I knew a woman who never slept

I once knew a woman who claimed she never slept. I was maybe ten or eleven at the time, and during the summer, I would usually stay with my dad. These visits of mine were nothing out of the ordinary; in fact, for me, they were even mundane. He lived in a small trailer in northern Arizona, away from the city, and for the most part, I spent most of those summers alone. He worked at a local sawmill, and quite frankly, got very drunk afterwards. I remember one time he came home from work and told me about a new woman he was seeing in town. He was excited about it, even though he had said this about countless others before, and I was more than used to meeting new step-mothers. However, this time, he was particularly excited, and he quickly pulled me aside to explain why. “Son…sometimes a person can be special.” I was confused, and looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean?” “Well, I think you’ll understand,” he replied. “I want you to meet her.” The next day, we walked into town. I remember it was a bright day, with only a few clouds in the sky. The town was minuscule, and I think everyone knew everybody. I had been there countless times before, but this time, I felt different. Everything felt different. My dad took me to the local diner in town, and told me to wait for him for a moment. He walked inside the kitchen, and a few moments later, he came out with this woman. She was beautiful, tall, and statuesque. She was very pale, but in an alluring way, and had long, dark hair. Her eyes were a deep brown, and she smiled. In fact, I think that’s what I remember most. Her smile. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I was young, and for my part, I was immediately infatuated. She shook my hand, and introduced herself as Melisa. She was even taller up close than she had appeared, and oddly enough, I remember that she smelled like vanilla wafers. My dad suggested we grab dinner at a local restaurant, and we did. We sat down, and I think you could call it an interview, but my dad was questioning her about all sorts of things. I remember the steak was good, and that she ate very slowly. I also remember that she ordered the rarest steak they had, even rarer than my dad. I think that’s why I loved her. We spent the rest of the summer together, and she became part of the family. I remember my dad telling me that her father owned the local bank, and that she had been born into a wealthy family. She was smart too. Sometimes, she would read books in multiple languages, and she was very well versed in multiple subjects. She was intelligent, and well educated. I remember that she drove a black BMW, and that it was oddly cold inside, even when it was sweltering outside. She never turned on the air conditioning, and I wondered why it was like that. Then, one night, my dad went on a binge. He came home late, and Melisa had decided to stay over. She slept in his room, and I could hear them talking. Then, all of a sudden, my dad stumbled out of his room, and into the kitchen. I saw him look at the refrigerator, open it, and take out a carton of eggs. He cracked open an egg, and began drinking it raw. My dad was never an alcoholic; in fact, he doesn’t even drink that much. But then, my dad started eating everything. I think at one point, he even tried to drink ketchup straight from the bottle. I was horrified. I quickly ran to my dad’s room, and opened the door. There, I saw Melisa, with her mouth attached to his neck. He looked at me, and groggily smiled. I slammed the door. The next morning, my dad acted as if nothing was wrong. I think he even forgot about it. A few nights later, I decided to sneak out of the trailer and go for a walk. I walked all the way into town, and saw the diner. Then, I decided to go inside. It was midnight, and the only person inside was the woman who ran it, a big, burly woman who was always cooking. She saw me, and immediately rushed over to me. “What are you doing here?” “I couldn’t sleep.” I lied, but I didn’t care. “I see. Well, I think I can make you some pie.” “I don’t eat pie.” “Oh?” “I don’t know, I just never liked pie.” She smiled. “I think I can make you a pie you’ll like. Chocolate.” I agreed, and a few minutes later, she brought out a slice of chocolate pie. It was the most delicious thing I’d ever eaten, and I told her so. Then, she talked to me. “Listen, I need to tell you something.” “Okay.” “Well, your dad’s new girlfriend…I don’t know if she’s a good idea.” “Why not?” “Well, she’s very strange. She’s been around for as long as I can remember, and I think she’s done something to your father.” “What?” “I don’t know, but sometimes, people who talk to her…act funny. They become very different after meeting her. And let me tell you, she doesn’t sleep. I don’t think she’s ever slept.” I was skeptical, but she quickly proved her point. I told her I had to go to the bathroom, and she pointed me in the right direction. As I walked into the men’s room, I noticed one of the stalls was locked. I found it strange; it was midnight, and the diner was empty. Then, all of a sudden, the stall opened, and out came Melisa. She smiled. “I knew I’d find you here.” I didn’t reply, I simply ran. I ran all the way back to the trailer, slammed the door, and ran into my room. I locked the door, and got into bed. Somehow, I fell asleep. Then, the next morning, my dad forced me to apologize to her. I did, but I was also acting strange. I remember that I was continuously thirsty, and no matter how much water I drank, I was still thirsty. I think I ate more too, but I also remember that I had no appetite, that food even made me sick. I was confused, and disoriented, and I couldn’t explain it. But I think I knew why. I think she had bitten me, and I knew that I was turning into her. That night, I decided to end it. I got a big kitchen knife, and went into my dad’s room. She was waiting for me. She looked at me, and for the first time, I saw her fangs. Then, all of a sudden, I was filled with a terrible pain, as if my flesh was being ripped apart. When I awoke, I was in the hospital. My dad was sitting next to me. “Son?” I groggily replied. “Son, you were mauled by some sort of animal. I’m sorry.” I knew that wasn’t true. But all I could think about was her smile. Melisa, the woman who never slept.

I knew a woman who never slept

Comments (0) 7 👁️