LAD Website Original: Sally Sanders' Summer Supper

Sally Sanders' Summer Supper

By Scott Thurlow

Sally Sanders' family had gone on a vacation recently. To someplace secluded in Asia; "The Orient." They wanted to see an exotic locale before they lost their chance (as her parents claimed.) Sally couldn't remember the name of the tiny island they gone to, nor did she much care; she had stayed behind at home. Sally had no real interest in going off to some dirty, third world place with her entire family. No friends, and nothing to do once she got there. For a whole week. Besides, Sally Sanders was fifteen, going on sixteen. Old enough to be on her own, and to take care of herself. Her parents trusted her enough that, while she might cause a little harmless trouble with her girlfriends, they didn't expect her to burn down the house while they were away. Sally didn't. She instead spent a lovely quiet week all to herself. Reading in her room, listening to her mixes, gossiping with her neighborhood friends, and preparing for the upcoming school year. She didn't even really miss her family that much while they were away. But she was still glad to see them all when they returned the following week. (Though she wouldn't admit it too much.) 

It was mid-summer and life was proceeding as it always had. Sally Sanders was enjoying as much of it as possible, preparing for another year in school (just two more left before college!) with all the new classes, boys, and social struggles that would come with it. Everything was back to normal for her. For about two days. On the third day after her family had come back from their first and only trip abroad, Sally Sanders' mother changed.

Sally was hanging out at her friend Bridget's house when she decided she wanted a bite to eat. It was still hot out (despite it rapidly becoming evening) and a cold tuna sandwich with a glass of her mother's lemonade was calling to her. Sally went home for supper, intending to eat quickly and return to lounging around with Bridget for the night.

When she walked inside her house, Sally thought she could hear her mother snoring from her parents room. Probably taking a nap in the dwindling day.

"Mom?" Sally called out as she went in. "You here? You awake? I'm hungry! What's for dinner? I wanted--"

It was at that moment that Sally Sanders' mother appeared. She came crashing out of the bedroom and through the living room, tripping over the loveseat, while she lunged for Sally with gnarled, outstretched hands. Sally instinctively backed up few steps and stared at her enraged mother, entirely confused.

"Mom...are you mad at me, or something? What's wrong?"

Her mother's only reply was an odd noise that sounded something like a mix between coughing and choking. An unhealthy wheezing. Her mother got to her feet with far more energy and swiftness than Sally had seen her use in years. Her mother had never been much of an exerciser, but now she advanced on Sally without hesitation, reaching for her with every ounce of strength. Sally still was unsure what was wrong with her mother, but she could see it was bad. Very bad. Sally didn't know what to do, so she turned and ran out the door. Her mother followed on her heels.

"Please, Mom! Stop!" Sally pleaded just outside, but her mother took no notice as she bore down on Sally. As her mother's teeth sank deeply into her cheek, Sally collapsed. (It would be one of the very first times such a thing happened in a small town like Sally's, and to a girl like her. But not by any means the last.) When she got back up, Sally Sanders no longer had any concerns about school, dating, gossip, or anything else. She had only one thought left. Sally Sanders was hungry. Incredibly hungry.