Yellow Mama Archives II

Amy Grech

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Midnight Munchies

 

by

 

Amy Grech

 



 

Tyler: I’ve got the Midnight Munchies.

Josh: So eat something . . .

Tyler: I already ate all of the perishables.

Josh: Perishables??

Tyler: Milk, cold cuts, cheese, fruit, and vegetables.

Josh: You must be hungry.

Tyler: You have no idea.

I had to choke down uncooked baked beans.

Josh: Nasty!

Tyler: Jasmine’s gone.

Josh: Where did she go?

Tyler: She fell on her way down to the basement.

Josh: Is she OK?

Tyler: Not really.

The heel of her shoe got caught when she ran downstairs.

When Jasmine tumbled to the bottom of the stairs,

she broke her neck.

Josh: Tough break. Why the rush?

Tyler: We were scrambling to take cover before the incident.

Josh: What incident?

Tyler: You know — the Cubans dropped an atomic bomb 72 hours ago.

Josh: Right.

 

3 minutes later:

Josh: Is there anything you can do for her?

Tyler: Jasmine’s dead.

Josh: Yikes!

Tyler: She’s been laid to rest.

Josh: May she rest in pieces.

Tyler: Not cool, bro.

Josh: My bad.

Tyler: We were together for 2 years.

Almost an eternity. . . .

Josh: No doubt. Where??

Tyler: The walk-in freezer is her final resting place.

She’ll keep nicely.

Josh: Why is there a walk-in freezer in the basement?

Tyler: My Dad is a Chef.

Josh: That makes sense.

The power is out.

Tyler: There’s a propane-powered backup generator.
Josh: Yeah. I could sure use one of those right about now.

I’m in the basement now.

Tyler: Good. Where are your parents?

Josh: They’re out of town for the weekend.

Tyler: Where did they go?

Josh: California.

Tyler: Sorry, bro. They probably got incinerated in the blast.

Josh: I know. Where are your parents?

Tyler: They didn’t make it down basement in time.

They got caught in the moment.

Josh: That’s rough.

Tyler: Ironic. My Dad the Chef burned to a crisp.

My Mom, too.

Momentary silence.

Josh: Do you have everything you need?

Tyler: I think so: Several gallon jugs of water.

Josh: Check.

Tyler: A kerosene lantern from the mall.

What have you got to eat?

Josh: Turkey Jerky and some Kind Bars.

Tyler: What Kind are they?

Josh: The Kind Bars?

Tyler: Got it.

Josh: Does it matter?

Tyler: I guess not. Do you have light?

Josh: I’ve got a bunch of flashlights.

Tyler: I have a set of my Dad’s chef's knives.

Josh: What for?

Tyler: There’s no telling what survived.

Do you know what radiation may have done

to the neighborhood dogs and cats?

Josh: I have no idea.

Tyler: The ones that survived are probably rabid and famished.

I’ll use the knives to defend myself, if I have to.

Josh: Did you block the windows?

Tyler: I covered them with plywood.

Josh: Smart.

Tyler: I’m resourceful. My Dad taught me that.

Josh: Respect.

5 minutes later:

Tyler: I’ve been consumed by Jasmine’s passion.

Josh: All the feels.

Tyler: Jasmine has been consumed by my hunger.

Josh: OMG!

Tyler: She wanted it that way. Trust me.

Josh: Classy.

Tyler licks his lips.

Tyler: It brings us together, body and soul...

Josh: What??

Tyler: With a heavy heart, I slice pale pink meat

into translucent strips with a chef’s knife.

Josh: Seriously?

Tyler: My tears run down Jasmine’s cheeks

as I gently place them down on a dish of

delicate, fine Bone China with pale, pink roses. 

Josh: Bro, no words.

Tyler: I chew every morsel slowly, relishing the poignant

flavor of my last meal, fresh off the bone.

Josh: Who says it’s your last meal?

Tyler: I’m tapped out—there’s nothing left.

Tyler wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

Josh: Whoa! That’s dark.

Tyler: Just being honest.

Jasmine’s thighs are a bounty of the sweetest meat I’ve ever tasted.

Josh: I can’t believe you ate Jasmine!

Tyler: Desperate times . . . I’m not finished with her, yet.

Josh: Bro?!

Tyler: I’ve already devoured the succulent meat on her rump, arms,

breasts, lower legs, toes, and fingers.

Now I have a newfound respect for finger food.

Josh: Did you put a ring on it?

Tyler: I did. Wanted to tell you, before

all of this happened.

I kept the diamond engagement ring as a memento.

Josh: Word.

Tyler: A girlfriend is a terrible thing to waste.

Josh: Just deserts.

10 minutes later:

Josh: I miss the comforts of home.

Tyler: You’re such a Mama’s Boy.

Josh: Bro, that’s cold.

Tyler: Just Joshing.

Tyler: [smile emoji]

Josh: [eye roll emoji]

Tyler: I miss the sun.

Josh: [sunglasses emoji]

Tyler: I miss Netflix.

Josh: [popcorn emoji]

Josh: I miss my parents.

Tyler: Ditto.

Josh: I can hear some critters outside, near the basement.

Tyler: Uh-oh.

Josh: They’re yowling and growling. It sounds really bad.

Tyler: Did you cover the windows?

Josh: Just with duct tape—I hope it keeps them outside.

Tyler: [fingers crossed emoji]

5 minutes later:

Tyler: Something just chewed through the plywood!

It’s in the basement!

Josh: That’s not good, bro.

Is it a cat or a dog??

Tyler: Hard to tell. It’s yowling and it’s headed straight for me!

Tyler snaps a picture with his smartphone.

He takes a quick look.

Tyler: No, that’s my cat, Smoky.

Josh: How can you be sure?

He sends Josh a picture of his cat.

Tyler: You can see the name tag on his red collar.

Josh: Yeah. I can barely make it out.

Tyler: Smokey doesn’t look the same.

Josh: Poor little guy. His fur is caked with blood.

Tyler: And he’s drooling.

Josh: He looks very hungry . . .

Smoky hisses loudly.

Tyler is trembling.

Josh: Grab a knife!

Tyler: Already on it.

Tyler lunges for a chef’s knife on the butcher block.   

It slips from his fingers before he can get a handle on it

and clatters on the cold concrete.

Smoky pounces on Tyler, claws out, teeth bared,

frothing at the mouth.

Tyler: I dropped the knife. I—

Josh: Tyler??





Amy Grech has sold over 100 stories to various anthologies and magazines including: A New York State of Fright, Apex Magazine, Flashes of Hope, Gorefest, Hell’s Heart, Hell’s Highway, Hell’s Mall, Microverses, Needle Magazine, Punk Noir Magazine, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, The One That Got Away, and many othersShe has work forthcoming in the Even in the Grave and Under Her Skin anthologies.


Amy is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers, who lives in New York. You can connect with her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_grech or visit her website: https://www.crimsonscreams.com


 


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