Page 34 of Eldritch

Every cabinet and drawer was open. Someone had pulled out every chair at the table at least a foot. Worse than that, various food items lay scattered around the counter randomly, including sugar, salt, and pepper dusted on the floor. Everywhere. A mess. Pasta aligned on the floor in a strange but beautiful flower. Something that looked like red food coloring peppered the pasta.

Sickness hit her stomach.

Or was it blood?

Cold air wafted by her, and she looked around. Sensing someone. Something near. She whirled around. No one. Anger drove her to snag her phone and do a group text to the ladies. Then she took a picture of the destruction from the doorway.

It took only a few moments for Maria to show up, her pace sluggish. Her hair looked mussed, her lipstick smudged. Dark circles ringed her eyes. The strangeness of this hit Sybil. Before she could say anything, Letisha and Pauline arrived.

“Look at this,” Sybil said.

Their faces creased with confusion. Nothing in their expressions betrayed anything but total surprise.

“What is this?” Letisha asked.

“I don’t know.” Sybil turned full toward the women. “I came in here, and this is what I found.”

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks.

Exasperation and anger filled Letisha’s eyes as she took in everyone with a sweeping glance, including Sybil. “Who did this?”

Sybil scanned the faces of her co-workers but saw nothing but bafflement in their expressions.

“If none of us did it...” Sybil swallowed hard. “I was the one just down a few doors. The walls aren’t that thick. I should have heard someone in here.”

Letisha waved one hand. “Come on, let’s clean it up.”

“Wait.” Maria moved forward. “What about the cops? We should call the cops.”

Pauline snorted. She shook her head. “That deputy has been here and didn’t find squat, remember? I don’t think calling her now is going to make a difference.”

Sybil rubbed her arms. “I can’t believe this. I’m going to call Clarice and Doug.”

“What can they possibly do? They’re going to think we’re nuts,” Pauline said.

Sybil ignored Pauline, left the room, and went outside to the terrace. She tried calling Clarice but landed on her voice mail.

“Clarice, this is Sybil. You will not believe this, but we’ve got some other weird stuff happening here at the house and want your advice. Call me back as soon as you can.”

She tried Doug next, and he answered.

“Hey Sybil. Didn’t think I’d be talking to you this soon.”

“Didn’t think I would either. Another bizarre thing happened a short time ago.”

She told him every detail of the kitchen mess.

“I don’t understand how this could’ve happened,” she said, running one hand through her hair in exasperation. “Why didn’t I hear it?”

Silence from the other side of the line brought a worry to mind. What if he thought they’d all lost their minds? Her in particular?

“We aren’t crazy.” She stood and paced. “I’ll send you photographs.”

“Okay. The walls are thick. It’s possible you wouldn’t have heard it.”

She sighed. “That thick? I mean, this is a well-built house, but someone trashing the kitchen...”

“Send me the photos right now. Got time to stay on the line with me?”

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