Stay for dessert
Little Jessica was finally going to do it, she was going to accept Katie’s invitation to visit her house after school. In spite of other classmates pleading with her not to. Jessica could no longer take seeing Katie being ostracized, and at lunchtime she was going to tell Katie the good news.
The ringing of the bell was her signal. Jessica got up from her desk and walked across the class, with all the eyes of her peers watching, she boldly marched to Katie’s desk and announced:
“I would like to go to your house after school.”
Katie’s mopey countenance took a turn for the better.
“Really!?” Said Katie in disbelief.
Jessica nodded. Katie was over the moon. She began listing off all the fun things they were going to be doing at her house; while Katie prattled away, Jessica couldn’t help but notice her classmates’ behaviour — they whispered frantically to one another and had the grimmest of expressions. But, Jessica didn’t care. Her mind was made: she would spend at least one evening at Katie’s house, if for nothing else but to wash away the guilt she had been feeling all school year.
The final bell tolled. Before Jessica could get up from her desk, her best friend Tara appeared.
“Please! Don’t go! Her family is super weird and I don’t know what they might do to you!” Said Tara.
“Tara, bullying, like this, isn’t right. So, I’m going to Katie’s house, just like how I go to your house whenever you invite me over.”
Tara continued to warn Jessica, but she wouldn’t hear any of it. She and Katie then left together.
Katie kept her energy up throughout the walk to her house. Jessica, however, was beginning to have second thoughts as they arrived outside Katie’s front yard.
A piercing hum made Jessica plug her ears. Katie stood by Jessica’s side, confused.
“You don’t hear that!?” Yelled Jessica.
Jessica couldn’t hear Katie, but she knew she responded with, Hear what? Jessica then had her attention drawn to Katie’s house — it was as though an exact duplicate of her house was slowly passing in and out of the original. The duplicate house had a property of transparency to it. The duplicate house then merged with the original house, bringing an end to the hum.
Rattled, Jessica wanted to run home. But, the fact that Katie had remained unfazed during the whole ordeal drew into question whether or not it had actually happened.
The front door to Katie’s house then opened. In the doorway was Katie’s father.
“Who’s your little friend, Katie?”
“Her name’s Jessica and we’re going to be hanging out for a while.”
“Actually,” Jessica chimed in, “I think I’m going to head home.”
“Nonsense. Stay and have some dinner with us. Afterwards, I’ll drive you home myself.”
Katie gave her a reassuring smile and the pair entered the house.
Inside, all seemed normal. Jessica kept waiting for Katie’s family to exhibit any odd behaviour, but she was pleasantly surprised. Katie’s family was wonderful: Her parents were loving, her siblings were kind and funny. Jessica felt like such a fool for falling for, what had to have been, a prank by her classmates.
Dinner was served. Jessica joined Katie and her family at the dinner table. A delectable serving of chili was placed before her.
“Oh, shoot. I forgot to take the ice cream out of the freezer,” said the father.
He jumped up and opened the freezer — the piercing hum made a return, and it was even louder. Jessica once again plugged her ears. The father took the ice cream out and placed it on the countertop to defrost. He then shut the freezer door, ending the hum.
The shutting of the freezer door didn’t just end the hum, it also ended the warm nature of all who sat at the dinner table. The once lively family now sat withdrawn, quietly eating their meals. Jessica was uncomfortable, but her discomfort was eased after taking her first mouthful of chili — it was the best she’d ever tasted!
After clearing their bowls, Katie’s parents gathered up the dishes in eerie silence.
“Time for dessert,” said the mother, devoid of emotion.
Jessica watched the parents prepare the bowls of ice cream. The ice cream container was placed on the countertop close to Jessica, making it easy for her to read the label: ‘Made from real humans‘.
Everyone had a bowl of human ice cream placed before them. Before they whet their palates, the father reopened the freezer to put the ice cream container back. Yet again, Jessica was forced to plug her ears from that terrible hum. The shutting of the freezer door returned the family to their affable former selves.
Jessica watched on in horror as the family ate their dessert, until she could watch no more and leapt from her seat.
“I have to go!”
“Oh? You’re not going to stay for dessert?” Asked the father.
Jessica didn’t answer, she simply ran out the front door.
As Jessica ran home, one thing wracked her mind: if the ice cream was made from humans, then what was the chili made from!?
