Pantry Prowler

  Heather was surprised to hear the doorbell. It had been some time since anyone visited. She raised her head off the kitchen table, realizing the entire house was dark. Had she fallen asleep? It was hard to tell, sometimes, with her constant drifting in and out of dark dreams. The doorbell chimed again, and Heather stood. She started to walk toward the kitchen light switch, but stopped when she heard a low rumble from inside the pantry. The switch was right beside it, but she made no further move to approach. She could feel the evil radiating from the pantry, waves of it washing over her. When had the prowler first appeared? She could no longer remember. 

  The kitchen could remain in darkness. 

  Quickly moving around the living room, Heather turned on lamps and lights, then smoothed her shirt as she approached the front door. She flicked on the porch light, then pulled the door open slightly. 

  “Heather? Hey girl!” a smiling face said. 

  Heather just stared, her mind slow to make any connection to who this person was. 

  “I know you’re not going to leave me out here in the cold,” the woman on the porch said. 

  There was something in that tone that sparked Heather’s memory. Her eyes narrowed as she pulled the door all the way open. 

  “Melanie?” 

  Melanie smiled and pushed her way inside the house, forcing Heather back a step. As usual, Melanie looked perfect. Her perfect teeth were dazzling, as were her diamond earrings. Her sleeveless bodycon dress hugged her toned figure perfectly and the color perfectly matched her designer bag. Before closing the door, Heather noted the brand new BMW in the driveway.

  “God, this place really hasn’t changed at all,” Melanie said, running her finger across an end table and then staring with disgust at the dust collected there.

  Heather approached her. 

  “Why are you here, Melanie?” 

  Wide smile in place, Melanie turned to face her. 

  “Because everyone is worried about you, sweetie. You don’t call, you don’t participate in the group chat, and your socials are totally dormant.”

  Heather just stared. Nothing that Melanie said was untrue, but this woman was not her friend. Hadn’t been for a long time. Their social circles still overlapped, but Heather knew that Melanie ran her down anytime the opportunity arose. 

  “Let me get a look at you,” Melanie said. “You’ve lost so much weight! What’s your secret?” 

  Despite the darkness bubbling inside of her, Heather felt a surge of embarrassment and insecurity. She’d always been self-conscious about her weight. As to her secret, her eyes drifted to the pantry door, where all of her favorite unhealthy snacks and drinks were rotting away. 

  “Girl, you read my mind,” Melanie said. “You always did keep this thing stocked with goodies.” 

  Melanie walked toward the pantry. Heather’s eyes went wide, and she hurried toward it as well. Just as Melanie reached the door, Heather leapt in front of her. She slammed her back onto the door and held out her arms to block it. 
  
  “Don’t!” Heather warned. 

  Melanie’s expression soured. She cocked her head, and the side of her lip curled up into a miniature snarl. 

  “Listen, fatty, I haven’t had anything to eat all day and I drove all the way out here to check on you. Move your wide butt so I can get a snack.” 

  After staring up at the woman for a long moment, Heather stepped out of the way. 

  “You’re so weird,” Melanie said, giving her a nasty look as she opened the pantry door. 

  Heather moved to the front door and turned off the porchlight. She then started turning off the lamps and lights in the living room. The pantry door slammed shut, and Melanie screamed from inside. With the house cloaked in darkness once more, Heather returned to the kitchen table. Melanie screamed again, this one accompanied by the sounds of thrashing and violence. 

  Heather lay her head on the table and drifted back into dark dreams.