a contorted face, as if he were stabbed in the back by a lover. Deki hid inside of the walk-in shower. He squirmed towards the farthest corner from the door, trying to hide in plain sight. Obviously, he couldn't hide on account of the alcove glass door.
In the shower, Deki held the phone to his mouth and shouted, “Send someone now! She's in here! She's going to kill me, damn it!”
Cindy clicked her tongue and shook her head, then she said, “You know I don't like to be seen after dark, sweetie. Put the phone away and let me take care of you. Don't make us do this the hard way. I don't want it to hurt, babe.”
“Send help! Apartment D on the eighth floor! Hurry!”
“Oh, damn. I guess we're doing it the hard way...”
Deki dropped the cell phone and staggered to his feet as Cindy rushed into the bathroom. He was appalled by her appearance, he didn't want to touch her grotesque skin, but he sought to defend himself. The woman was vicious, killing her own friend for survival. He couldn't talk her down, so he had to fight back.
As she entered the shower, Deki struck Cindy with a swift jab. Cindy staggered in reverse, dazed by the blow. Before she could respond, the young man hit her again. He pummeled the deranged woman with a barrage of punches – left, right, left, right. He hit her with all of the strength he could muster, exhausting every bit of energy in his muscular body.
Yet, the young woman refused to fall. She smirked and rolled her eyes with each hit, even as blood gushed from her mouth and nose. Realizing she was unperturbed by the attack, Deki slowly stepped in reverse until his back hit the shower wall. He stared at his guest, awed.
Due to the impact of the punches and her disease, Cindy's nose was crushed and bloodied. Her natural nose was reduced to a bloodied nub above her upper lip. From the assault and her own attack, only her forehead and eyes remained relatively clean. The rest of her face was drenched in blood.
Cindy said, “I can't die like this, Deki. You're going to help me, whether you like it or not.”
Deki stuttered, “Do–Don't do this, Cindy. I'm... I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry. The antidote is on the way. You–You just have to wait. Okay? Please, give me a minute.”
“You're a goddamn liar, Deki. And to think I actually liked you.”
Cindy snarled, then she lunged at Deki. Deki was frozen by his fear, unable to evade or retaliate. The young woman bit his upper trapezius, chomping into the flesh between his shoulder and neck. She groaned as she gnawed into the tender muscle. She slowly lifted her head, stretching the flesh until it tore from his body.
Before Deki could respond in anyway – a shout or a punch – Cindy moved up and bit into his right ear. She bit his pinna with rapid bites, trying to soften the chewy cartilage. She stared into his eyes as she nibbled into his ear, mockin
g his lack of resolve. She huffed, then she severed his ear with her teeth. She spat the ear on the floor, then she deliriously giggled.
Deki shrieked from the pain. He wheezed and said, “You... You bitch. What... What the hell is wrong with you? What... You're not going to get away with this. You're–”
“I don't care. I'll make sure I die before they catch me. A dead person can't feel pain – emotional or physical. Don't worry, you'll die, too.”
Cindy pounced on Deki and pushed him to the floor. Deki squirmed every which way, wiggling like a worm in mud, but to no avail. He could not escape the feral woman. She straddled his chest, then she dug her thumbs into his eye sockets.
As Deki screeched and convulsed, Cindy wrapped her other fingers around his head. With her thumbs firmly jammed into his eye sockets, she lifted his head as if she were lifting a bowling ball, then she smashed his dome on the tile flooring. The thud, like the sound of a melon falling on the kitchen floor, echoed through the apartment.
She lifted his head from the floor, then she smashed his head again. Two hits was not enough, though. She hit the back of his head five times. With the fifth blow to the head, Deki stopped moving. His leg twitched and his body shuddered, but the motions were involuntary and minuscule. He did not breathe and he did not move on his own.
He passed away due to the violent assault.
***
Cindy nervously laughed as she stared at her ravaged victim with deviant eyes. A puddle of blood formed under his head. Some of the blood even streamed into the drain – like a scene from a classic horror movie. Blood gushed from his mutilated eyes and coursed across his face. A mushy sound emerged as she pulled her thumbs out of his eye sockets.
She leaned closer to Deki's head, unperturbed by his disfigured face. She puckered her lips, then she sucked the blood out of the man's eye sockets. The blood was thick like gel, blended with the vitreous of his eye. Still, she slurped it out of both of his eye sockets, as if she were sipping scorching soup from a bowl. She loudly gulped, then she leaned back.
As she stared into Deki's hollowed eye sockets, Cindy said, “You deserved this. You should have been there for me. What kind of doctor are you? Hmm? What kind of doctor forgets to check-up on his patient? Don't blame me for this, asshole. This is your fault. All of this is your fault.” She nodded and huffed, acting as if her murdered victim had responded with an audacious reply. She said, “Fuck you, Deki. Fuck you. I knew you were an asshole from the first moment I saw you. I know, I'm stupid for trusting you. But, you're stupid and dead for letting me into your home. Yeah, think about that while you rot in hell, asshole.”
Cindy staggered to her feet. She turned the handle in the shower, dousing her victim in scorching water. The glass door and the mirrors were foggy due to the hot water. The troubled woman, however, could not feel the heat. She shoved her hand into the boiling water, but the scalding liquid did not hurt her. She watched as the water streamed across her rugged, coarse skin.
Teary-eyed, Cindy whispered, “I'll get better soon. Everything will be back to normal.” She glanced down at Deki, then towards the cell phone. She swallowed the lump in her throat, then she said, “I better get going before the cops get here. You guys taste pretty good, but I'm not in the mood for bacon.”
She grabbed the phone and turned it off, then she shoved it into her coat pocket. She walked down the hall and stopped in the living room. She stared down at herself with a furrowed brow. She extended her arms away from her body, as if she were welcoming a hug. Charlotte's dead body remained on the couch, stiff and lifeless. Her friend's death did not bother her, though. She didn't feel guilty, she was not ashamed.
As she stared at her body, Cindy said, “I... I feel a little better.” She smiled and giggled, tears of joy streaming down her bloodied cheeks. She said, “I feel stronger.”
Since devouring her friend and consuming her dealer, the troubled woman felt revitalized. She was able to walk without a limp and talk without a frog in her throat. She didn't need anyone to carry her or drive her around. She wasn't cured – she could feel the bacteria eating her from within – but she could see a healthy finish line.
Her hope was rekindled.
Cindy stepped towards the sofa. She leaned over Charlotte's body, leering at her like a pervert at the gym. She couldn't help but smirk as she stared at her vacant eyes. She might not have been as beautiful as her best friend, but at least she was still alive. She could continue her pursuit of happiness, bulldozing over anyone in her path.
The newlywed's story ended in the penthouse of a man she didn't know due to a woman who secretly despised her – tragic.
Cindy said, “Thank you for everything, hun. I'll see you in another life.” She passionately kissed her, gently biting and pulling on her bottom lip. She said, “I thought about doing that before. It wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. Too bad.”
Cindy simpered as she strolled into the kitchen, swinging her hips and humming a jolly tune. She opened the oven and tried to take a giant whiff. Unfortunately, she couldn't smell due to her busted nose. She liked to play along, though. She grabbed the round baking dish from the oven and a fork from the counter. The hot dish did not burn her hands. She was immune to pain.
As she walked back into the living room with a mouth full of macaroni and cheese, Cindy said, “It's a little too crispy, but I can't complain. You're a great cook. I have to give you props, babe.” She winked and waved at Charlotte as she strolled towards the front door. She shouted, “Thank you! I'll see you around!”
Cindy walked down the apartment complex corridor with swaggering strides. She happily chewed her mac and cheese as she approached the elevator. She absconded from the bloodbath, seeking more food for her survival. Delicious and appetizing, Charlotte's special meal would only last so long. Fortunately, there were many sources of food spread throughout the city.
Chapter Seventeen
The Beast Unleashed
A few cars cluttered the busiest intersections. Drivers dozed in-and-out of consciousness while waiting for the lights to change. Most drivers casually cruised home, unaware of the mayhem at the Mosaic Apartments. Wailing sirens could be heard from beyond the horizon, speeding towards the crime. The drivers lingering after dark, however, did not notice the woman walking down the street with a baking dish and a forkful of macaroni and cheese.
Cindy scraped the bottom of the dish, then she shoved the remaining macaroni into her mouth. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she savored the delectable meal. Her taste buds tingled and her body shuddered. The fresh meal wasn't a rare delicacy for the rich, but it was certainly better than raw human flesh.
The young woman tossed the baking dish and fork aside, then she said, “She really could have been a cook if she weren't so stupid.” She stopped near an alley and glanced around the area. She scratched her balding head and whispered, “So, what do I eat now?”
She was still wandering the affluent district of the city, but she was drifting away from the commerce area. A long time resident of the city, she knew there were several houses a few blocks away. The luxurious apartments in the area were difficult to burglarize due to the on-site security, so the houses seemed more feasible.
Cindy glanced over her shoulder, peering down the dark alleyway. She whispered, “I guess I'm going to be paying a few people a visit. For your sake, I hope your food is better than Deki's trash.”
The savage woman walked down the alleyway, ready to attack the unsuspecting homeowners. She placed her hand on her brow and staggered as a twinge struck her head. The sudden pain caused her to lurch towards a neighboring dumpster. She groaned and grunted as she leaned on the filthy green trash bin.
Out of breath, she whispered, “I'm... I'm going to need food. I need... I need it now. Shit.”
Cindy simpered and shook her head as a bulb illuminated over her dome – an idea. She pushed the dumpster lid skyward and peered into the pit of rotting garbage. Fortunately, her nose was
obliterated and she could not smell the fetid trash. The atrocious stench danced around her, meandering towards any vulnerable nostrils.
The young woman smiled and said, “Let's see what's on the menu tonight...”
The dumpster was filled to the brim with garbage. Plastic bags filled with everyday trash – food wrappers with lingering bits of food, bottles and cans, used condoms, and syringes – filled the container. Although she could certainly choke anything down, the trash did not seem edible – or, at least, it didn't seem useful.
Cindy's eyes widened upon spotting a furry leg protruding from under a mound of plastic bags. She shoved the bags aside, then she smirked. A deceased cat with a crushed torso, as if she were steamrolled by a large truck, was shoved into the dumpster. Maggots wiggled around the cat's wounds and mouth, slithering across the garbage.
As she stared at the cat's hollow eyes and gaping mouth, Cindy whispered, “Jeez... I don't know if I've ever eaten anything worse, but I have to survive. I have to do anything to survive. Besides, you only live once, right? Well, I... I intend on living forever. Come here, kitty. Let me take care of you.”
Cindy grunted as she leaned into the dumpster. She pulled the carcass out, then she tumbled down to her ass. With her back on the dumpster, she placed the rotting cat on her lap and gently swiped the maggots from her filthy fur. She inhaled deeply, trying to build up the courage to proceed. You only die once, she thought, let's delay that day.
She lifted the carcass to her chest, then she chomped into the cat's torso. As her teeth penetrated the rough flesh, she tugged and jerked her head. The sound of shredding flesh echoed through the alley. A maggot wiggled past her lips, making its way into her mouth, but she didn't mind. Survival was her only concern.