;)
FRIENDS
When they moved in, the woods stretching out beyond the property scared her. it seemed like months before she even ventured off the porch; but she did and slowly Shelley began to creep into the shelter of the trees, the comfort of the creek. At last her mother, Linda realized Shelley was almost never home; not that Linda minded. It kept her out of the house and away from Kevin.
Kevin was the biggest mistake she’d ever made. In the beginning, he’d been charming, polite and sexy. He’d absolutely swept her off her feet. He’d called her smart, thought she was beautiful and had taken her to exotic and wonderful places. Now it was very different. He drank heavily and found her worth little conversation unless it was to scream at or criticize her. His fists had not missed an opportunity to express themselves either. To have Shelley out of the way was a Godsend until l Linda could get Kevin out or pack up and leave.
Linda discovered that Shelley had some new friends she often met in the woods. This gave her comfort to know that Shelley had someone to confide in and go to if she needed.
“They help me. They listen.” Shelley told her once. She scratched absently at her legs.
Linda asked if perhaps she’d gotten into poison ivy. Shelley simply shrugged and went on.
However, as the days passed, Linda began to watch her daughter more closely. Shelley was sneaking food from the house; a lot of it; mostly leftovers. The little girl muttered to herself and the scratching became incessant. Her skin was sugar beet red and almost seemed torn. Attempts to talk about it or her new friends were useless. Shelley always dismissed them. Shaking her head,
“You wouldn’t get it.”
“Try me Shell.”
“They aren’t ready to meet you yet.”
“Are they all right? Do THEY need help?”
“Nope.”
One Saturday Shelley sat at the edge of the woods giggling and scratching. Linda hadn’t meant to sneak up on her but; she had startled her young daughter.
“What do you want?” she almost shouted, dipping her hands in her lap.
“Shelley, Honey, nothing. I just came out to talk.”
“I’m busy.”
“Whatcha doin?”
“Talking with my friends.”
Linda looked around and strained her ears. Nothing.
“Who?”
“My friends. We sit here a lot when Kevin is being a big jerk or beating you up.”
“Honey…” Linda felt her face flush and she carelessly reached for the new set of bruises along
her arms.
“It’s all right Mom. They know. They’ve seen it all.”
Linda looked around again. “Who?”
“My FRIENDS” the little girl’s eyes widened in frustration. Her head teetered on her skinny shoulders.
“Where are they?”
Shelley sighed, her upper body slouching in surrender. “Here” and she yanked her hands from her lap.
Linda recoiled, her mouth twisting into a grimace. She had been on her haunches but was so stunned she plopped to the ground next to her daughter.
Shelley held a bug. A worm. A mess. It was a little bigger than two inches with long jointed legs that stuck out almost like hair from every spot. It resembled a silverfish but had jaws, pincers with notches in them like teeth. It raised its head and wiggled in her hand. Linda thought she heard it mewl.
“Oh God, no Shelley.” Quickly swiping at it.
“NO!” screamed the child, pulling away just in time. The creature curled up in her hand and displayed its mouth. Its legs stuck up and Linda now saw little hooks at the joints. It turned blood red and a juice seemed to drip from its teeth. “She wasn’t bothering you.” Shelley bent over the thing and spoke softly stroking it with her finger. The worm seemed to calm and after a few moments, changed color and posture, scurrying along Shelley’s arm, around her neck to the other side; like hide and seek.
Goose bumps and nausea filled Linda’s body. “Oh Sweetie, don’t let them climb on you like that.”
“They won’t hurt me Mom.” Shelley giggled and scratched.
“Well, they might. They’ve got some pretty nasty teeth.”
“No. They promised.” She smiled sweetly. Shelley got up and sauntered into the woods with her little pal zigzagging down her back and around her belly. “That tickles silly!” The bug raised its head and almost waved one of its legs at Linda. She swore she heard a yelp.
The grass mumbled and swished behind her, but Linda didn’t think it was the wind. She shuddered.
Kevin came home late after too many drinks. The violence erupted like one of his shaken bottles of seltzer. Linda cried. Kevin kept swinging, his voice growing more slurred and louder with each contact to her poor chest and back. She gasped for breath, praying that if she made it, she’d leave. She promised God she would. He beat her into the corner, her lip split, her eye swelling. Her shoulder ached, probably dislocated again. He kicked her, threatening her. Kevin swore he’d take it down the hall if she didn’t shut it.
“You want Shell to get in on a little of this?” he spat.
Thump: fists on flesh.
Linda moaned.
“ANSWER ME!” he screeched. He loved hearing her beg.
Crack: foot to ribs.
“No Kevin. Please no.” She cowered and prayed some more.
“Then behave.” He snarled kneeling down over her. His breath was sour and angry. He was in
such frenzy; he couldn’t speak without making contact. This time he pinched her.
“ AAAHEYHA! I will.” She whimpered, twisting under his fingertips.
“Do what I say.”
“ I will.”
“WHAT?” he thundered in her ear and a clap of his hand. The suction caused an instant splitting
headache. The poor woman tried to climb into the wall. He’d hit her so much, her skin was becoming numb. He’d been pounding at her for too long. She was dazed and forgot to say “Sir” He raised his fists.
“Stop.”
The two fake adults stared dumbfounded.
“Shelley, honey, no.” Linda choked and reached out, frantically waving her daughter off through
tears and blood. No one had heard her come down the hall.
Kevin stepped quickly, snatching the girl by the shoulders.
“What the HELL did you say to me little girl?” he slurred.
Her voice was strong. “I. Said. Stop.” She cocked her head and grinned.
“You need me to show you what back talk gets?” He pulled her close and raised his hand again.
Linda cried out, scrambling on hands and broken legs to reach Shelley in time.
“No SIIIR.” Her eyes widened just a little, seeming to grow brighter. She shook her head slowly.
He swung anyway, so hard it cracked like dry firewood. It burned inside Linda’s chest. The mark was instantaneous, leaving traces of each finger on her face. He checked his palm. It stung.
“You hurt me.” Shelley said quietly and stepped back.
“I’ll do more than THAT” he began leaning in to grab her again.
Shelley laughed.
He stopped.
The wind puffed through the open window, the sweet smell of spring and vengeance crept in. As did Shelley’s new friends. They clicked and rushed, spilling over the window’s edge and along the floor. Their antennae flicking, teeth gnashing and hissing. Their legs carried them swiftly. Their bodies seemed to mold to any surface or shape. Some looked like smiles for they walked sideways. Others pushed on in a harried mess. The carpet grew darker as the number of pals poured in.
Kevin jumped back; his face contorting with revulsion. Millions of spiked feet clicked along the floor. Thousands of jaws yawned and snapped hungrily. They surged forward weaving a writhing carpet between him and the child. They even began to stack themselves giving depth and height to this nightmare.
Linda collapsed shocked and repulsed by Shelley’s clapping.
“Good job! Goooood job!” and pulling a hunk of meat from her pocket, she tossed it to the growing monster.
The mass ferociously funneled in on itself the sound of ripping meat almost lost in the smacking of mandibles.
“What the fu..” Kevin whispered backing slowly away.
Shelley shifted her gaze. “I’ll say it for the last time. Sir>”
“Don’t. No!” his hands reaching up quickly signaling her to hush. His eyes never left the feeding worms.
“You hurt me.” And she crossed her arms expectantly.
Without hesitation the mountain of teeth opened and lunged forward toward the other monster in the room.
Shelley leaned back against the door jamb listening to the thick tearing sound. Eventually, Kevin stopped screaming. More bugs came and when supper was through, only bits of cloth remained.
Linda thought one of them burped. Several wiggled up Shelley’s leg. She reached down as they lovingly wove through her small fingers.
Linda threw up. She swiped her mouth with the back of her hand staring at her daughter.
“What have you done?”
“Nothing.” She said simply. Her lips coming together tightly. She pulled one of her pets from her
hair and kissed at it.
“Nothing????” Linda wailed. “You killed a man! You killed Kevin”
“Kevin? Yes. A man? Mmmmm..Debatable.”
“SHELLEY!” Linda screamed. Hysterical tears dripped down her battered face.
“Mom?” the young girl said quietly. “They don’t like noise. It’s why they came in the first place.”
Several more wove playfully in and out of her shoelaces. Another burp.
“I see.” Linda cupped the sides of her head. “What do I do?”
Shelley smiled. “Don’t hurt me.”
