Free Secret to Bear by Miriam Becker Page B

expected following a rape. The events of the previous night remained a sinister mystery.
     
    I pulled myself from the shower and dried off. A dark tension loomed and I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. And yet, other than finding myself naked in the woods, everything seemed strangely normal.
     
    I made a large lunch for myself and sat alone to watch television as I ate, just as I always did. The simplicity of it all, the normalcy of my regular routine, it was all unbearably unnerving. Something horrifying had happened. I was certain of it, and my life should be in an uproar.
     
    A shiver of dread rolled through me over and over again, my body shaking uncontrollably each time. I remained inside the entire day, eating and watching television, not paying much attention to either one.
     
    ***
     
    When I woke up again it was in a sudden panic, but in my own bed. I took a long, deep breath to settle my nerves, then got up and dressed for work. As I pushed my way into the office I was instantly assaulted by the stench of pastries. It only took a second for me to spot the box of doughnuts on the front counter, and I crinkled my nose in disgust and hurried past.
     
    “How was your weekend?” Samantha asked, her short blond hair bobbing as she walked into my office. I looked up at her, a bit stunned at the heavy scent that drifted from her.
     
    “Uneventful,” I lied. “It was all television and popcorn. What about you?”
     
    “I hung out with some friends Saturday night.” She was bubbling, and I dropped the folder I was holding to stop and stare at her.
     
    “What about last night?” I pried. “Anything fun and interesting happen?”
     
    She shrugged nonchalantly, but her face turned deep red. “Nothing much, really. I stayed in and read.”
     
    She shifted her weight uncomfortably as I nodded. “You’re up for a promotion next month, right?” I recalled as the realization dawned on me. “Rebecca is deciding who will take John’s place as the new assistant office manager, if I remember right.”
     
    Samantha sighed humbly. “I hope I get it,” she cooed. “I know it’s a long shot, but I have my fingers crossed.”
     
    The sweaty smell of sex and Rebecca permeated from her warming skin. There was the definite odor of soap as well, but the distinctive pheromones still drenched her body. In the distance I could hear Rebecca laughing as she talked with one of the other employees. She sounded cheerful.
     
    “I think you’ve got a pretty good chance,” I said with a grin. “It seems to me you’ve put in the time and gone the extra mile. Just keep me in mind on your rise to the top, okay?”
     
    She gave a nervous, secretive giggle and bustled back out into the hall. Furrowing my brow I concentrated on the odd swirl of sensations that were enveloping me. Every sight, every sound, every horrible smell all filled the air in a puzzling mess that was somehow dauntingly… enlightening.
     
    It was only about three in the afternoon when I left work. The overwhelming stench of my coworkers’ lunches practically drove me from the building. I stopped off to buy something for dinner at the grocery store on my way home, filling the shopping cart with the usual head of lettuce, tomatoes, and celery, all the while cringing with each wretched new smell that assaulted me. I hurried past the cleaner isle and grabbed some bread at the bakery. My list was checked off and I rushed toward the registers.
     
    But I stopped as a delicious aroma filled my nostrils, drifting out from the back of the store. My stomach grumbled in sudden need and, curious, I followed the smell. The enticing scent of blood and raw meat rushed out to greet me, luring me within the refrigerated section. It stunned me as I grasped a large package of ground beef like it was the last food on earth and crammed it into the cart. It was all I could manage to contain the sudden driving hunger that swelled inside me, urging me to fill