A few weeks ago, I asked my brother to send me a scary story writing prompt. This is the product of that prompt. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Two Pink Lines
Jenny stared at her reflection in the mirror.
"Everything is going to change", she said under her breath.
The positive pregnancy test lay on the counter next to the sink as a tiny, yet significant reminder of Jenny's one-night stand a month ago. She had been intoxicated, and while she wasn't proud of it, she couldn't remember much of what happened that night. Jenny loomed over the test, yet she felt so small. How could two pink lines change her entire life? She brought her hands up to hold her flat stomach, trying to imagine a bump the size of a basketball in its place. Jenny had bought the test because she had been sick for several days-nausea, fatigue & headache. She thought she might have the flu. But what really convinced her to take the test was the cravings.
Jenny had been a vegetarian since she was sixteen and if she was honest, she would tell you that she didn't really miss meat. She hadn't even touched so much as a slice of bacon in ten years.
Until last week.
She had been walking through the grocery store when the most delicious smell wafted through the produce section, but she was sure it wasn't the vegetables. She followed the smell through the freezer section, past the bakery until she was standing in front of the deli. The butcher was grinding hamburger and slicing steaks and Jenny couldn't tear herself away from the sight of the fresh meat. Knowing that was strange and against her better judgment, she bought one pound each of steak and hamburger. By the time she got home, she was so disgusted with herself for buying the meat, she threw it away immediately.
The morning after taking the pregnancy test, Jenny awoke from a night of restless sleep, caused mostly by disturbing dreams. But Jenny didn't feel tired. She only felt hungry. The same hunger that had plagued her the week before. She jumped out of bed, drove to the grocery store in her pajamas and made her way to the butcher. When the butcher asked her what cut of meat she wanted, she replied,
"Whatever is freshest".
Later, upon reflection, the butcher would recall a strange look in the eyes of the pretty, young customer he served that morning. A look that he could not quite put his finger on, but could rightly say was not entirely "human". He would then chastise himself for having such a silly notion and push the uneasiness to the back of his mind, as rational men so often do with unsettling or troubling thoughts. Especially if they are true.
Jenny drove home, quickly made her way to her front door and upon arrival, could not have told you what streets she had taken to get home. In fact, she probably wouldn't have been able to tell you the color of her car. Truth be told, it would have been unwise for you to be anywhere near Jenny at that point in time. Jenny's mind was solely on the meat lying neatly packaged on her kitchen counter. Whatever trappings had kept her from eating the meat she purchased last week were long gone and the only question on Jenny's mind was whether or not she should eat the meat raw or cook it.
The decision was raw, but Jenny was certain she wasn't doing the deciding anymore.
As her teeth sank into the soft, raw meat, Jenny saw a flash in her mind of the face of the man she had been with, only a little over a month ago. Just a flash, but it wasn't quite like a memory. It was like she was back there, for just a moment. And there he was, smiling, looming above her. With two pink lines dripping down his chin. And just as quickly as it came, the flash was gone.
"Yes", Jenny almost snarled, while crouching on her kitchen floor, eating the rest of the meat off the paper it had been wrapped in.
"Everything is going to change".
The morning after taking the pregnancy test, Jenny awoke from a night of restless sleep, caused mostly by disturbing dreams. But Jenny didn't feel tired. She only felt hungry. The same hunger that had plagued her the week before. She jumped out of bed, drove to the grocery store in her pajamas and made her way to the butcher. When the butcher asked her what cut of meat she wanted, she replied,
"Whatever is freshest".
Later, upon reflection, the butcher would recall a strange look in the eyes of the pretty, young customer he served that morning. A look that he could not quite put his finger on, but could rightly say was not entirely "human". He would then chastise himself for having such a silly notion and push the uneasiness to the back of his mind, as rational men so often do with unsettling or troubling thoughts. Especially if they are true.
Jenny drove home, quickly made her way to her front door and upon arrival, could not have told you what streets she had taken to get home. In fact, she probably wouldn't have been able to tell you the color of her car. Truth be told, it would have been unwise for you to be anywhere near Jenny at that point in time. Jenny's mind was solely on the meat lying neatly packaged on her kitchen counter. Whatever trappings had kept her from eating the meat she purchased last week were long gone and the only question on Jenny's mind was whether or not she should eat the meat raw or cook it.
The decision was raw, but Jenny was certain she wasn't doing the deciding anymore.
As her teeth sank into the soft, raw meat, Jenny saw a flash in her mind of the face of the man she had been with, only a little over a month ago. Just a flash, but it wasn't quite like a memory. It was like she was back there, for just a moment. And there he was, smiling, looming above her. With two pink lines dripping down his chin. And just as quickly as it came, the flash was gone.
"Yes", Jenny almost snarled, while crouching on her kitchen floor, eating the rest of the meat off the paper it had been wrapped in.
"Everything is going to change".
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