The Gnashing — 3: Melanie Dresses For Her Date

A Story of the Shadows & the Devourer

Melanie returned home from work and tossed her bag on the couch, turning in circles to make sure she was alone. She heard none of the grinding sound, saw no shadows that shouldn’t be there.

The rental agency lady had called her cell while she was at work to let her know she’d personally checked the unrented apartment below her. It did appear there had been a home invasion, the back door had been left ajar, but everything was locked up tight now. She had the door locks changed while she was there. No windows had been broken, and all were securely shut and locked.

The woman asked Melanie if she’d had any problems herself with intruders, and Melanie told her no. She didn’t want to say anything about the weird stuff she was experiencing. She wanted to stay in the apartment, if possible. If she was forced to move now, it would be to return to her father’s house. She just wasn’t up to that.

One of her regular customers at the mom-and-pop grocery where she worked, a guy who always got into her line at the checkout line, had finally gotten up the nerve to ask her out to dinner, and she accepted. She could use a peaceful evening out, she thought.