Misery Meat by Lady Macabre Beth
"I salute him! I salute him!" Auntie shouts as she pulls out a peace sign.
"Because I'm sure he'll bring back the funpanadas!"
"It was popular during his father's day. So delicious! I can't wait! It was my childhood!" Ecstatic, auntie pulls out a shirt lined with red and green and wears it.
"Jill, you should be grateful. Your generation will finally taste it. Heck, I won't even mind applying as a factory worker there. I'd get all the funpanadas I can." She grabs a ring with a ruby and emerald conjoined from her dresser. "Okay, auntie's got to bounce now."
"Where are you going, auntie?"
"To apply at the funpanada factory! Woohoo!" Auntie heads out with her red and green shirt, tote bag, and straw hat. "Take care, auntie!"
"Bye," Jill responds as she shuts the door and turns on the television. It opened to the news right away.
"Today, the missing 12-year-old Santino Perez has been succeeded by 16 more. It includes Gabriel Samson, Maria Estrella, Pocholo Sison..."
"Always remember to lock the doors at 5 pm. Don't accept any visitors. Accept only those who knock three times. That would be me. Remember that the alligators eat kids who forget to lock the door." Jill recalled the voice of her auntie warning her. She quickly shut the windows and doors and locked them. Afterward, Jill felt her heart beating fast.
Finally, she returned to the sofa and watched television. The news quickly shifted to a funpanada commercial.
Are you sick of your children disobeying you?
Are you tired of the lack of discipline they have?
Worry no more!
Everything is fun! Fun! Fun!
With Funpanadas, your children will be motivated to get home by 5 pm.
Its sweet and soft beef empanada will encourage them to earn the rewards of a disciplined life.
Funtastic! Funpanadas! It's more fun at home by 5 pm!
Knock. Knock. Knock. Suddenly, Jill was caught off guard by three knocks. That must be Auntie. She thought. She quickly headed to the door. "Auntie!" To her surprise, a delivery man in green appeared instead. He had a frail body, a big smile, and bloodshot eyes. "One box of Funpanadas for Ms. Jillian Alcantara."
"Uh...uh, I didn't order one," Jill responded with her head down while fidgeting with her right hand. "It was delivered to you from your Auntie Jo Anne. She says she won't be able to come home. She started working at the factory. She says for you to eat this for dinner." He hands over a green box. Seen from the outside were six pieces of funpanadas. "T-thanks," Jill responded as she received the funpanadas and shut the door.
As she dropped the box on the dining table, she looked at the clock and noticed it was already 7 pm. It was beyond curfew hours. That's strange, She thought. Deliveries aren't allowed beyond curfew too. Anyhow, she opened the box and took her first bite.
There was something different about the funpanada. It was a far cry from the typical empanadas. The beef was sweeter and softer than the salty ones familiar to Jill. Finally, she grabbed a second bite. It was all soft until her teeth hit something metallic. "Ouch." She inspected the insides of the empanada until she found a ring that had a conjoined ruby and emerald gem. Her hands started trembling until the empanada dropped to the floor. Tears slowly poured from her eyes as she uttered, "A-a-auntie."
Suddenly, she purged the meat until her sight blacked out.
The following morning, the theme music of the nation played on the megaphone. It awakened Jill. When she opened her eyes, vomit was all over her hands, feet, and clothes. There were bits of meat on the floor. And then she remembered who she devoured last night. Her mouth started twitching as tears poured out of her eyes.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! "Salutations!" The voice of a soldier chanted from outside. Quickly, she wiped her tears and headed to the door. As she opened it, the soldier held up a peace sign. "I salute him!" He chanted. Jill gave a big smile with bloodshot eyes and held up a peace sign.
