When We Were Still Human

by Vaughn Foster

  Wiping her brow, she remembered the incident in the E.R. She’d already slipped by saying that she got bit. If he found out about the hospital guy, then she’d never hear the end of it. Biting down on her lip, she closed her eyes and tried to sear the images from memory.

  “You better be telling the truth. You know your mother,” he said, clearing his throat: “Jason, how could you let my daughter get killed by some savage canine!’ And I’d defend myself like ‘Sherry, it wasn’t my fault!’ And then she’d murder me.”

  “Well, I think that’s a bit extreme.”

  “Does your mother have any other setting?”

  “True,” she laughed, thankful to hear keys falling back on his table. “But listen, I’m starving right now. Do you think you’d be able to break out the chef hat tonight?”

  “Yeah, definitely. When you didn’t show, I just put everything in the fridge. Just have to heat it back up. Come by in like an hour-thirty?”

  “Awesome, see you then.”

  The next hour was excruciating. It had returned. It was just like those horror movies where the protagonist thinks she’s escaped, only for the poltergeist to cut off the last route and drive her into a corner. Only this time, in Val’s reality, it wasn’t a phantom flipping over furniture. It was a terrifying creature inside her chest, clawing to get out.

  She tried TV to distract herself, but the pangs of hunger rang louder than the action on the screen. Music wasn’t helpful either. Her speakers had already cycled from rap, to pop, to metal, until she couldn’t take it anymore. She checked the clock and decided that she’d killed enough time for him to be ready. Grabbing her keys, Val headed out to the parking lot.

  She pulled into the closest spot near Jason’s building. The hunger tore its way through her body, and it took everything she had to stay in control. Bypassing the wait for the elevator, Val ran up the ten flights of stairs and reached Jason’s floor in less than a minute. She half-stepped, half-fell into the hall, fighting to catch her breath. It took a moment, but she slowed her breathing and forced herself to knock calmly. She felt like an addict; her insides raged with withdrawal as desire dragged her to her dealer.

  Val stood on the welcome mat, uncomfortably shifting her weight foot to foot until she heard the chain slide and Jason’s familiar smile greeted her. He wore a deep blue V-neck with a golden anchor pendant hanging from his neck. She loved that necklace; she had gotten it for his birthday two years ago.

  The birthday festivities had been scheduled to commence at the bar, Scorpions. It wasn’t clear if it was named for the arachnid in and of itself, or in the possessive, after the owner: a big guy with a bright purple scorpion tattooed along the left side of his face. Regardless, the wrong date got sent in the group chat and no one else showed up.

  Val was crushed, but Jason didn’t even seem to care. He had kissed her and said as long as she was there, his birthday was perfect. Later that night, the Scorpion, who turned out to just be a really sweet Jewish guy, would buy them a round. He would then proceed to invite them to his niece’s bat mitzvah, and later, tell them about the view from one of the hidden lakes.

  Val looked up from the necklace and noted how his once wavy brown hair was now gelled up to allow a clear view of his face. Nothing had changed. He was still the Jason from that lake who said that he loved her more than anything.

  Staring into his brown eyes almost made her forget the hunger.

  “Hey, you,” Val said with a wide smile. Before Jason could reply, she quickly kissed him and entered the apartment. She’d only just gotten past the threshold before she was weak in the knees from the magical aroma emanating from the kitchen. The sizzling of meat on the stovetop filled the entire space. For someone who had just moved out of his mother’s house, his culinary skills were incredibly refined.

  Taking a deep gulp, she sat down at one of the counter stools and spun to face him. If they were to enjoy the night without incident, she had to play it cool.

  “So, mate, how was the land down under?” she asked in her best Australian accent.

  “It was incredible. Got the contract signed and our graphics branch will start the ad campaign next month!”

  “Congratulations!”

  “I know, right?! But it’s funny, I almost forgot to show up to all my meetings. I met these outdoorsy people at one of the bars who took me exploring. The hiking was nothing like I’d ever seen before. Literally every landscape was more beautiful than the last one.”

  “And the women?” she asked with a smirk.

  “So hot.” Pulling her into his arms, he placed a long kiss on her lips and brushed her hair aside. “But not as hot as American girls.”

  “Good to hear.” Laughing, she pushed off and deeply inhaled the nearest pot on the stove. “But the question that us American girls are really wondering…” Val teased, raising her arms over the stove for dramatic effect, “is what has the Amazing Jason prepared for this evening!?” She prayed he couldn’t see her shaking.

  “Well, m’lady,” he answered in a forced British accent. “We have roasted duck, a vegetable stir fry, garlic bread, water, and wine: red or white. Oh, and Kool-Aid.”

  “What color Kool-Aid?” She seductively batted her eyes and placed her chin in her hands.

  Laughing as he continued the menu, Val couldn’t believe it as the hunger started to fade. It was the sound of him talking, or maybe it was his laugh. Whatever it was, his voice grounded her in a way that nothing else could. Drowning her pain was a form of peace that she couldn’t quite place.

  The conversation moved from the current masterpiece of Jason’s culinary skills, to their latest Netflix binge, and then work. Even after they had cleaned up and sprawled themselves across the couch, they could barely sit upright from the laughter.

  “I’m not even kidding, the patient tried to run out of his room while still attached to his IV!” Val exclaimed.

  “Oh my god, that’s crazy,” said Jason, shaking his head. “How do you do it?”

  “I like helping people.” Val beamed. “But I swear, my final exam will probably look like: take blood, put in stitches, then tackle delirious old men when they try to escape my love and healing.”

  “They won’t stand a chance. Hey, that reminds me…” Jason’s smile flattened and his brow creased. “Where’d you get bit anyways?”

  Val paled, then shrugged, trying to play it cool. “It was just on the shoulder, but really, I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “Lemme see.” Before she could protest, he was right next to her. He pulled down the corner of her shirt and looked at her shoulder. “Wow, not even a scratch. What kind of dog was it?”

  The creature flashed in Val’s mind again, squealing in triumph as it dropped on top of her. Shaking off the memory, she smiled and laid her head on his shoulder.

  “I told you, it wasn’t a big deal. Plus, that’s not what I wanna talk about.”

  “Well, what do you wanna talk about? I think the Steelers game is still on.” He smirked and motioned to the TV.

  “I was thinking of something a little more…physical.” With that, she pushed him down onto the cushions and kissed him. In one swift movement, Jason had spun her around so that she was pinned beneath. Kissing him deeply, she breathed him in: the sweat, the cologne, the lingering scent of wine still on his breath.

  His hands started to explore her body and she dug her nails into his back. At that moment, Jason was the only thing that mattered. She needed him.; not just the sex, but to become truly one with the man she loved.

  She closed her eyes and allowed the heat of the moment to carry her away. It was the soft rock and sway of a ship. Farther and farther, she was swept out to sea. His hand found her belt and she fought with his t-shirt. The waters swelled, and pulsed, and—

  The ship crashed.

  Debris splinted through air and ocean as Val collided against the shore. Warmth fled her body. In the confusion, a deep cry of pain and the shattering of glass
reached her ears.

  Val opened her eyes and found herself on top of Jason. They had fallen through the glass coffee table in the center of the room. Blood and broken glass now covered the floor. But it was worse than that. Her teeth were buried into his shoulder.

  Jason writhed in pain beneath her, thrashing his arms in an attempt to pry her off. But the more he pulled and pushed, the deeper her teeth dug in.

  Though terrified at her actions, Val couldn’t find the strength to let go. She shivered at the feeling of warm liquid spilling down her chin. The taste was orgasmic in itself and plunged her into an insatiable hunger worse than that afternoon. At that moment, all she needed was him. She needed him with her. She needed him inside of her.

  He screamed out in pain as her jaws clamped tighter. She glanced to her peripheral and could clearly see his face. She remembered the beautiful man from a few hours ago, the man she was in love with. His perfect white smile had been replaced with a pain-stricken grimace, and his teeth were clenched in agony. The loving, inviting eyes were pressed shut, refusing to meet his attacker’s gaze.

  Reflexively, Val’s jaw loosened. She quickly stood and backed away from the wreckage. He had fallen unconscious, and now she could only stare in fear and disgust. She was afraid, not just at what she had done, but at how good it felt.

  Unconsciously licking her lips, she swallowed the blood that was still there. Despite this sudden burst of self-control, all she wanted was to go back to him. To hold him, to kiss him— to feed on him until nothing remained.

  She whipped her head around in panic until zeroing in on the main door. Running at full speed, she flung it open and rushed for the steps.

  The sound of people coming up the stairs stopped her in her tracks, and she quickly skidded back the way she came. Val frantically looked for another means of escape and focused on the window in the center of the hall. Kicking off with full force, she smashed through the glass and plummeted ten stories onto the asphalt. Shaking off the debris, she pulled herself out of the pavement and took off.

  It was zig-zag pattern through the alleyways. In minutes, she’d escaped the suburbs and traveled into the wooded outskirts of the city. Thorny branches ripped red streaks across her skin, but her pace didn’t slow. Somewhere in her mind, she thought she could outrun the monster inside. She couldn’t bear to face Jason when he woke up. What would she even say? Would she be able to give a pathetic attempt at an apology, or just rush him again?

  She felt her way through the dark, the ravenous hunger aching deeper into her body. Her legs started to quiver, and a gnawing pain pressed on her insides. She stumbled blindly, grabbing onto any trees that were nearby for support. It became too much. She collapsed.

  Her despondency was soon broken by the rustling of leaves. Something large was approaching. She looked up and saw a doe calmly walk in front of her. Either oblivious or unthreatened, the doe lowered its head to feed on a patch of clover. The breeze blew the animal’s scent into Val’s nostrils, and a soft moan escaped her lips. The doe froze, then turned its head to meet Val’s gaze.

  Before it could process the threat, Val sprang and tackled the deer to the ground. Hunger deafened her to its cries as she broke its neck in one twist and sank her teeth into its jugular.

  She paused in the middle of her ecstasy. A mouthful of fresh, still-warm blood bathed her tongue as the rest spilled out to stain her chin. She dug into the carcass and shoveled handfuls of meat into her mouth. Fingernails sharpened and each hand became like a set of knives.

  She buried her head into the now open chest cavity, slave to bestial instinct. Its heart was in the palm of her hand. The steady beat slowed in her grasp until it was nothing but a soft, limp weight. She continued to dig a path through the animal, consuming organs, bones, and tissue alike. Even after she had devoured it entirely, she continued to lick the blood and juices from the blades of grass.

  If only the effort had been of some avail. The hunger returned minutes later. Its demanding bellows echoed through her body with indiscriminate rage. Her head snapped left, then right, desperate to locate something else that may appease her.

  Nothing.

  She fell to the ground with a scream of pain and frustration. The world began to spin as she stared skyward through the gaps in the treetops.

  “Mom?” a voice asked warily. The hair on Val’s neck crawled upwards as she slowly moved into a crouching position.

  “It’s fine,” a woman replied, this time a bit closer. Val slashed out in the direction she heard the voice, but her claws only met air.

  Something sharp struck her ankles and her legs gave out like putty.

  “Who’s there,” Val growled. The animal instincts were still in control, but her breathing was heavy, and she was growing weaker by the second.

  A branch broke behind her.

  She whipped her torso around and lashed out with her left hand. Instead of tearing open flesh, a vice-like grip caught her arm mid swing and dug into the skin with tiny knives.

  Val raised her head and saw the silhouettes of what looked to be a woman and child standing over her. Angels of death or executioners from hell; it didn’t matter. She had burned through the last reserve of energy, and her body had given up. Baring her teeth one last time, Val collapsed into the dirt and blackness took her once more.

  Chapter 4

  A heavy door slammed, accompanied by feet stomping on wooden floors. Torn from her coma-like slumber, Val pried open her eyes. She was in a cabin of some sort; the log walls were worn from age but seemed well-maintained nonetheless. Bright rays poured in from the full pane window opposite the bed and bathed the entire room in sunlight. A carved dresser stood beneath, and to the side, a matching bookcase.

  Val tried to lift a hand to wipe the sleep from her eyes, but couldn’t move. She panicked for a moment, thinking she was restrained, but soon discovered her bindings were only the ends of a wool blanket tucked underneath the mattress. Her mind raced to remember how she had gotten there, but the sound of muffled voices through the walls broke her focus. She couldn’t exactly make out where they came from, but the sources couldn’t have been more than a room away. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and broke free of the blanket.

  As soon as her feet hit the cold floor, the room started spinning. A wave of exhaustion hit her like a truck. She tried a first step, but her stomach rumbled with a dull ache. Not daring to move, she leaned a hand against the wall and rested until the nausea passed.

  Fog clouded her mind and her movements dragged, but she could function. When she was confident she wouldn’t collapse, Val began to widen the gap between her and the bed until she had made it to the window.

  Looking out, tall hackberries and pines rose in the distance. Interestingly enough, there were several clotheslines hung along some of the nearer trees. A woman’s flannels and blue jeans blew gently in the wind, and pinned beside were a boy’s t-shirts and shorts. There was something on the tip of her mind, but another growl from her stomach pulled her attention away from the window. People were talking again, and this time she could hear clearly.

  “Li, bring the spleen and kidneys over here now!”

  A woman’s voice.

  “I don’t see them anywhere!” a boy yelled back.

  He couldn't be very young; adolescence probably.

  “Back of the refrigerator, top shelf! Okay, now stir these in with the rest of the soup; I’m going to get more firewood.”

  Still too disoriented to really understand the conversation, Val focused on getting closer to the sounds. When she reached the end of the room, she saw that the door was partially ajar. A deafening creak rang from the old metal hinges as she widened the opening. She listened for advancing footsteps, but the homeowners must have been too occupied to have heard. A cautious step out of the bedroom took her into the living area where she was met by a twelve-point buck's head above the fireplace.

  “Mom, do you think this will work?”

  They were muc
h closer now.

  “Don’t worry, Li, it’ll be fine. Hurry up and pour it into a bowl and put it on the table. She should be awake pretty soon.”

  Val hesitantly walked in the direction of the voices and found herself standing in the kitchen doorway. A boy, maybe thirteen years old, sat at a small round table eating what looked like stew. Standing over the stove was a woman in her late thirties, early forties, with dirty blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.

  “You’re awake.” She smiled, eyes not leaving the pot she was working over. “There’s a bowl of soup next to Li on the table. Eat.”

  Though suspicious, Val’s hunger still held its grip. She sat down next to the boy and glanced him over warily, but he was oblivious. His face was practically buried in his bowl, spoon slowing just enough to swallow. Looking down at her own food, she breathed in the aroma. Her stomach roared to life and the hunger of the previous night raged through her body.

  “Oh my god. That smells so good.”

  “I know, right,” Li replied between mouthfuls. “You should eat now before you pass out again. You’re kinda heavy and I don’t wanna drag you back to your bed. Mom and I had to carry you for a good couple miles yesterday. Oh!” His face flared bright red and he nervously met her eyes. “Sorry about cutting your ankles.”

  She stared back quizzically for a moment, then glanced under the table. She swiveled her foot, testing the joint at different angles, but couldn’t find anything wrong. The last thing she remembered was believing, for the second night in a row, that she was going to die. Her stomach growled again, and she zeroed in on the food in front of her.

  Her hand lifted the spoon to her mouth in an almost hypnotic state. The moment it touched her tongue, she was in ecstasy. It was a warmth that she had never experienced before in her life; a passion and purity that touched the very soul. Halfway through the bowl, she realized someone had been talking to her.