Consumed

“They killed Stephen… Your other son… The three of them… They plotted together… Fucking killed…”

“He’s not dead,” Suzanne snapped, breaking Robert’s flow.

“Oh? Then where the fuck is he? He wouldn’t miss out on a meal!”

“He’s upstairs. Johnny locked him in with the two….” Tammy explained.

“He’s alive? Go and get him then. Before dinner gets cold,” said Robert. “And then the five of us… We can all sit here and sort this mess out once and for all. Like a proper family!”

Andrea stood up, “I’m going to start preparing pudding,” she informed the family. She wiped another tear from her face and walked from the room — not that anyone acknowledged her. They were all too busy staring at each other; Suzanne and Tammy watching their father and he was eye-balling them right back.

“Well? Go and get him,” he ordered the girls. They both stood up, to see his orders through, “Not you,” he pointed to Tammy, “you can wait here… Keep your old man company so I don’t get lonely.”

“I’ll be right back,” Suzanne told Tammy. She gave her a sympathetic smile. She knew that leaving Tammy with their father was a bad idea but also knew there was no choice without further angering him. Tammy smiled back and Suzanne left the room.

“You know,” said Robert, “the whole Wendigo thing is bullshit, right?” Tammy looked at him. “It’s a myth. A legend. A story to scare people into not eating Human Flesh. Why they’d want to deny their loved ones something that tastes so good is beyond me, though, it really is… You think… You think if your brother had managed to kill me — do you think you’d have still eaten flesh in years to come?” Tammy didn’t answer. “Yes. I think you would. You like the taste too much, don’t you? I’ve seen you feasting… The look in your eye. Sheer joy. Pleasure. The taste dancing around… Teasing your taste buds… Exploding your senses… Delightful, isn’t it?”

“Fuck you,” Tammy hissed.

“Whoa,” said Robert, “check out my little firecracker. I think that’s the first time you’ve ever sworn at me… But, come on, we’ll all chat… Tomorrow… You’ll realise how silly you’ve all been. But, don’t worry, I won’t hold a grudge. I’m not that sort of person. I’m more of a…”

“Rapist!” Tammy snapped.

Robert stood up and walked over to where Tammy was sat. He leaned down close to her and whispered, “It’s funny how that’s only a problem now the rest of the family know. You’ve never complained before. If memory serves correctly… Sometimes…”

“Shut up!”

“In fact, the first time we ever fucked…”

“Shut up!” she continued — louder this time.

“You begged me. When I found you in the car… With your date… He was in the back seat… I need to remind you of how he was? Trousers around his ankle… A slash across his throat… Blood in his lap… You on the back seat next to him… Little panties pulled to one side, rubbing yourself with what appeared to be a piece of his member… Moaning… Sighing… The blood around your mouth… The look in your eyes…”

“SHUT UP!” Tammy screamed.

“You begged me to fuck you. Remember that? Begged.”

“No…”

“And now the family know we’ve fucked…”

“You raped me in front of my brother and my mother…”

“You always liked it rough,” Robert reminded her. “Those nights you told me to come to your room… You’d whisper it in my ear before you’d go upstairs to bed… Whisper it so the rest of the family wouldn’t hear. You know, after feasting on flesh… Your sister… Suzanne… She’s the same. Begs me. Must be an alpha-male thing.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know? You didn’t compare notes?”

“You never fucked her in front of the rest of the family!” Tammy shouted again. “How am I supposed to look them in the eye now?”

“That’s what the problem is? All the times we’ve fucked… All those times… Now… Now you feel bad about it? Now you think it’s wrong? And now you think I deserve to die?”

“Johnny was right. You’re not our father anymore.”

“No. I thought we were something more,” he said. “You and I have always had a special connection but… Well… Now it appears I’m condemned to death. Is that because you want to fuck your brothers now? Younger? Better looking Is that the real reason you were so happy to go along with Johnny’s stupid little plan?” He paused. “God only knows what was going on in your sister’s head. Probably jealous that I sleep with you. Rather see me dead than know we’re lovers too.”

The door suddenly swung open with so much force it hit the wall with a bang. Robert and Tammy span around to see what caused it; Suzanne was standing there with a knife pressed against her throat. Hiding behind her were Joel and Lara.

Lara screamed when she saw Charlotte’s body.

“Dad!” shouted Suzanne.

Robert stood up, “What the fuck is this?”

“Where are our friends?” demanded Joel.

“Well — there’s a little of one of them on the table… If you give us a few days… You can probably fish the rest of them out of the toilet bowl…”

“Dad — please?” continued Suzanne.

“Oh — now I’m your father?”

“I’m not joking,” shouted Joel, “where are they? Tell me or she’s dead.”