Dessert

The creeks and groans in the house were scaring the hell out of me. I mean I was literally shaking. Maybe I was stupid, offering to housesit for one of my coworkers and her family while they went to New York for a funeral. They needed someone to watch their dog, Pogo, for a week and since their grandma’s death was unexpected, they weren’t able to book a spot in the kennel. So a few hours ago, me, being the idiot that I am, packed up a small bag and headed out.
         I knew it was just the wind, but being so far back in the woods with no neighbors close by scared me. Plus, I barely had any cell reception. Pogo came up next to me on the sofa and poked his wet nose at my face. “Stupid dog.”
         I grabbed the television controller and started flipping through the channels. My favorite Disney Halloween specials were on and I tried to calm myself down. Yeah I know, twenty years old and I like to watch Disney movies like Halloweentown. Whatever. Blood and gore creep me out.
         I stopped shivering as I hunkered down on their ugly ass paisley sofa when Pogo started a low growl. I’ve never had a dog before so I figured he had to go to the bathroom or something. I ignored him and turned back to the movie.
         That’s when I heard it. The thud. At first I thought it was nothing, maybe a shingle had blown off the roof or whatever. But then it happened again.
         Pogo was still growling and when I looked at him he gave me a look that said Told-You-So-Stupid. That’s when the power went out.
         I swore under my breath as my heart jumped to my throat, the beat ricochetting through my skull. I grabbed my cell phone.
         “Fuck.” No bars.
         I had no idea where anything was in this house except for the couch and refrigerator. Now I had to find the circuit breaker? This was the last time I ever did a good deed.
         Pogo was at my heels, nipping at the bottom of my pants. “Stop it Pogo.”
         After opening several doors I finally found one with a set of stairs. The light of my phone didn’t illuminate the space nearly enough and I almost killed myself going down the steps.
         It was chilly from some sort of draft in the basement but I continued walking around in search of the box. That’s when I saw it. The source of the thud.
         Vomit rose in the back of my throat. I knew from pictures throughout the house that the person hanging upside down from the rafters with blood in the bucket underneath her was Mel’s ‘dead’ grandma.
         I was frozen, the lights flickered back on.
         “Jesse, we’re home.” Mel’s sickly sweet voice called from behind me. “Oh goodie! I see you found the main course. Get ready, cause you’re the dessert.”
         I gulped, Pogo nudged me, and then I shivered.