She had rented a cabin in the mountains for a week. She and her husband planned on having a great holiday there. But lacking foresight, the two had foolishly forgotten to bring any meals. So after throwing their luggage casually into their room, her husband set off for the nearby town. It was only a few miles away, but with the weather conditions worsening, he didn’t expect to return till much later. The two kissed goodbye, and she was left alone to unpack their bags while he was away.
She bounded up the stairs, hurrying to the second floor bedroom. She opened the door and was surprised to find their close neatly hung in the closet interior. She was baffled by this, unable to think up a plausible reason of how their bags had miraculously opened themselves and put away their contents. But she pushed away any feelings of unease and lay down on the bed, closing her eyes to rest. The long drive from the city had made her quite tired and she was grateful to get some rest.
After waking from her hour or so nap, she decided to explore the rest of the house. She took a dip in the indoor Jacuzzi, spent an hour on the treadmill, and took another hour to shower. Finally, she ventured to the kitchen. She ran her hands over the oak cabinetry and the marble counters, enjoying the texture of the wood and stone. As she left the room, one of the cabinets creaked open. She went to shut the cabinet, but stopped and stared.
The cabinet was filled with breads, cheeses, and jerky. Upon seeing the food, her stomach growled in response, signaling it was time to feed. She did not wonder where the food came from, all she knew that her body was requesting it, and she gave in to her body’s desire. She left for the living room to relax and listen to music while eating the jerky. It had an interesting taste that was addicting. She wasn’t sure what meat it was, but by looking at the packaging, she assumed it was a local brand.
After a while, she felt her throat start to dry; she was thirsty. She headed to the kitchen again; her goal was to get a glass of water. But instead, she noticed an unopened bottle of wine and a glass sitting on the counter. The bottle seemed to be begging to be consumed, and she responded to its siren call. She grabbed the bottle, uncorked it, and poured its crimson contents into the waiting glass. Her mouth water, anticipating the promise of relief the drink would bring.
Commanded by thirst, she did not take the time to enjoy the unusual, coppery flavor of this brand. She just drank it, the drink barely making contact with her taste buds. Her mouth and throat thanked her for the treat. After satiating both her thirst and hunger, she returned to the living room to fall asleep on the sofa, curled up in her blankets, waiting for her husband’s return.
When she awoke, she felt very cold. Once fully roused by a stiff, cool breeze, she slowly stood on the floor and looked around. The door to the cabin was left wide open. She ran to shut it, but before closing the door, she spied her husband’s truck.
He was home. He must have gotten home sometime during her slumber and didn’t feel like disturbing her rest. He must have just headed to the bedroom. Or at least, these were the thoughts racing through her head.
She raced up the stairs, and burst through the door, but the room was empty. On the bed a note reposed. It read:
“Go to the kitchen, I have something for you. If you enjoyed yesterday’s treat, you will love today’s meal”
She found the note strange, but she left for the kitchen anyway. Maybe her husband had forgotten something. As she entered the room, a rich aroma of meat perfumed the air; the wonderful scent tickling her senses. She inhaled deeply, wondering what the meal could be. She opened the oven and peeked inside.
There, in a large pan, was the head of her husband, basting in the juices of his own blood and other bodily fluids.
She screamed. She raced out of the cabin barefoot. The cold caused her feet to protest, but she pressed onward, heading to the truck. Once inside the safety of the driver’s seat, she noticed the keys still resting in the ignition. She tried to start the engine, but the low grumble of the vehicle suggested that the truck did not wish to come out of its hibernation early.
If seeing the severed head of her husband put her into hysterics, then the sigh of her husband’s body sitting in the passenger seat must have pushed her past the edge of insanity, with no hope of return. The headless body had the organs of its chest carved out, the bloody bones of his ribcage perfectly visible. She curled up in the driver’s seat, not wanting to move. She just rocked back and forth unable to make any articulate noise, just the previous day running through her head over and over again. She sobbed as the realization of one fact remained in her thoughts.
She stayed in the car, not moving, not saying anything. The cold eventually took her. But she must have taken some comfort in the fact that her last meal was with her husband.