Watery green eyes spring to life, neon and horrible. The mouth, twisted and jeering falls open exposing two putrid yellow teeth that hang vicariously from baby pink colored gums. Swinging around the neck, head tilting to the right a croak is emitted, then, “Fuuuuuuckk”
“Where the hell did you find this thing Larry?” I look at him flabbergasted.
Larry is elated at his find, beaming like a proud father, “It’s great, right!?”
I take a glance back at the animatronic sitting on our couch, as if an invited dinner guest. It’s a witch, an old woman, cloaked in black garments. The distorted face is lumpy, lined with thick blue and green veins that run across like map lines, diverting and zig zagging. The whole thing is grotesque in its realness, the plastic covering has a dull matte quality like skin. The bulging eyes emit a wet sheen. Even the hands, though crooked, have realistic nails, and curves, so life-like I feel they may move at any second.
A shiver runs down my spine, “It’s um… well, it’s something.”
“OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD!” The witch screams.
“Tony is a real star for letting us borrow it, huh? It’s going to be a great addition to the Halloween Party!”
“Sure.” I say, feeling a sense of uneasiness. “But I’m not sure I really like it.”
“Sarah…” Larry whines, placing his hands on my hips, edging me closer till his handsome face is a few inches from my own. “You just gotta chill babe. We talked about this, remember? Not everything needs to be perfect all the time.”
Rolling my eyes I feel a surge of annoyance, and suppress it with a smile, marveling at the hypocrisy. Perfectionism to his benefit when the house is cleaned, the meals prepped, the vacation planned, the bane of his existence though when it comes to my own neurosis, the demands of my own unrelenting nature to have things a certain way. To have things in order.
I stuff the thoughts down, “I know, I know.” I say.
“Besides, we can’t disappoint Tony.” Larry pulls away, and even though he’s smiling, there’s a hardness in his eyes.
“I concede, the witch can stay!” I let out a sigh, “Besides, you’re right, it will be a huge hit at the Halloween party”
“That’s my girl.” Larry turns away, “I better get going babe.” He says, “Don’t want to be late.”
“What time do you think you’ll be home tonight?”
“Late.” He grins, “It’s Tony’s 40th, I’m sure it will be an all nighter.”
“I figured… I just could use your help getting ready for tomorrow.” I make my way to the kitchen, continuing to pack the cookies I baked earlier that day.
“Trust me, I wish I could help!” Larry puts his hands up, like he’s innocent. “Tony planned this all last minute, and besides it’s his first birthday since Jenny left him, I promised I would be there for him.” He gives a sympathetic smile, a semi-valiant effort. He’s full of shit, thrilled not to be scrubbing toilets in preparation for our guests tomorrow.
Plastering a smile on my face, I refuse to let my anger show. When Tony’s wife Jenny left him six months ago with no explanation, just a post-it-note, saying I’m done, our lives shifted. It’s been all about Tony since then. An uninterrupted deluge of Tony’s invasive farts, sexist jokes, and never-ending burps. I would never tell Larry this, but I understand why Jenny left. I actually think it’s commendable.
“YEEEEEEEEEEE!” The witch lets out a high pitched wail.
Cookies scatter to the ground, as I move my hand, startled. “Unplug that thing, will you?” I say to Larry, “It’s giving me the creeps.”
—–
It’s around eleven when I decide to call it quits, packing up the remaining food into Tupperware and stuffing it in the already bursting fridge. I take a step admiring my work for the last few hours: cookies with edible eyeballs on them, savory pretzels dipped in green icing to look like fingers, and cupcakes with red frosting, topped with small knives plunging into them.
I close the door, and let out a gasp. There’s someone there! I let out a breath realizing it’s the witch, an inanimate figure, genius, I scold myself. I peer at it, looking intently, the head is turned, the eyes burrowing into me. I rack my brain, was it facing this direction before? I push the thought out, and begin to head upstairs.
Crossing the living room, I keep a purposeful berth from the witch, propped up on our couch. Staying close to the opposite side of the wall. It feels like its eyes are following me, watching as I move.
“God I fucking hate this thing.” I say, making a dash for the stairs and up to our bedroom.
In bed I check my Instagram, Tony has a new story. I usually strive to avoid his content, but against my better instincts click on it, and a video appears, Tony’s bald head coming into view. He’s surrounded by several friends in a crowded club, his shirt wet with sweat.
“Me and my boys are out tonight!” He bellows through my phone, and licks his lips, “Where you ladies at?”
In between the flashing lights I think I can see Larry, dancing in the background, at his side is a sultry brunette, who is turned to him slightly.
She’s probably just dancing next to him, I tell myself. The next reel of the video is a bottle of vodka, a sparkler spraying flames from the top. In the frame Larry is grinning, minus the girl. I feel better, though I realize that my husband will undoubtedly not be coming home anytime soon, and will be useless tomorrow.
There’s another pang of resentment, it was his idea to host a party after all. I think back to him smiling at me over dinner a few months ago.
“It will be great babes, a Halloween Party, we haven’t hosted in ages!”
“You and I though, we aren’t really into Halloween.” I had said at the time in between bites of spaghetti. “I mean when was the last time we even really celebrated?”
“It will be great! Something different” Larry had a look of hopefulness on his face.
I roll over, as I close my eyes, my internal checklist of tasks populating before my eyes, of all the things that need to get done before tomorrow night. Bake goodies, check, clean living room, check, get horrible witch decoration, check.
I’m jolted awake by a loud thump, sitting up in bed, I stand to my feet, an automatic response. “Larry?” I call out. Rubbing my eyes, I grab my phone, it’s 2:00 AM. I go to my ring app, and see no new notifications. No Larry. My heart is pacing, pounding against my rib cage as I hold my breath, listening, there’s no sound.
It was a dream, I tell myself, and sit back down on the bed, pulling the sheet to get in. Twirling around a scream escapes my throat. The bedroom door is ajar, in the space between, standing is the witch figure. Its face fills the frame, the eyes lingering in an awful stare. I stay still, unmoving, waiting. Nothing happens, nothing moves.
I gulp, my throat dry as sandpaper, as I uneasily get up from the bed towards the door. Trembling, I pull the handle and the figure collapses, limp onto the ground, like a rag-doll. I steady myself, and kick it’s side.
Unthinking I let out a laugh, a chuckle, “What the fuck.” I pick up the witch without effort, facing it. There is no movement, “I’m losing it.” I touch the side of my face dragging my fingers down, not sure what to think, “I’m putting you back downstairs.” I grab the witch by the arm, and cross the hallway, sliding it down the stairs as I go. Larry must be home, a sick joke on his end.
“Larry, where are you?” I yell, there is no response as I enter the empty living room. I cross my arms releasing the witch the ground, “This isnt fucking funny Larry.”
Turning my head I see a light coming from the kitchen, the fridge is open, light pouring out. “Shit.” I yell, running over and closing the doors, and saying a silent prayer that none of the food I spent my entire Friday night making is ruined.
Brining the doors together, I hear a movement. Spinning around, I jump. The witch has moved, covering half the space from where it was to the kitchen island. It’s strange, frail body is contorted, the back rounded like a cat, ready to pounce.
“Larry this isn’t a joke.” I call again, my voice beginning to tremble. “Seriously, I’m going to cancel the halloween party if you don’t come out.”
I step over the witch into the living room, my mind beginning to spiral, in fear. I feel something, something soft and wet on my ankle, slipping in between my toes. My heart pounds in my ears as I look down, seeing the witch’s face looking up at me, its mouth wide open, a pink tongue wiggling out, like a fat worm.
A scream erupts from my throat, piercing the silent house. Without thinking, I kick at the witch’s face, and simultaneously feel the tongue tightening around my foot, yanking me closer. Swinging my leg around I take a step, trying to escape, but barrel into the ground, my forearms shielding me from the fall. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth.
I maneuver onto my back, and looking down my legs realize in terror that the witch is seemingly kneeling. Its mouth is growing, in seconds its expanded two feet across, a black hole of nothingness, with two green glowing eyes on top. There’s a wet mushy feeling, encompassing my feet, surrounding my shins and knees, suctioning my legs, like being surrounded in mud. A thought crosses my terrified mind, numb with terror the words erupting in my brain, ITS EATING ME. IT’S EATING ME.
The thought shoots through me, as I see my lower half disappear into the darkness, sliding down with a deep tug. With all my strength I dig my hands into the floor, pulling myself with my elbows. I feel my fingers strain, pushing the thick rug, grasping for leverage.
I feel the tongue again, wrapping tighter around my ankle, holding onto me, and pulling. It’s like a dark blanket, creeping up, slimy dampness soaks my thighs and stomach, squishing around my waist. There’s a coldness that electrifies my body, and then a constriction, a tightening, and pushing. There’s a horrible crackling sound, as pain shoots through my leg. It sounds like bubble wrap being popped.
Gasping in pain, two eyes narrowed, looking down on me in, the wide circle coming up parallel to my face. “Larry!” I scream, “Larry!!”
—–
The world comes into focus, the blurred edges, sharpening, until I see a face in front of me. A woman, with a sharp nose, blonde wisps of hair fall over her confused face.
“It’s awful.” She says, “But kinda cool, I guess.” She laughs.
A man comes beside her grinning, “Right! It’s gonna scare the shit out of some kids tomorrow.”
She makes a fist hitting his chest, “You did good babe.”
I feel something in my throat, pushing out, an eruption of words, “Larry! Larry!” Its involuntarily, I wail it out into the world, hear it puncturing the air.
The man smiles at me, there’s something in his eyes that is unsettling, “Pretty cool of Larry to loan it to us, huh?”
“Yeah,” The woman’s brows furrow, “Maybe you can text him to see if we can change what it says?”
“Totally.” The guy smiles at her.
I feel another push in my throat, “Fuuuuuuckk.”
“Yeah, we’re definitely going to need to change what it says.” The woman rolls her eyes, disappearing from view.
I try to move and stand, but my body is frozen. “ What the hell is happening?” I say the words, hear them but no sound is emitted.
There’s another voice, this time it doesn’t get said out loud, but reverberates as if in my head, “Oh, honey, they got you too?”
“Welcome to the party.” Another voice chimes in sarcastically, with a southern twang.
There are more voices, overwhelming and crowded talking all at once, bouncing in my mind like the chatter of buzzing bees.
“I just want to die.”
“God, shut the hell up the lot of you..”
“I can barely think in here!”
“Help me! Please help me!”
“Talk one at a time please ladies.”
The noise doesn’t stop, it’s unrelenting.
“We will get another one tonight.” Says a voice, deeper, it cuts through the noise like a knife, silencing the others.
I can hear it chuckling, erupting into laughter, a single horrible sound that echoes in the dark, pervasive, filling every corner.
“Yes.” It says, the words slithering, “We claim another one tonight.”