I was casually browsing an online marketplace when I saw something very strange. There was a fridge for sale. It was a simple fridge, with a small door for the freezer above the larger fridge door. It was a light gray color, but it was covered in dust and grime. One thing I noticed was the price - it was free. I was surprised - a half-decent fridge, for free? My old one had broken down after years of use, and I was in the market for a new one. I couldn’t believe my luck.
The guy who was selling it lived pretty nearby, and we arranged a meetup. In our messages, I noticed that something was a bit off about the guy. He seemed really desperate for me to take it, going as far as offering to pay me to have it. I had a bad feeling about it - I’d seen enough horror movies to know that something was definitely up. But, considering the alternative was spending thousands of dollars, I was willing to take a chance.
The seller said that he had to leave town before our arranged meet-up time, and he would just deliver it to me. The doorbell rang. I went to answer it and saw the fridge sitting there. I couldn’t see anyone else, though. The fridge looked just like it did in the photo - except for one difference. The freezer door handle was gone. I tried prying it open, but it didn’t budge. I sighed. I guess I shouldn’t have expected a perfectly functional fridge for free.
I figured I could get the door repaired, but for now the fridge would have to do. I dragged it in and plugged it into the wall. It hummed to life. I opened the main fridge door. It was laid out pretty normally. I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary with it. I put in the food I had taken out of my old fridge. As for the freezer, I would have to get a repairman to come to fix it. That was fine though - I could manage without one for a little while.
The next morning, I was cooking breakfast when I smelled something. It was a very slight scent, nothing too alarming. I tried to ignore it for a little while. But as time went on, it became worse and worse. At first, I thought a rat might have died in the walls. But my apartment has never had a problem with anything like that. When I went back to the fridge later, I stopped. The smell had gotten stronger. Maybe some food was rotten? I checked all of my food, but no. I realized where it was coming from - the freezer.
I went back on that online marketplace. I needed to talk to the seller. But, to my surprise, I couldn’t find his account. I checked my conversations - there was nothing. It was like he had never existed. I decided that it was time to call a repairman.
The repairman arrived at my house that afternoon. He was an old man, balding, with a dirty blue uniform on. “Names Al. Where’s the stuck fridge?” He asked. I directed him to it. He grimaced. “What’s that smell?” “I don’t know.” I admitted. “It seems like it’s coming from the freezer.” He walked over to it. “It’s definitely coming from here.” He remarked. He tried to open it. “You’re right - it’s stuck fast. I have some tools in my car.”
He came back with a toolbox. “I’ll try the crowbar first. If that doesn’t work, I can try cutting it open with the blowtorch.” The smell had become even worse by now. He wedged one end of the crowbar into the space between the doors and began pushing. It didn’t open, not even a crack. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He mumbled. “Doors don’t usually stick this bad. The only way it could have gotten like this is if someone sealed it on purpose. I’ll have to use the blowtorch.”
I watched on nervously. He got out the blowtorch, and slowly and deliberately cut through the metal door. The smell got worse. It was slow work, and I tried to breathe through my mouth to avoid the smell. “The freezer must be broken if something’s rotting in there.” Al commented, to break the uncomfortable silence. “Where did you get this fridge again? They haven’t made this type in nearly twenty years.”
“I got it online. Someone was giving it away for free.” I replied. “I guess you should’ve expected a free fridge to be defective.” A couple more minutes passed. Al stopped and stood up, looking surprised. “I have no idea what’s going on. It’s just not opening. I’ve -” He was cut short, as, to our surprise, the door just swung open. We looked inside.
It was a tunnel. It was so long I couldn’t see the end of it. Some strange liquid dripped from its roof and pooled on the floor. “What the…” Al mumbled, but that was all he got out. I stared in awe. Al pulled out a flashlight and turned it on, illuminating the tunnel. For the first couple of meters, it was normal steel, but beyond that it started to morph into a soft, red, porous substance that shifted and pulsated. The smell had reached its peak.
“I’m not sure what’s going on.” Al managed to get out. “Where did you say you got this again?” I was about to answer when a long, red tongue shot out of the tunnel and grabbed hold of his face. It started to pull him back into the freezer. The freezer was too small for a human to fit through, and I heard the cracking of bones as his body was pulled through the small opening. As soon as he was through, the door slammed shut.
That happened two weeks ago. Ever since I’ve tried to keep that thing at bay. I tried moving the fridge, but it felt like it weighed a million pounds - it didn’t even move an inch. I tried sealing the freezer, but that didn’t work either. The only thing I can do is leave something near the fridge and hope it eats that instead of me. Just one problem - lately, it only accepts a… certain kind of food. That’s where I am now - in a graveyard, at two in the morning, with a shovel and a flashlight. I don’t want to have to do this - but what choice do I have?