The Feeders

5 - Death Glare

My scream seems to push my parents into a frenzy. Mom's body twitches stiffly, huge strings of something thick and dark ooze out of her mouth. Dad throws his head back and an awful screech comes out of his blackened lips. I tremble, but tighten my fingers around the trash can lid and the frying pan, eager to hold on. They're my only defense.

"What the-" Salem says as he walks into the grim situation.

Dad immediately stops whatever weird scream he's doing. He's now dripping with the odd black goo as well. He takes off toward Salem, running in a sort of mixture between human and animal. His strides are longer than natural, his body lurching with every one. Salem is digging into a duffel bag he's brought in and I'm sure that dad is going to ram into him and- What? Bite him? Infect him?

I do the only thing I can think of. I throw the frying pan at him. My stomach is in knots as I watch it soar through the empty space between us and connect with the side of dad's face. I knew it would. I've always been a good aim.

     Salem is standing there with a huge chain.

     "Look out!" he shouts.

     I whip my attention back to mom and she's advancing toward me with menacing verve. She collides with the trash can lid, thrashing her head about like mad. I hold steady and work around until her back is to the wall instead of mine. It's easy, because she's so dead set on biting me with her gnashing teeth, she doesn't even realize we're twisting in a circle. I press the thick aluminum against her to pin her against the wall.

Mom's faded eyes stare right into mine. They're so cold. The light that used to be behind them has gone out. It makes me want to cry, and I do. A little. But I keep fighting to hold her at bay. She claws at my sleeves, but she can't reach my face. That's what she wants. She seems like she wants to claw my eyes out. It's like my stare is driving something vicious and primal in her. Does she hate the life in my eyes? The warmness that she no longer possesses.

     "Jan, you have to back up," Salem says.

     I blink, breaking the eye connection. It's only now that I realize Salem's hand is pressing on my chest, gently pushing me back. I look for dad and see him on the living room floor, arms and legs chained. He twists and flops around like a fish out of water, only he isn't fighting for life...he's fighting for death.

I back up, and mom follows, giving Salem an opportunity to throw the chain over her head and wrap it around the shoulders. By the time she turns on him, he's got it set up where he can run around her a few times and pin her arms in the chain. She struggles, but the chains are strong and so is Salem.

I finally lose control of my legs. The trash can lid clatters to the kitchen floor as I fall. My mind is battling with every comfort I've ever known in my parents. Love and safety...those concepts are gone. How can my mom ever smile her warm smile now that her lips have been so cold and black? How can my dad ever tell us he loves us again without us seeing the black goo pour out.

Stop it, Janis I tell myself, they're still your parents. They're family, and we will find a way through this.