THE APPETITE...A SHORT BEDTIME STORY.

                                                                           THE APPETITE
                                                                                       by
                                                                           Thomas Ventrelli

          Once upon a time, in a big city like New York, there lived a young man named Melvin Shoemacker.  Melvin was a timid, frail young man.  He wore big black rimmed bifocal  glasses that hugged his nose making his voice somewhat nasal.  He was a smart young man, but lacked common sense.  Melvin's life revolved around his job.  He was punctual and never, ever took a day off.  Work was his social life, since he didn't have any friends or family to cater to.  But, something was missing in his life, companionship.  He longed for someone to love, but was afraid.  Although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, Melvin had an inferiority complex, and was terrified of rejection, mainly due to his High School days where he was known as Melvin the Nerd.  Melvin wanted to be strong, built and handsome, but nothing seemed to work.  He tried joining a gym, bulking up on proteins, but nothing seemed to affect his thin, wiry body.  One time he went as far as sending away for a Charles Atlas body building kit, he saw in one of his favorite comic books, but like everything else, it didn't work.  So Melvin accepted his situation and pushed aside his fantasy for companionship...until one day while reading a supermarket tabloid, he came across an ad....

                    Are you depressed, lonely, feeling down about yourself?  Do you want to enjoy
                    life, become a whole new person?  Ms. Lenora can help you!  She will transform
                    you into the person you longed to be.  Pay her a visit, what have you got to lose?
                    Most major credit cards excepted!

          Well...you could probably guess what happened.  Melvin was ecstatic.  He was so happy he decided to take off the next day from work and go see Ms. Lenora.  For some strange reason, he had a feeling she could help him and make him into the man he wanted to be.
          Melvin looks down at the address he scribbled down last night.  "This is it!", his inner voice exclaims staring at the old brownstone.  He walks up the stairs and into the vestibule.  Melvin scans the door bells and presses the middle button.  After a few seconds, he is buzzed in.  In the adjoining hallway a sign is posted which reads: MS LENORA'S HERBS AND POTIONS SHOP 2ND. FLOOR.  Melvin hurries up the flight of stairs following arrows pointing the way.  More arrows point to the end of the corridor, and without haste he moves quickly to the door.  Ready to knock his fist poised, the door opens magically and standing before him is a woman dressed in black with green sparkling eyes.  She has thick, black hair that flows down past her shoulder covering her huge bulging bosom.  Melvin's glasses begin to fog as the woman beckons him inside.  Melvin walks in wiping his glasses as the door closes behind him.  "I am Lenora, how can I help you?"  The woman replies.  Melvin puts on his glasses and surveys the small shop.  The shop is filled with books, and potions line the walls.  To the far right is a desk with papers and talismans on it.  Near the desk is a potted bare tree, its branches extending crookedly throughout the room.  Melvin walks up to the tree and stares at the large black crow that is perched on the lower branch.  "Err...what're ya starin' at?"   The crow yacks.  Surprised, Melvin stumbles backwards into the arms of Ms Lenora.  He looks up and she smiles down at him.
          "It talks..." mutters Melvin as he composes himself.
          "No shit Sherlock!"  Replies the crow.  Ms Lenora gives the bird a menacing look, then focuses her attention on Melvin.
          "Yes, unfortunately it does...but that's not what matters.  How can I help you?"
          "Well, uh...," Melvin begins, "I read your advertisement and uh...I wondered if you can help me.  My name is Melvin Shoemacker...but first, ar-are you a-a- w-witch?"  The woman in black begins to laugh and the crow joins in, soon Melvin is laughing nervously.  Ms. Lenora shoots another glance at the crow, and the laughter stops except for Melvin.
          "Why yes...," Lenora replies proudly, her green eyes wide and sparkling.  Melvin swallows his laughter with a huge gulp.  "No need to worry though..." she continues, "witches are a respectable lot."
          "Errrr-respectable, respectable." The crow insists.
          "Then you'll help me?" Melvin questions timidly.
          "What is it that you want, my little friend?" asks Lenora.
          "I-I want to be handsome and strong, you know...uh have muscles and a nice body.  I hate myself, everyone thinks I'm a nerd.  I want to go on dates, be desired by women..." exclaims Melvin.
          "This can be done...but are you sure this is what you want?  You seem like a fine young man to me, maybe all you need is some self confidence."
          "No, no I'm sure...I want a new me!"
          "If you are positive this is what you want, it can be done, but for a price."
          "I'll pay you anything, if you can help me." Melvin replies excitedly.
          "No, you misunderstand.  I cannot put a price on matters such as this, it is up to you, Melvin.  How much is this transformation worth to you?"  Melvin ponders the question a while then  blurts out, "I'll give all that I have to be changed.  I have about $15,000 in savings, is that sufficient?"
          "If that is its worth to you then it is the price.  Come back tomorrow with the payment and we will begin."
          "Oh thank you, thank you, Ms. Lenora."  Melvin exclaims shaking her hand repeatedly.
          "No need to be thankful...it is what you want Melvin, right?"
          "Oh yes, yes!"
          "Are you sure Melvin, think carefully, because once we begin the transformation there's no turning back...no refunds or exchanges."
          "Oh I am sure.  I want this more than anything in the world."
          After Melvin left the brownstone he went directly to his bank and withdrew his money.  He was living on cloud 9.  For some strange reason he had faith in Ms Lenora.  He knew deep in his heart that he would be cured of this disease called Nerdism.  During the night, Melvin tossed and turned in his bed.  He waited and wished for so long, that it was hard for him to sleep.  The following day work was slow and tedious.  He continuously watched the clock.  He wanted to get out of there and head to Ms. Lenora's and begin his transformation.  Finally five o'clock came and he grabbed his briefcase filled with money and raced to Ms. Lenora's brownstone.
          "Melvin, before we begin...are you absolutely, positively sure this is what you want?"
          "Ms. Lenora, I am.  I need this and I want it with all my heart and soul.  I am tired of being the man that I am.  I've tried to change but nothing worked for me.  Please help me."
          "As you wish."  Ms Lenora replies, as she walks over to a large shelf.  She grabs a green bottle from the case and takes it to her desk.  She pulls out the cork and drops a small yellow pellet into the bottle.  Immediately the bottle begins to glow a bright green.  Lenora stretches her arms out and begins to chant, "cora noctum ki dizar, ufum keena bellidar."  Melvin watches in amazement as pale green smoke rises from the bottle.  Soon the smoke dissipates and the glowing subsides.  Ms Lenora replaces the cork and waves Melvin over to the desk.
          "Melvin, this is a potent potion, take one teaspoon every morning after breakfast and soon you will be the person you've always dreamed of being."  Lenora replies handing the bottle to Melvin.
          "That's it?...Uh that's all I have to do?"  Asks Melvin looking at the bottle.
          "That is all...but there are a few rules you must follow while taking this potion."
          "What rules?  What do you mean?"
          "First the potion must be taken in the morning..."
          "Errr..take it in the morning...morning..."  The crow sings.
          "Secondly, you must take it after you eat breakfast..."
          "Errr...in the morning after you eat..."  Echoes the crow.
          "And finally the most important rule of them all, never ever under any circumstances should you take more than the dosage I prescribed."
          "Errr...take it in the morning after you eat, but only a teaspoon so don't you cheat."  Rhymes the crow.
          "Do you understand Melvin?  Follow these simple rules and soon you will be a brand new Melvin Shoemacker."
          "Let me get this straight, I must take the potion in the morning after breakfast, but only a teaspoon, no more...no less."
          "That is correct."
          "Sounds easy, are you sure it will work?"  Melvin asks questioningly.
          "Oh yes...it definitely will."  Ms.Lenora replies a huge smile on her face.

          A week passed, and then two; Melvin took his potion faithfully, but still no physical change.  However, since he's been taking the potion he has felt better and better each day.  On Monday morning of the third week, Melvin got up from bed and yawned his way into the bathroom.  He looked into the mirror and almost passed out.  He smiled and began to dance around.  It was working.  He posed in front of the mirror and noticed muscles forming on his arms and stomach.  He took off his black rimmed glasses and studied his face. He looked handsome, his face was clear and fuller; more importantly, his eyesight seemed corrected.  He didn't need those ugly glasses anymore.  He threw the glasses to the floor and laughed.  Each passing day Melvin noticed subtle changes, all for the better.  He went shopping and bought new clothes and treated himself to a new haircut.  As the days rolled on, the changes became more evident; like a withered balloon pumped with air, Melvin filled out and was no longer a skinny nerd.  The women of the office took notice and would flock around his desk hoping for a date.  Melvin just smiled and teased them, except for Cindy.  He always had a thing for Cindy, back when he was a nerd, but he never acted on his feelings.  Cindy was always friendly towards him, but lately she stayed away and paid him no mind.  He really liked her, but couldn't understand her cold shoulder so he decided to confront her.  "Cindy, I was just wondering if  you had a minute to talk."
          "I'm pretty busy Melvin..."  She replied.
          "It will only take a second..."
          "Okay just a second.  I have a lot of work to do."
          "Cindy I don't understand, what's your problem?"
          "Excuse me Melvin, I don't have a problem, you do!"
          "What do you mean?"  Melvin answered puzzled.
          "Ah forget it Melvin, just leave me alone."
          "Cindy, I've always liked you..."
          "That's the problem!  I've always liked you too, before you changed.  I remember when you were the sweetest, kindest man.  Now you're just another conceited muscle brain.  Where did the Melvin I know go?"
Melvin wanted to cry, he always had a thing for Cindy but he kept it to himself.  If he had only known...but suddenly his pride took over and became angry.  "Let me tell you Cindy, the old Melvin was a weak lonely man."  Cindy just looked up at him with tears in his eyes and answered, "No you're wrong, now all I see is a lonely weak man."  Cindy turned away from him and stormed off to her office.  Melvin stood paralyzed and for a split second he felt like his old self, a nobody, a weak frail man, but the feeling quickly vanished when Donna sauntered up to him and invited him for dinner.
          Melvin stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the mirror.  He smiled at himself and admired his body.  Thoughts of Cindy crept into his mind, but he quickly dismissed them and focused on his date with Donna.  Donna was a pretty woman and even though she was known as the office tramp, it didn't bother him.  He was about to get lucky and that was all that mattered.  He excitedly dressed knowing it was going to be a terrific night.
          Melvin picked Donna up and he could see she wasn't wearing a bra.  He kissed her as she entered his car and gave her a rose he picked up at a street vendor.  She smelled the flower and giggled.
          "So where do you want to eat?" Asked Melvin.
          "I don't care Mel..." She giggled again.
          "I thought dinner would be nice, aren't you hungry?"
          "I'm only hungry for one thing right now..."  She whispered nibbling on his ear.  Needless to say they decided to skip dinner and head to Melvin's place; neither was disappointed by this arrangement.
          The sun glistened through the window and engulfed the sleeping couple.  Articles of clothing were strewn about the room in excited disarray.  Melvin restlessly awoke by the blinding sun.  He looked at his alarm clock and jumped out of bed.
          "Jesus Christ it's nine o'clock!  Donna get up!"  Melvin shook the woman in his bed and she yawned.  "Donna we have to move, it's nine...I can't afford to take another day off!"
          "Arghhh...let me sleep, please."  She yawned turning over on her side.
          "Do what you want, I've got to go."  Melvin quickly showered and got dressed as Donna lay sleeping in his bed.  He glanced at her with regret and grabbed his coat and headed for the door.  Suddenly he remembered the potion.  He grabbed the bottle and downed the remaining liquid.  As Melvin walked out of his apartment he remembered Ms. Lenora's rules..."First it must be taken in the morning, second it must be taken after breakfast, and most importantly only the prescribed dosage, no more no less."  As Melvin raced to work he thought to himself, "Well I got one right...what could possibly happen?"
          The convulsions started immediately after he had his lunch.  After he finished his Big Mac and fries his body began to jerk and twist uncontrollably.  He made it back to his office and ran into the bathroom.  He looked into the mirror and his face was beet red and his body tingled all over.  He splashed water on his face and stared in the mirror.  "Oh God, I feel like shit, what was in that damn burger."  Suddenly a sharp pain pierced his abdomen.  Melvin fell to the floor holding his stomach.  As he convulsed on the bathroom floor, he let out a huge belch, slowly the pain subsided.  Melvin grabbed onto the sink and hoisted himself up.  Sweat poured down his face, but there was no more pain.  Slowly he straightened himself out and looked back into the mirror.  He was flushed and still queasy, but he managed to pull himself together.  He stepped out of the bathroom and almost ran into Cindy.  "Hey watch it...Melvin are you feeling okay?"  Asked Cindy.
          "Yeah I'm okay...just think I had a bad burger.  Cindy look I'm..."
          "Well excuse me, I have work to do."  She said as concern was replaced by indifference on her face.
Melvin just stood there, as the woman who meant a great deal to him walked away.
          The afternoon seemed to drag on forever.  Melvin kept watching the clock praying for it to move faster.  Finally work was over and he packed up his things and left.  As he stood outside his apartment door, he remembered Donna and hoped he let herself out and was not still in there.  He called her name as he walked into the apartment, but there was no answer.  He went directly to his bedroom and found a note on his bed:

                       MELVIN-LAST NIGHT WAS AMAZING!  CALL ME,
                                                                                              DONNA

Melvin laughed and crumpled the paper and threw it in the garbage.  He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.  He grabbed a beer and noticed the left-over chicken from the other night.  He took a leg and sat in his recliner and switched on the television.  He devoured the leg in seconds and downed the beer.  His stomach rumbled and gurgled calling for more food.  He didn't want to give in to his hunger, not sure if his stomach was still queasy, but it growled wanting more food.  He opened the refrigerator and took out the rest of the left-over chicken, within minutes the plate was empty.  He opened a box of cookies and ate them in one sitting along with a quart of milk, but still his hunger couldn't be quenched.  He tried to stop eating but couldn't.  He ate and ate, anything and everything; but still he couldn't control his appetite.  Suddenly he felt his body expand, his pants tightened and he popped the buttons on his shirt.  He was a man obsessed, all that mattered to him was what he was going to eat next.  He called for pizza, then Chinese food, hour after hour he sat and ate.  The nights came and went, but Melvin did not sleep.  He continued to devour every edible thing that was in his house, and when there was nothing left he called for more take out.  No thoughts but food entered his mind.  The phone rang, but he could not answer it he was too busy feeding his face.
          Cindy put down the phone.  She was worried about Melvin, he didn't look good four days ago and he hasn't been back to work since.  She hoped he was alright, because she had a strange feeling something was wrong.  She pushed the thought out of her head, deciding he was using his vacation time and having fun.  She always liked Melvin, but then he changed.  She wishes the old Melvin would resurface, then she would go out with him, but she new it would never happen.  He turned into a conceited, arrogant muscle monster, and she cannot stomach that type of man.

                                                              ONE WEEK LATER
          Cindy walked slowly up the staircase.  A strange odor filled the hallway.  She stopped on the first landing and walked to the door.  She knocked and called out but there was no answer.  She turned the knob and the door clicked open.  She took a deep breathe and pushed the door open.  A wave of odors crashed against her, she gagged and thought she would vomit, but she held it down.  Garbage was everywhere, mounds of pizza boxes, wrappers and food cartons, littered the tiny apartment.  "Hello?...Melvin are you here?"  She called out holding her nose.  She pushed through the garbage , then stopped in her tracks.  A weird rustling noise came from behind the door to the right.  She walked to the door, stopped and listened.  A grotesque squishing noise came from within the room.  She opened the door and slowly walked in.  The room was dark, her eyes followed where the noise was coming from and she thought she saw something moving in the back of the room.  She moved her hand up to the wall in search of a light switch; with the light came her screams.  Cindy screamed again at the mass of blubber and flesh that sat in a corner chomping on what appeared to be a human leg.  A headless torso laid at the things feet, a Domino's Pizza cap sat nearby.  The thing that was Melvin looked up at Cindy, it tossed the leg to the floor and extended its grubby arms and sausage like fingers towards her.  Suddenly it began to shake like a bowl of jello, and began its gelatinous way towards Cindy.  She screamed again as it rippled and wriggled its way across the floor.  She screamed again, but it didn't stop.  It sloshed and slid across the floor leaving a trail of greasy lard behind it.  Cindy turned to run but tripped over all the garbage.  It inched its way closer and closer, Cindy pushed her self against the wall, paralyzed with fear.  The mass of greasy blubber came at her inching itself like a huge slug.  Suddenly it stopped.  Its huge eyes bulged and its mouth dropped.  She looked up at the creature and for an instant it looked familiar.  "Oh Melvin please."  She cried staring into the things eyes.  The things mouth opened wider and it slid closer.  "Please Melvin...I...I loved you."  Cindy cried.  The creature rumbled and shook like a jello mold in an earthquake.  The layers of fat rippled and bounced.  A low deep moan came from the creature as it vibrated and convulsed.  Cindy stood and inched her way to the door.  The moan grew louder as the thing shook uncontrollably.  Cindy placed her hand over her ears as she watched the creature in horror.  The thing that was Melvin blurted out the woman's name in a deep, hoarse moan.  At that moment the convulsions stopped, and the creature exploded.  Blubber and flesh flew in every direction, sticking to the walls and ceiling.  Cindy screamed uncontrollably. as blood spurted from the remaining lump of lifeless flesh.  She ran out of the apartment hysterical, knowing she would never see Melvin again.
       
          There is a moral to this story, but I think you can figure it out for yourself.  Now go to sleep my friends and be good, cause if your not....(Insert evil laugh)

                                                                      THE END