BY Liliana Mercado
The bus shuttered as it took a sharp turn. Smelly old bodies all jolted at the sudden movement. It was dark out now, only the rusty yellow light luminated the inner walls of the bus. An older woman with ugly veiny hands smiled at me, she clung onto her work bag, she seemed lonely. Not that it mattered to me, they were all filth anyways. The only real beauty was the young schoolgirl that sat in the front row. She had beautifully young skin, so smooth and ever more pale. Her hair was darker than black, and it draped over her small frail shoulders. The short skirt she wore showed off her knobby knees. She had the tiniest frame; it made me teeter at the edge of my seat. She reminded me of the first time I stole a woman’s maidenhead. I wondered if she would scream and cry the same way she did.
I had promised to stay low, after last time it was a close call to getting caught. Not that I did any real harm to women, truly all of them lived after my encounters with them. I tried obtaining what I wanted with different methods, but no one ever gives a guy a chance anymore. How can you blame me? It’s my nature, not my fault if these delicate flowers are begging to be picked.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, she was so vulnerable. I felt I could just walk right up to her, ask if she needed someone to accompany her while she walked and she would be innocent enough to accept. She slowly turned her head, eyeing me with her doe-eyes. Her face was slimer then her body and she had rose colored cheeks. She burrowed her brows in fear at the notice to my presence and turned back around. I clenched my hands together; this fresh starting moment was so familiar to me now. But it just feels better every time.
At the next stop, she shot up from her seat, grasping at her pink backpack as she swiftly walked off the bus. Shaking as she stepped down from the stairs. I shortly followed, taking in the surroundings. If this is where she lived, there weren’t many streetlights. She picked up the pace of her walking, keeping her hands tucked away in her jean jacket. She turned around once, at the sight of me behind her she gasped, making a run for it. My heart sped up in excitement, I loved this part. I gave in, I had to, she was just begging for it.
She booked it down the street shouting out,
“HELP ME!” Squealing into the vacancy of night.
Silence, not a single soul roamed during these late hours. My feet hit hard on the pavement underneath; I reached out my arms so close to her flesh I could taste it. She dashed to the side, going down an off-road path which led to the woods. I could almost laugh; she practically gave the courtesy of privacy for us.
I went after her, my mind racing with all the things I could do, what I haven’t done yet and what I would need to say afterwards. Some threatening remark to keep her quiet. I felt like I could practically salivate just at the ideas. It’s been so long; I promise I’m not a bad guy, I just like to have fun.
My thoughts were interrupted when she dove into a bush. I quickly stopped, thrashing my hands throughout the leaves, trying to find my little girl. She was nowhere in sight; such a small thing would be good at hiding. The only sign of her was her rapid breathing, I followed the noise, with each step I took I could hear it grow.
She’s anticipating me, and oh baby I’m coming. I stepped forward from the bush to the other side, a bright light shined on my face. I squinted my eyes, putting my hand in front of me. As I dropped my hand to fully grasp what was going on, I realized the creature before me.
It was a disgusting thing, a bundle of tar tinted flesh that oozed with a potent smelling goo. It floated off the ground, glowing with some kind of light. I froze where I stood, taking in awe this horrifically grotesque creature. Its fleshy middle started to flex and pry open, a slimy sound left its body as a pearly white eye widened. The huge eye darted all around before stopping to stare dead right at me.
My throat clenched tight; I went to scream but my mouth wouldn’t open. My legs trembled, I wanted to back away, I wanted to call for help. But the force from the creature stopped me. Forbid me from leaving. What the fuck was this thing, what the hell was going on!
My gaze went down to the ground, right below the creature was a flesh suit, the pale skin and dark hair was all I needed to identify her. This creature- thing, it was her! If I could even call it a “her”.
A killing pain itched at my hands. My eyes ached as I forced them to look down at myself. My skin bubbled and pulled back showing the raw bright red muscle underneath. The pain was uncanny, I let out a screech, but the sound was never heard. My mouth felt as if it had been sewn shut, I pried my arms out of the frozen trance with a sore feeling. I grabbed onto my mouth, upon feeling my lips a wet substance dripped to my chin, a stinging pain in my jaw. I cranked it open, unknowing if the blood was from my hands or mouth.
I sob out as teeth felt like candy corn and I couldn’t help but grind down, watching them fall out like leaves. I yelled out, throwing myself back, I need to leave, I need to GO.
I fell stomach first with a slam, the force of the creature pinned me down. I dug my rotten fingers into the dirt, it stung as I clawed away. Tears pooled in my eyes; my heart sunk to the bottom of my body screaming to be released.
I was getting nowhere; I stayed laid where I was. I turned my head to the creature that didn’t speak. It just watched.
“What do you want from me!?” I cried out.
No response, it didn’t speak, didn’t move.
For a moment I felt myself standing up again, making a run for it. As if it had released me. Only to feel a sudden pop in my ribs, I grabbed at my chest coughing up slush of red. Leaning forward felt like it was killing me and every inhale I took burned my insides. I pushed through it; I need to get the fuck away from this thing!
I stumbled as my legs felt heavy with sluggish movement, I could feel every single tendon stretch and ache as I moved. My breath was labored, blood mixed with saliva dribbled out my mouth. I picked up the pace trying to run, when I suddenly felt a tear in my flesh all over. I screamed out grabbing onto hanging skin from all around, my body began to split apart. Peeling away from my muscles stinging me all over. The pain screamed at me, and I screamed back. I flared my arms trying to get away before any more meat rotted.
In my next step a loud CRUNCH erupted in my ears, bone popped out my leg rising out the muscle. I screeched out, attempting to balance on one leg before it gave out too. My bones had turned into glass and every sudden bump caused me to shatter. I could feel my insides squirm around as bones punctured organs. An acidic burning teased my throat before vomit spewed out my lips, covering my open wounds. I fell backwards, hitting my spine on the rough, rocky ground no longer able to move. But I felt everything.
I kept waiting for it to be over. For me to die, to become nothing. But it never came, it just kept going and going. Peeling back every fiber, sucking out the marrow within my bones, plucking me apart, violating my body until it was nothing. I cried out, screamed, vomited all over myself and begged, but it never stopped.
Now all that remained was my pile of bones, yet I didn’t die. The creature had long left after it removed everything. Returning to its girl-like state and walking away. The rotting never subsided, it all felt fresh and anew. Like a paper cut dipped in salt. I wondered when it would be over, but it’s never over.