Story-A-Day #152: The Glob

THE GLOB

She whistled a happy tune as she cut into the alley. It was a nice short cut and would get her to his place at least three minutes sooner than if she took the long way around the block.

He had sounded so excited on the phone. “Great news,” he had told her. She couldn’t wait to hear what it might be. Maybe he had finally received the promotion he had been promised all those months ago. Whatever the case, she was excited to find out the news that he had almost spilled over the phone.

As she made her way along the alley, she admired the graffiti. To many, it was a blight on society, but she could see the artistry involved in the murals. This wasn’t the generic curse words and crude anatomy most often associated with street art, it was a bright and vibrant expression.

She rounded a corner in the alley and skirted around what looked like a large mound of snow, a shade preserved remnant of the winter gone by. She would have continued onward at the same pace, but something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

The mound of snow seemed to shift. She paused, scrutinizing the pile closer, and sure enough, it almost seemed to be pulsating, a strange throbbing from within.

She placed her hands on her knees and leaned in closer. Sure enough, the pile heaved outward, and sank back in, like a lung taking in and expelling air.

What could cause such a strange occurrence? It was almost as if there was a living, breathing entity trapped within. A sudden wave of panic washed over her and she reached out, intending to dig out whatever poor creature was trapped within.

Her fingers just brushed the warm surface of the mound when a pair of glistening tendrils shot out. They entwined themselves around her arms and throat and slowly pulled her downward.

It seemed impossible, but the mound of snow opened before her, a gaping maw admitting its prey. She tried to call out, to scream, but the searing hot tentacles around her throat cut off all air. She realized with dawning horror, that the good news would never come.

The glob slowly folded over her, and everything went dark.