Salem, Oregon. 12:03 AM. Umi’s apartment.
The book piece was burning in Umi’s hand.
Lila was asleep in the next room.
Umi
That was the only word on the plate in the photo.
knock knock
Slow. Deliberate. From the front door.
Umi didn’t have a gun. She had Ghost. And a lighter.
She opened the door.
No one was there.
Just a white plate on the doormat. Blue rim.
And on it, carved: Umi
Ghost hissed and ran inside.
The lights flickered.
From the kitchen: click
A chair being pulled out.
Umi walked in.
Her table. Her 2 chairs.
But now there were 4.
And sitting in Seat 1 was a shadow.
Not a kid. Not an old person.
It looked like Umi. 10 years older. Tired eyes. Cold.
The shadow looked up. Her voice was Umi’s, but hollow.
_"You forgot my dog’s name for 3 seconds last Tuesday.
That was delicious."_
Umi didn’t sit. "Get out of my house."
The shadow tilted its head. _"You forgot Lila’s last name for 3 seconds.
You forgot to call your dad back.
You forgot what your own fear tasted like.
We’ve been so hungry, Umi."_
From the book:
_Author 1: Umi. Status: Being remembered.
Warning: If you forget yourself, we eat._
The shadow stood and walked to the fridge. Opened it. Empty.
_"You feed everyone else. Lila. Ghost.
Who feeds you?"_
Umi grabbed the plate. Smashed it on the floor.
"Me."
The shadow smiled. Same smile as Umi.
"Good. Stay angry. Anger tastes better than sadness."
Then it faded.
But before it did, it whispered:
_"We’ll be back. With the others.
One bite at a time."_
Silence.
Lila ran in. "Umi? Are you okay?"
Umi hugged her. Tight. For the first time, she was scared.
"Yeah," Umi lied. "Go back to sleep."
She texted the group: It came for me. It looks like me.
Miri: WHAT
Alex: same eyes?
Fritz: bro NO
Umi looked at her book piece. New line:
1/4 bitten. 3 to go.
Outside, the wind chimes were broken again.