Without looking back at the man, I got up from the floor and ran to the kitchen. I grabbed the biggest knife and hid myself in the pantry. I let the door slightly ajar so I could be aware of any movement. Not long after I went inside the pantry, I heard a glass shattering to the floor. I guess he broke in.


I can hear his footsteps roaming around the house. He went straight to the kitchen. He must be looking for a knife. A sudden regret filled my thoughts. Why I didn’t take all the knives with me?


I can see his shadow still roaming around the kitchen. My whole body shaking. I tried my best to keep silent, even to hold my breath. Alas, luck was never been on my side. A rotten smell filled the pantry. The first thing I did was glance at the door. I hope he didn’t catch the smell. Then I squinted my eyes, scanning the pantry with just enough light through the door. Where is the smell coming from?


A faint light fell upon a rounded thing on the shelves right next to me. I squinted my eyes more, trying to figure it out. The more I look at it, the more it looks like someone’s face. Wait, what? No, wait, it can’t be.


I covered my mouth and kneeled on the floor. Now it becomes more clear that it was her head, the girl’s head. Her eyeballs turned white and her mouth was wide open. Some flies were flying around the mouth. I tried to hold my scream, but I couldn't. I let it out and screamed at the top of my lungs.


The man ripped the door and yanked my hair. He dragged me out of the pantry. One of my hands grabbed him while the other swayed the knife randomly to him. I wiggled my body, trying to get away while also aiming.

After struggling for quite some time, I finally cut his arm. It wasn’t deep, but at least enough to make him let go of my hair. I shifted my body quickly and stabbed his leg. He fell to the floor. But I didn’t stop there. I got up and grabbed my empty glass before I jumped on him and smashed over his head.


The glass broke and shattered into pieces. I grabbed the biggest piece and stabbed his face multiple times with it. His blood splattered all over my face. I kept doing the same until I’m sure that he stopped moving. As soon as I was done, I got off from his dead body. I reached the sink to wash my face and my hands. Then I cried in silence.


I dried my face with the kitchen towel and glanced at the man’s body. My face turned pale. I felt like the blood drained from my body. I swallowed hard. Now I can see clearly his face. I clenched my teeth and slapped my face hard. The pain stung my cheeks. “I- it wasn’t…, a- a dream,” I mumbled. My body dropped to the floor. I crawled and touched my husband’s face. Big tears rolled down my face.


I snapped myself back and quickly ran to the pantry, searching for the girl’s head, but I couldn’t find it. Instead, I saw a big container in the corner. It wasn't there before and I don't have that kind of thing in my house. I hesitated a moment to open it, but I knew I should.


When I opened the container, a strong stench assaulted my nostrils. There was a pile of mutilated dead bodies inside the puddle of blood. I recognized it immediately. It was my daughter’s. I saw a tiny arm with my daughter's favorite bracelet. She claimed it was her lucky charm. Turned out it was just a plastic toy.


“Aaaaaaahh!”


I dropped the lid and crouched down to dig into the puddle. All parts of her body were there except her head.