I breathed a deep sigh as I dropped my final box down on the living room floor. It would be joining the several others that scattered the dusty, old room.
‘One task at a time’ I thought to myself, as I decided that cleaning my room would have to wait for a few days while I unpacked my belongings.
I saw a mirror in the box I laid down and quickly grabbed it to set down elsewhere. It was barely able to fit in the box and I didn’t need to add cleaning up shards of glass to my long list of chores for the weekend.
In addition to the mirror, I noticed an old picture of my now ex-wife and I on our wedding day. I stared at our bright expressions for a mournful few seconds before pulling turning the picture face down in the cardboard box.
I sighed again and took a seat on the edge of another nearby box.
All of a sudden, I heard a soft knock on the door.
My stomach tightened and I could feel blood rushing to my face as I looked through the peephole.
I opened my door to face a beautiful woman holding a small pie in a box. She had piercing blue eyes and light blonde hair, almost silver. Her full lips curved in a gorgeous smile.
Her lace nightgown left very little for imagination and I grew worried she noticed how red my cheeks had gotten.
“Hi, can I help you?”
“Hello, I just thought I would stop by and introduce myself.” She spoke in a soft, enchanting voice.
“My name is Ariel” she continued.
“Hi, I’m Gabe” I lifted my right hand in a small wave. Good to meet you.
“Oh and drop this off” Ariel extended her arms to offer me an apple pie. It smelled delicious.
“Thank you! Which apartment do you live in by the way?”
“I’m from room 115”
My smile faltered for a moment. 115 was 3 floors below me. She came all the way up here just to give me a pie?
She looked at me for another moment. Enamored by her beauty, I just stared back. It must have been 10 seconds. I could have sworn her eyes looked to my lips for a moment.
She then reached through my door and touched my arm for a second before asking
“Can I…come in?”
Shit. This was exactly what caused me to move here in the first place. May took the house after she found out I was having an affair.
“No… I don’t think that’s a good idea” I stuttered. “Sorry….” I revealed my wedding band that I hadn’t yet taken off.
She paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
She then flashed a mischievous grin before sliding one strap of her nightgown off of her shoulder, leaving even less to the imagination.
“Are… you sure?”
Fuck. I silently cursed myself before setting the pie down and fully opening the door for her.
Her smile widened and she stepped forward.
Just before she stepped into my apartment, I noticed something that made the blood freeze in my veins….
Her pale feet were twisted completely backwards
I yelped in fear, broken out of her trace, and then immediately slammed the door as fast as I could.
She only had time to stick her hand in the door’s path and began to struggle to open the door.
Adrenaline was the only thing that allowed me to keep pushing. Her strength was inhuman, not matching her frame at all.
Her single hand cracked and splintered between my door and the door frame; it had somehow turned to a rotten black. Just like that of an old corpse.
“LUST” She screamed in a witch-like croak.
I pushed against her, fighting with all my strength.
I finally heard a crack and thud as her blackened arm snapped from her body and fell into my apartment.
I slammed the door shut and locked it as fast as I possibly could.
She began to violently bang on the door, screaming and cursing with every single thud. The vibrations were enough to knock over my lamp, plunging my room into darkness.
I did the only thing I could, ran into the bathroom and locked that door as well. Covering my ears from the deafening slams.
After almost 3 hours, the sounds finally stopped.
I cautiously peered through my bathroom door, using my phone’s flashlight to scan the living room in case she had somehow broken in.
Nothing.
I crept through the room, careful not to bump into any of the scattered boxes or unpacked furniture. The less sound I made the better.
After silently deliberating for what felt like hours, I finally mustered up the courage to look through the peephole.
Dread filled me at the sight.
Ariel was now accompanied by four other women. They sat on the floor, cross-legged, in a semicircle. They all wore the exact same night gown as Ariel and looked almost identical too.
Their eyes, which were now all a deep shade of black, looked up directly facing me through the tiny peephole.
I know they can see me.
I know what I did to deserve this.
My options are either to try and escape out of my 4th story window…
Or open the door and face the music.
I’m sorry May