Breakfast of Champions

She lay asleep,warm in her bed. The quiet, cold winter was kept at bay just outside her window. She was startled awake by her stairs creaking. Someone was walking up the staircase to her room. Glancing at the clock to check the time,she realized the power had gone out then back on,based on the flashing "12:03" she saw.
Slipping silently out of her cozy bed and comforter,she slipped on a jacket and walked slowly to her door to meet her visitor.

As usual,her mind began to wander.She imagined ghastly creatures hiding behind her door. Ghosts in the shadows; Serpents in the staircase.She shook herself awake,and moved awkwardly in the dark towards her door.As she went to reach for the knob, the door sprang open, revealing the candle-lit face of her mother. Muffling a yelp with her jacket-sleeve,she stared questioningly at the dimly lit apparition.

Without a word,her mother grabbed at her arm through the girl's jacket and led her downstairs,into the den where her father and older sister sat,her infant in her arms. Her sister looked as if in shock,and was systematically hushing the child within a blanket. Her father sat in the far corner, smoking a cigarette nervously.Mother never allowed smoking in the house.The girl went to chime in about this fact,but her mother hushed her and turned on the TV.
Power's back on...

The girl sunk down into the couch away from her sister,and stared blankly at the dim television. Pale news casters were frantically shouting out orders about evacuation and shelters. A balding man loosened his tie and constantly wiped at his brow. His thin partner mussed up her hair in frustration. Her makeup was running and you could clearly see the bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. The girl muttered about how she never much cared for "the telle" and shuffled into the kitchen. Her mother followed her frantically,exclaiming that there was a serious situation in the city. Most of the neighbors were leaving.Father is going with a few of the other men to get help and supplies.We may have to leave the city.Are you listening?

She nodded without enthusiasm at her mother,and waved her off,raiding the cabinets for supplies of her own.Clearly flustered,her mother stomped quietly back to the den to see father off. She heard soft sobbing,but refused to let it register in her mind. In the distance outside,she could hear a siren going off. Ambulance perhaps?Maybe another fire...

Less than content with her findings in the cabinet,she returned to the den and slumped down defeatedly in the couch.Sister was hugging her child close to her,and the child was crying in return.Mother wrapped a scarf around father's neck and kissed him with tears in her eyes.He looked burdened.She watched him bundle up for the cold outside,and say his goodbyes as a truck pulled up outfront and honked once. He hurridly pat the girl on the head and gave her a strained smile before running out the front door,mother in close pursuit to see him off and lock back up in haste.

She watched the truck pull away dazily,and sighed heavily as she watched mother run to her sister and sob on her shoulder.Now sister has two babies to console.Sister's child had finally fallen asleep,so they took him upstairs to lay down.Her mother told the girl not to go outside or open the door for anyone,and to get her if there was any problem.

The power went off again,and did not return this time.She sat alone downstairs in the dark for what felt like an eternity.The silence was broken by her stomach.It was rumbling,and oh so hungry.She stole away into the kitchen once more,and decided to make breakfast,no matter what time it actually was.As she went fishing through the cubbard for mothers iron frying pan,she heard a scratching on the back door.She stopped what she was doing and stood quietly for a moment,waiting for the sound to return.

The sound of the back door's window going out was enough to make her weak in the knees.She grabbed the pan firmly in her left hand and swiftly made her way to the door.She unlocked the first door and let the door creak open out to expose the short hallway and the outermost back door.The glass window on the door was shattered,shards littered the hall floor,and glittered like diamonds in the moonlight that was filtering in.

As she silently drew closer,the scratching stopped.She pushed up her sleeves,came upon the door and peered down on the other side through the broken window,lifting the pan up expectantly.She saw the little girl that lived next door.She was croutched down and appeared to be holding her arm in pain.She was covered in blood...

She must have cut it when she broke the window...Why was she in such a hurry to get in?
She called the little girl's name,but recieved no response.Again.No response.She unlocked the door and slowly opened it towards herself.She brought the pan down by her side and crouched down next to the little girl.Extending her hand to to let the little girl know it was okay,she had wicked thoughts.
Shes what...six last time I checked. . .Where did all of that blood come from...How splendid. . .

Lost in her own thoughts,she didnt notice the little girl turn sharply towards her.She was too distracted to react when she pounced on her,knocking her on her back.The little girl was atop of her,trying to bite her.She was snapping her teeth and lurching towards the girl's face.In more of awe than of horror,the girl watched curiously as her attacker feebly attempted to claw out her throat.

She simply pushed the girl off by her shoulders and picked up the frying pan again.
This must be what they were talking of on the news.How curious.
She flicked her wrist and rotated the handle in her hand,as if she were merely playing a game of tennis.As the little girl recovered from the hard shove and retained her balance,she lurched at her again,only to have the side of her head meet the iron frying pan in mid flight.
With a loud crack the little girl thumped to the floor and did not get back up again.
She sighed heavily and relocked the back door,stepping carefully around the broken glass.

Mother had heard the ruckus and had come down to investigate.She shrieked when she saw her daughter,jacket stained with blood,gore-covered frying pan in hand,and an eerily distant look in her eyes.Mother began to shake her,demanding to know what happened.The girl moved her hair out of her eyes,pointed to the back door and began wiping off the blood of her neighbor from the bottom of the frying pan,with a towel.

She threw the pan on the stove and turned the flame on.Shuffling through the fridge for eggs,she realized the power had not come back on yet.She wondered if it ever would...

Well,at least the gas works. . .