Free The Cube People by Christian McPherson Page B

have Spike,” he said.
    â€œWhat?” replied Ryan, thinking to himself that there was no way Bill could know.
    â€œI can hear him barking. I listened at your basement window and I heard him barking.”
    â€œNo you didn’t,” said Ryan, but just as he said that he heard the unmistakable growl of Spike coming from the open basement door.
    â€œI’m getting my dog,” said Bill, pushing Ryan out of the way.
    The barking grew louder as Ryan followed Bill toward the basement door and down the stairs. “You son of a bitch, I’m going to call the cops on you,” yelled Bill as he ran.
    Ryan didn’t say anything. He just followed, curious to see if there was an actual dog there, or whether the hole was playing a game, luring Bill in. When Ryan got to the bottom, Bill was standing by the edge yelling, “Spike, I’m here boy.” He spun around to Ryan. “You son of a bitch, you get my dog out of that hole!” screamed Bill, pointing down. Ryan was about to explain that there was no dog, at least he didn’t think there was, when the earth under Bill’s feet gave away.
    â€œAaahhhh!” Bill yelled as he dropped into the hole, but he managed to catch the edge with one hand. Flailing away, he grabbed the ledge with the other hand. Bill was now dangling by his fingertips. For a second, Ryan stood frozen. He thought about stepping on Bill’s fingers, thought about feeding him to the hole. But quickly his mind cleared. He grabbed Bill’s arm and said, “Don’t worry, I have you.”
    â€œYou son of a bitch, when I get out of here you’re a dead man!”
    â€œRelax, give me your arm. Grab on so I can pull you out.”
    When Bill let go of the edge and grabbed Ryan’s hand, that’s when they both heard it. It made the sound that water makes coming down a garden hose when you turn on the tap, except louder. It shot up out of the darkness, a purplish red tongue-like tentacle, wrapping itself around Bill’s left leg.
    â€œAaahhhh!” Bill screamed again. “What the fuck is it? Get it off!“
    I don’t know, just hold on,” Ryan said. Ryan saw the tentacle twist and contract. Ryan didn’t have a chance to save him. Bill was ripped away in a flash.
    Ryan heard one last scream before a small fountain of blood shot up out of the darkness dowsing him in a fine spray. He sat there frozen. There were no longer any dog sounds coming from the hole, but instead a noise that sounded vaguely like chewing. He slowly backed away on his hands and knees until he reached the foot of the stairs. Shaking, he stood up and walked upstairs to clean off the blood.

Two months later…

Estimates
    I wake up to thenow familiar sound of Sarah retching in the toilet. I stop in the doorway of the washroom on my way to the kitchen. She’s on her knees, holding her hair up so it doesn’t dangle into the toilet. Her back ripples and her neck extends forward. Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out but a sick groan. She reminds me of a cat trying to cough up a hairball. “You okay?”
    She nods.
    â€œDo you want me to make you a coffee?”
    She shakes her head no.
    â€œTea and melba toast?”
    She nods again.
    â€œI’m on it,” I tell her as I move to the kitchen. I make myself a coffee and read the paper. I hear the bath start up. Sarah has actually lost weight during the first two months of pregnancy. The vomiting began two weeks after she peed on the stick. When Sarah gets out of the tub, I hop in and shower. Once I’m dressed for work, I go out to the living room. Sarah is sitting on the couch looking extremely pale, her untouched green tea and melba toast sitting on the coffee table in front of her. “You okay?”
    â€œI think I might be sick again,” she says, standing up and heading for the washroom.
    I hear more retching sounds.
    â€œI’m going to go, okay honey, unless