Eaten Inside Out

The advertisement blared across the screen as two girls looked on giggling. A spokesman with too much energy, was going on and on about how you could make your kid disappear for a stress-free week with a simple pill. The background was a bright pink, almost like Pepto-Bismal. Something sickly to an adult, yet entertaining and eye-catching to two girls.

The ten-year-olds picked up the phone dialing the number flashing across the screen of the TV, calling the company about the so-called “free” disappearing pills.

“Hi” Chloe started out trying not to burst out laughing after making eye contact with Mackenzie sitting across from her.

“We saw your commercial for the disappearing pills, we need two week packs. As long as they are both free.”

Mackenzie watched bright pink, like the advertisement had been, from laughing.

“And you promise we’ll be one-hundred percent healthy when we reappear, almost like no time has passed?”

Chloe nodded some more on the line give a fee mm-hmm’s as she often heard her mom do on business calls.

“Thank you,” she said finally before hanging up the call, looking at Mackenzie she smiled, “now we wait.”

Before Mackenzie could reply there was a knock at the door. The two girls exchanged confused glances, no one was supposed to be coming over. Mackenzie’s mom wasn’t expecting anything in the mail, a large no solicitors sign hung on the door, and Chloe’s mom wasn’t going to pick her up until tomorrow.

They carefully walked to the door. Both feeling like if they reached it too quickly it would be more likely that a monster lie in wait on the other side.

Mackenzie slowly drew open the door, and as she peeked out she saw no one stood there. Thinking it was a ding-dong-ditch she almost missed the small pink package on the welcome mat.

Opening the door the rest of the way, she picked it up finding there was “disappearing act” stamped across the front in cursive lettering. The name of the product.

Mackenzie could fit the box in her palm, “that was fast,” she whispered to Chloe who was peering over her shoulder.

“I mean they did say same day delivery.” Chloe reasoned, but she still looked uneasy staring at the small pink package. Mackenzie shut the door locking it tight, and turned to face Chloe, “I’m starting to think this isn’t the best idea.” Mackenzie whispered, a fluttery feeling in her gut sending her topsy turvy. “Oh don’t worry Mac, they couldn’t put it on TV if it could hurt you. It’s probably a hoax, we’ll take it and in reality it’ll just be a sugar pill. I think it’s called a placebo pill, it doesn’t actually do anything.

Mackenzie nodded, not feeling reassured, and the two girls went back to her room upstairs. Chloe closed that door and they both climbed on her bed. On the way up to her room Chloe had opened the box to reveal two small pink pills. Each with the same cursive lettering as on the top, this time saying swallow whole. Mackenzie took a water bottle from beside her bed, and Chloe grabbed a glass of water she had brought up there earlier that day.

“On the count of three,” Chloe urged staring deep into Mackenzies eyes who still had the same squirrelly feeling in her stomach. She nodded, shivering, despite her windows being closed against any wind outside.

“One... Two... Three!”

Both girls tossed back the pills chugging down the water each held, helping the pill to glide down their throat to their stomach.

They waited a moment staring at each other, but nothing happened. They were still just as visible as they had been before the pills. After a few minutes, and nothing happening, Mackenzie felt a huge wave of relief. “I guess you were right. About them being fake and all.” “Yeah,” Chloe replied seeming a little disappointed.

Suddenly, a loud knock came on the door downstairs. They both froze, that topsy turvy feeling was back, this time tickling both of them. Chloe went to get up, but Mackenzie’s hand shot out, “no, just wait, they’ll go away.”

They both waited with bated breath, then the knocks came again, louder. When whoever it was knocked a third time Mackenzie and Chloe began to cry, both terrified. Mackenzie took Chloe’s phone calling her mom.

“Hello?”

More knocking

“Momit’sMackenzieChloeandIorderedthedisappearingactpillsandwetookthemandnowsomeone’sknockingonourdoorandnotgoingawayandI’mreallyscared!”

More knocking

“Woah Mac, slow-wait did you say you ordered the disappearing pills?! Mackenzie I am coming home right now. Stay in your room! Hide in your closet! Do not open the door for anyone! Do you hear me?”

More knocking

“Yes mom” Mackenzie sobbed.

“Now go in your closet, and stick you fingers really far down your throat so you throw up. I’m on my way.”

More knocking.

Mackenzie and Chloe sprinted to the closet. “My mom said we need to try and make ourselves throw up.” Mackenzie immediately shoved her hand deep in her mouth probing her throat. She kept gagging, her whole body wracking, and finally she hit just the right place. Mackenzie fell the ground shaking as she heaved up everything in her stomach which all came out disgustingly pink and slimy. The vomit burned the carpet, and reeked of something almost like disinfectant. Mackenzie stayed on the floor, hunched over.

Chloe stared down horrified and the gurgling vomit leaking from Mackenzie’s lips. Mackenzie slowly tilted her head to look up to her, “you have to do it Clo, my mom said so.” Chloe shook her head, “no way I’m doing that. Plus, listen.”

The two girls froze, there was no knocking. “Whoever it was is gone. We’re safe.” Chloe insisted. But, that topsy turvy feeling was still in Mackenzie’s stomach. And this time, she wasn’t going to ignore it no matter what. “No Chloe, I don’t think we are. You need to throw up the pill. Like my mom said.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “You’re such a mommy’s girl. The pill had nothing to do with the person, and it stinks in here. I’m leaving, I’ll call my mom to come get me.”

Chloe moved to open the closet, and instinctively Mackenzie’s arm shot out stopping her. Her fingers dug in like claws into Chloe’s arm. “Don’t Chloe. Please.” Chloe stuck out her tongue, “chicken.” Mackenzies face turned red at the insult. Dropping her arm Mackenzie sank back to the ground. “Am not, idiot.” Chloe rolled her eyes again throwing open the closet door and strutting out. Mackenzie quickly shut it behind her curling up in the corner hugging her stuffed animal dog to her stomach. She tucked her face into her knees and sobbed as they had when the person first knocked on the door.

No longer in the closet, and now alone, Chloe was feeling bites of fear. The hairs on her arms stood on end, and she felt like she was being watched. But she couldn’t go back there where Mackenzie was, she couldn’t admit she was wrong and as big a coward as Mackenzie. Holding her head high, Chloe slowly opened the door of Mackenzie’s room to the hallway.

Looking left and right, she saw no one was there. Stepping out with a little more bravado. Chloe shut the door behind her.

Turning to face the hallway again. A small pink monster about the size of her palm lunged up at her out of nowhere. Chloe screamed, and as she did the little furry goblin shot into her mouth scrambling down her esophagus. She clawed at her throat choking. It’s needles scratched her soft inner skin as it scuttled down her, burrowing into her insides. There it opened wide beginning to gnaw away at her soft intestines. Chloe fell to the ground still screaming long and loud. She could feel it eating her inside out. Blood spurted out of her mouth and she cried, finally passing out from the pain. Blood and pink liquid oozed, bubbling and fizzing, from her ears, eyes, and nose. A loud squelching sound coming from the monster within chopping through her bones like they were butter. Till she was completely invisible inside it. All because of a pill that looked like candy.