Dedication
For my wife who has always believed in me. I love you.
Ten Years Ago
Seven year old Elizabeth McDaniel watched her father greet family members. Everyone was dressed in black. Beth didn't like it. The conversations were muttered, interrupted with sniffs and sighs. Beth hated the quiet, she hated the sad faces, most of all she hated seeing her mother at the front of the room as if asleep. As soon as she could, Beth slipped out of the room when her ten year old brother Steve wasn’t looking. He was never very good at keeping an eye on his sister.
Beth crept down a long hallway, the silence here closed in around her, hurting her ears. Steve had found a vending machine earlier, bringing her her favorite candy. She wanted to see the brightly colored wrappers, see wanted to see any color other than black. She felt in the little purse she carried for some change. She hated wearing a dress, hated carrying the little bag, she hated being here.
Swiping the tears off her cheeks she saw a door at the end of the hall. As she got closer she could see it was open slightly, “just like Steve to leave a door open.” She frowned. Pushing the door further open she found herself at the top of some stairs. Shrugging Beth held the handrail and made her decent. At the bottom she found herself looking at two doors. She opened the door to her left. The room was full of caskets. Beth closed the door quickly. Frustration made her stamp her foot, why couldn’t he have left one of these doors open? Breathing fast she turned and opened the other door.
Beth stood in the doorway shaking from head to toe, a tear ran down her face. The room was brightly lit with a gleaming steal table in the middle. On the table was a young man, a large needle was in his neck another in the leg. Red blood ran out of one tube while a yellow liquid flowed in the other. Beth stared from the tubes to the head of the man. From mid-nose down everything was fine. The eyes and forehead were flattened, black blue and stained in blood.
“Yeah, ran into the back of a trailer. Completely smashed his face, died instantly. The mother wanted an open casket but I convinced…” A woman had appeared out of a back room Beth hadn’t noticed, she stopped talking immediately. A man emerged from behind the woman. He walked over to Beth and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Be respectful around the dead and do not fear them. For one day we will be them.” The man said in a soothing voice.
This did not have the calming effect he had intended. Beth began to scream. In a flash she turned running as fast as she could back up the stairs and straight into the arms of her father. It took Mr. McDaniel several minutes to calm her. When she could finally breathe normally again Beth was looking through the open doors down the long rows of seat to the open casket. She clung to her brother’s hand as they made their way to the front for their mother’s funeral. Beth stopped hallway along, panicked and crying she tugged at her brother trying to get back into the hall. Strong arms lifted her up. She clung to her father, tears seeping through tight shut eyes. She felt the shudder of her father and the sniffling of her brother but didn't open her eyes until they were at the cemetary.
End of the Day
The sun had already begun its slow descent behind the mountains as the Jeep twisted along the familiar path home. Gravel spit as the back of the vehicle fishtailed. The driver jerked the wheel to regain the pavement. Dan had been feeling tired, lethargic and unwell for most of the day. His head was pounding and his mouth was a desert. Bile churned in his stomach as he pulled onto the long wooded drive of the house he shared with his long time girlfriend.
Lisa put down her book and eased herself off the couch. She had been slowly recovering from the flu and moving made her want to throw up. A small smile crossed her face as she heard the familiar crunch of Dan’s old Wrangler on the drive. After such a terrible week she was happy to have him home for the weekend.
Slowly she made her way from the living room to the kitchen. Pouring herself a glass of water she leaned heavily on the sink, thinking about what Dan could make them for dinner. She was pulling out ingredients when she paused, wondered what was keeping him. He usually made it quickly from the car to her arms, making sure she was doing OK. He was always worried about her. She had been having health problems for months. They only had a only a brief phone call over lunch to talk. He had a very busy day so she expected him to be through the door already. She wondered what was keeping him.
Dan stumbled getting out of the car. His legs betrayed him with weakness. His head felt as if it were about to split open then burst into flame. The pounding in his skull brought him to his knees. The only sensation greater than the blinding pain crashing through his brain, was the burning hunger in his stomach. He needed to eat. He had to eat.
Lisa looked out the front window. The glass slipped from her grasp shattering on the floor. Dan was almost doubled over. He stumbled, crawled, then limped onto the porch. She rushed to the door. Throwing it wide, she was greeted by groans from Dan.
“Dan! Oh my God, are you ok? What’s wrong, honey?” She yelped, moving to catching him.
Dan looked up, eyes bloodshot, mouth hanging slack and drooling, the only thought screaming in his burning mind, “FOOD!” Lunging forward, he no longer recognized his love, he only saw a meal.
His nails scratched at her bare skin and his teeth sank into her outstretched arm. Blood gushed over his teeth and chin while her screams filled the small house.
Terrified of the man before her, a man she no longer recognized. Lisa fell back slipping on the spilled water as the thing that had been her lover crashed down on top of her, clawing at her legs. She kicked at the door but Dan’s torso was already across the threshold.
Pain exploded through Lisa’s leg as Dan sank his teeth into her left calve. She kicked at his once kind face, a face contorted in hunger. His head snapped back as she kicked free. Lisa grabbed at the furniture trying to regain her feet, desperate to escape. Pain hobbled her, sending her crashing forward. A lamp smashed to the floor, stars exploded in front of her eyes while her head rang. A red stain appeared on the corner of an end table. The thought that she had always hated that lamp flashed through her mind.
Dazed, she rolled away trying to regain control of the spinning world. Warm sticky blood streamed down her face from a deep gash above her eyebrow. The cut began to swell, obscuring her vision. Dan was on his feet, the side of his face bruised from her kick. Throwing a hand out, she found the overturned lamp. Dan’s gaze followed the trail of blood from his feet to her freely bleeding leg.
Releasing a long, low moan of longing, Dan shambled forward, his teeth bared. Using the couch to steady herself, Lisa struggled to her feet. She turned swinging the lamp. Blood and saliva splattered her face as Dan’s head snapped to one side from the blow. Glass and wire from the shade pierced one of Dan’s eyes. Stunned, he wildly grabbed for her. She swung again. “CRACK!” The lamp broke. Dan fell backward over the overturned table.
Lisa dragged her damaged leg as quickly as she could down the hall toward the bedroom. Not daring to look back, fear drove her forward. She could hear Dan fumbling to his feet. Throwing herself through the door, she slammed it shut. Trembling fingers scrambled for the lock. With every attempt the lock popped open. Panicked at its defiance, tears streaming down her face, she gave a small laugh when the lock finally clicked. She slid down the door slumping against it. Tears mixed with Dan’s blood rolling freely down her face.
Dazed and bloodied, Dan slowly clawed his way over the shattered table. The one eye that could still see followed the trail of blood to the bedroom door. Food was behind that door. Raising his battered body, he stumbled forward. His prize was behind this obstacle.
Cocking his head to the side he could hear weeping.
Pushing against the barrier, frustration filled him at its resistance. Raising his fists he slammed on the flimsy door, rattling it in its frame. Dan had been meaning to replace this for months, now he just needed to get through it.
“GO AWAY!” Lisa screamed as the door bucked against her. Her head was pounding. Her stomach was churning and her blood was pooling