Bloody Sandwich
Simple request turns into a nightmare
Previously on The Red Refrigerator, The girls find out just how much their new fridge cost them in Part 1 - The hot fridge & Part 2 - 2:57
If you haven’t read them yet, check out the previous parts for better experience.
Anvi had not eaten anything for two days.
Somi would have rolled her eyes otherwise at the request for the sandwich. But the older girl stood up and opened the fridge door for butter without looking inside. She had one hand on the top while the other searched around for the container as she looked over at the counter to see if they had bread.
Her hand met something hard in a plastic. They had stopped buying any vegetables or fruits. Her gaze went inside. She shrieked in horror at the sight. It was filled with numerous packets of body parts, leaking blood through the whole machine.
She was glued to the opposite wall when Anvi came to see what she had screamed about. Her reaction was the total opposite. As soon as she saw the sight, she shut the gate.
"Was…was that?" She pointed to the fridge. The two girls looked at each other in shock. It was like they knew what had to be done. At the same time, they couldn't bring themselves to accept this was happening to them.
Anvi showed courage. She opened the door slowly to check if what they saw might be wrong. Somi yelled at her not to do it.
When she saw the same sight, Anvi shut the door tightly. She looked at her friend with fear. "We have to get rid of it."
"Are you crazy? We can't." Nobody would believe them. Nobody had. Whenever their friends asked about them being aloof, they would say they were tired or not in mood till they stopped asking.
One time when Somi told one of her friends what she thought might be happening, he laughed and asked if her sofa talked too when they sat on it too long. She stopped talking to him. Slowly, they had isolated themselves from everyone. There was no question about telling their families. It would be an admittance of failure to live alone. Worse than the current situation.
"We can carry it down. We will throw it in the empty plot at the corner. Someone will take it from there." Anvi formed a quick plan. She didn't want the society people to think they had grown crazy. They would throw them out of the house. Neither of the girls was ready to go back to their parents.
"What if someone sees us?" Somi chewed down on her nails, shrinking on herself as if trying to blend in the wall.
"It's two at night, Somi!" It will be like nothing happened. They never had a fridge. It was almost winter time. They wouldn’t need it anyway.
Somi moved forward with hesitant steps. Anvi unplugged the appliance. The tired girl was pumped with adrenaline now. They waited for it to cool down a bit. The back of it got hot from running all the time. By the time they were out the door and down one floor, they were sweating from the exertion.
It slipped from Anvi's fingers at the last set of stairs. Somi rolled down with it. Her head hit the floor first. The appliance rolled down on her side.
Anvi ran down to help, flinching at the sight of blood on her forehead. She helped the crying girl up. They looked around to see if anyone saw them. The night was quiet, other than their heavy breathing and the sound their fridge was making. It was still shaking as if someone was pushing it continuously. They went around it to see the door had fallen open. Its interior was lit without being plugged. Their water bottles were on the floor.
It was the last straw for the girls. They could chalk up everything that had happened till now to them going crazy. But this was more than what they could handle. Anvi tried to shut it. She got an electric shock. She had to step back. They ran. They didn't care then. They knew only one person who could help them.
Anvi jammed the key in her scooter.
Somi was shaking as she sat behind her, "I should have listened to you. We should have just bought a new one. I am so sorry, Anvi. I am sorry." She kept muttering.
"I knew there was something fishy with that man. He gave it to us so cheap." Anvi’s small frame was shaking with anger and fear.
The helper was reluctant at first. When she threatened him, he gingerly opened the gate. He slept alone in the shop. He was also a victim as much as them. When he told his employer, he was met with the same ridicule, and ordered to sell the thing if he had such a problem.
After much persuasion, he agreed to accompany them to their building to help them to get rid of it.
They couldn't find it where they abandoned it. They searched for it. They looked for someone who may have put it aside or thrown it away. There was no one around. Even the guard was nowhere to be seen. Soaked to the bones, they went to their flat, where they heard the familiar humming sound of the red appliance.
The helper refused to enter their home. He sat on his haunches with his hands on top of his head. It had done the same thing when he had thrown it away. He had placed his own money in the box to fool his employer. It had come back to rob him of both his sleep and money.
The two girls didn't go near the kitchen. They sat on the floor near the frightened man.
"How did it come to you?"
Next on The Red Refrigerator,
great writing!
Thanks for your support!