Mouth-Watering Stew

The flickering light from the fireplace was enough to illuminate the dim dining room. A champagne-colored tablecloth lay still over the dining table, along with tall jug of iced cold lemonade, a bowl of fresh fruit, and as the centerpiece of the table, a tall vase of white lilies to lighten the atmosphere.

Drake and Melinda Schnake sat silently at the table. It was quite nice being invited for dinner with the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet mentioned, although they’d been in town for a while now, she still finds it difficult communicating with the townsfolk. What better way to familiarize yourself with the town than to invite its most popular couple to dinner?

A small giggle came from the kitchen, as an eight-year-old girl made her way towards the dining room. Her hands, wearing big oven mitts, carried a big bowl of what seemed to be beef stew. She set the bowl on the table in front of the couple. The aroma of the freshly made stew in front of them was enough to get their mouths salivating. Drake eyed the tiny little girl as she waddled towards him, her tiny hands picking up his empty bowl. She filled it with warm stew and handed it back to him. The corners of her lips curled so slightly. She smiled as sweet as sugar which instantly lifted his spirits, her cheeks tinted with a blush which sure did remind him of cherries. Her mother did an excellent job of naming her child. Licking their lips, the couple eyed the bowl of stew place before them. A smile formed upon their faces as they picked up their spoons and dug in. The little girl giggled, watching the two devour her delectable dish.

“Please do enjoy”. Mrs. Bennet came from the kitchen. Her hands reached behind her back to untie her white-stained apron. “Cherry made it all by herself”, she continued.

“You didn’t help her?” Drake asked, mid-gobbling his stew.

Mrs. Bennet shook her head.

“Well, I did help her with the stove, but she did everything else. All I did was support her”.

“Well, I have to say that you have a very talented daughter, Jacqueline, very skilled as well”.

“Oh, please, call me Jack.” She sat down across the couple as little Cherry sat beside her. Playing with her pigtails, Cherry giggled, watching the couple lick their bowls clean.

As the four sat around the table, Melinda broke the silence with conversation.

“Umm, did you hear the latest news? Another couple was found dead in their neighbor's house somewhere in Connecticut. Again, their lips were ripped off their faces, leaving their soulless bodies to lie there without a mouth. Believe it’s the eighth time this has happened”.

“Again?” Drake replied, “Wasn’t the last incident just a few months ago in Brooklyn, and I believe a few other areas around the state.”

“Oh?” Jack suddenly dropped her spoon and looked up at the couple. “My, I have relatives from Connecticut and Brooklyn”. The couple raised their eyebrows in unison, confusion filling their minds. “However, I wasn’t quite aware of such an incident”, shrugging her shoulders, Jack continued stirring her stew, just before she parted her lips and slurped another spoonful of stew.

“Really? It was everywhere; on Television, Newspapers, social me- “

“Well, I wasn't informed.” Jack cut Drake’s statement. Twitching her eye, Jack picked up her cup of tea and gulped it down exceedingly fast, a trail of tea trickled down the corner of her lips, yet still maintaining eye contact with the couple. Feeling her eyes travel up and down the couple’s bodies, they felt uneasy. Silence filled the room, only enhancing the eerily uncomfortable atmosphere. She turns her head to Drake who was fiddling with his napkin, bringing it up to wiped around his mouth and chin. Slowly going up and down, she let her eyes roam the man’s body, taking in everything she could. Finally, Jack brought her eyes back up to his face and laid them upon Drakes lips. The edges of her mouth begin to curl itself as it formed into a devilish smirk. As soon as Melinda noticed what this woman was doing to her husband, she instantly spoke out in order to lure her away from her husband.

“Fucked.” Both Jack and Drake turned their heads towards her, as confusion began to fill their eyes. Mentally cursing herself for her sudden action, she quickly thought to herself on how she was going to back up her statement.

“W-whoever did that, kill people and chop off their lips, they were fucked. They're psychotic, insane, and sick in the head. They should be put down. Sent away. Locked up-"

“How the fuck would you know? You wouldn't. Maybe she has her reasons. Who the fuck are you to judge her?”

“Her?” The couple froze. Their hands quivered, you could hear their spoons slightly clank against their empty bowls. How would she know that the murderer was a "she"? Without turning her head, Melinda looked at her husband through the corner of her eyes. Though she smiled, she had a look on her face that Drake sure enough read, 'We need to leave'.

Jack looked down and kept herself silent. Wiping her lips clean, she stood up from her seat and walked away. As she did, although she hid it, the couple could hear her weeping as she left. This was their chance.

Melinda rummaged through her purse in search for her keys. The two ran straight for the door, not bothering to find their shoes. But it was no use- the doors were locked.

"Are you looking for the key?" The couple slowly turned their head to the high pitched voice behind them. Cherry tilted her head to the side. "I think I know where my mom keeps them."

"Could you tell us?" Melinda tried not to stutter, but her whole body was shaking. Cherry brought her finger to her lips, tapping it against her chin.

"Only if you can answer ooooooone question", Cherry giggled and jumped. This poor girl, probably has no clue on what her mother's been doing.

"What is it, Cherry?"

“Do you like my cooking?” Cherry asked. The couple quickly nodded.

“Yes, we do.” Drake replied genuinely. “Your beef stew was lovely. You’re very talented, you know that? Where’d you learn how to cook?” Cherry tilted her head and thought for a moment.

“Daddy used to teach me. He was a great teacher, but I didn’t like him. He talked too much...” The couple exchanged looks at each other, and just before they were about to ask her where father was, they felt a strong sense of dizziness as they dropped to the ground. Their throats closed up and their vision began to blur. They turned their heads to Cherry, and though they couldn’t see, they could still make out that adorable smile plastered upon her adorable, as a giggle escaped her lips.

“Just like you two-”

...

...

"-and I never said it was beef."