Life was perfect. Kara's mom and dad were coming home for the holidays, her siblings were taking precious time off from their mundane jobs, and her boyfriend was in the process of whipping up a buffet for the event. It was once in a blue moon getting her whole family together for one night.
On her 17th birthday, Kara's sister got into a raging argument with their mom. Kara's dad and brother tried to split it up, but only made things worse when it slipped out that her brother was gay. It wasn't the best birthday. But, there was nothing ruining this night, not even bickering.
Knock, knock. Kara skipped to the door as Trey, her eye candy, finished off the green beans. Her face lit up when her parents, Doug and Marley, made puppy dog eyes at her purple ones. "What? Am I in Heaven? You guys actually made it?" She joked.
"Shut up and take the casserole." Her mom shot back, grinning. Kara sat them at the table and gazed into the hands of the clock. 20 minutes until dinner was served. Avery and Cari hadn't arrived just yet. Avery was always one to be fashionably late, but Cari liked being on time. It gave her a sense of satisfaction. That's why they never got along. That's why I worried she wouldn't make it. Accordingly, another knuckle tap came to the door.
"Thank God. I thought we were gonna have another cold dinner." At the door was Avery and his 2-year committed boyfriend, Manny. Kara gingerly invited them in. When she peeked her head out the door, Cari seemed to really take her time. Her car wasn't even in the, now lonesome, driveway. Kara sighed. She made her way to the table yet avoided sitting.
"While we wait for the last member, how about we talk about what everybody's been up to?" Kara tried putting on a smile. In all honesty, she loved Cari the most. Not because they were fraternal twins, but because even when Kara found herself in the worse situations, Cari pulled her out and reassured her that everything would be ok. She was a natural Superman. She helped Kara during all the fights mom and dad had. All the thunderstorms that would shake Kara out of her skin. All the loud noises that would rattle the room when people threw hard objects.
"Well, Doug here is getting a promotion at the factory. Isn't that right, Dave?" Mom announced. Dad nodded without make a peep. Instead, he flipped through a newspaper laying out on the table. "Would you like to talk about it with your children?" She pushed the words onto him getting aggravated that his only response was a light shrug. Avery cleared his throat, taking the awkward moment off of them.
"Um, Manny and I are thinking off having a baby." Their mom glared.
"That sounds wonderful, Avery! What gender is the baby going to be? Or have you not thought of it? Or is there a surrogate involved?" Just as he opened his mouth, Kara's mom pitched in.
"How are you guys going to have a baby? Gays can't do that. It's science." Her voice raised slightly, but it was useless because Avery never answered to hollering.
"We are thinking of adopting a girl. So far, we've considered a baby named Clara." He cheered.
"That's wonderful. Man, I can't wait to be an aunt." Suddenly, a knock came to the door, but so did the timer to the oven. Kara looked at the clock pestering her on the wall, 5 minutes. "A little bit before time. Perfect. Mom, could you get the door? I think it's Cari."
In the other room, she didn't Cari's beloved, friendly voice. Instead, there were gasps followed by screams. Kara raced to the living room where she met a man with a black outfit. There was a skimpy mask covering his face, but she knew from his dark, piercing eyes that she was going to remember him.
It was like a dance. First, Avery kicked the gun out of the man's big hand. The man took his first and right hooked Avery's jaw. The first blood splatter was now a picture on the door. This was very violent with his actions and had no hesitation in making trauma a recurring event. He stomped his strongest foot onto Avery's ribs causing him to bleed out. That was the first murder. The next fight was more brutal. Marley grabbed her shotgun and shot her best aim. The man kneeled to grip his damp calf. However, as he dropped, he commanded his hand to sweep Kara's mom to the ground. How did he have this much power? What kind of strength did he possess? Suddenly, Kara's chest was shot with his, more penetrating than before, stare. She immediately ran for the chair as her face watched him take away her own mother's breath. Those were the same lungs she filled with smoke the day after she found out Avery's secret sexuality. Marley had put the dangerous habit to rest, but something in her grew clingier to the substance. Kara's nose got the smell of secrets after finishing her birthday cake then.
She regained thought and was now met with the ultimate battle between her admirable boyfriend and cherished father and the man in the black clothes. Trey leaped onto the man as Doug threw a punch. The mysterious man caught Doug's tight fist and pushed him against the wall, trying to also fight off Trey. He pulled out a dagger from the inside of his boot and used it to dissect Kara's lover. Then he swiftly turned and cut through the skull of Kara's father. Adrenaline rushed about Kara's body. The room doused in blood caused her to faint.
After a moment in slumber, Kara was nudged awake by the sound of chewing. She rubbed her aching head. The fact that Kara was untouched by this twisted killer was appalling to her. She lifted her body and noticed that not only did this man have bodies soaked around him, but he was also snacking on the dinner that awaited those now stiff corpses. Her jet-lagged emotions finally fell onto her shoulders. Tears flushed Kara's puffy eyes. She tried to hold her sniffles in as the man was still into the meal.
He looked younger than 30, now that his mask was off. His hair was short and messy from the hoodie that chafed his scalp. He had big brown eyes that matched the color of his hair. The man at the table did not look like the type of murderer in the films. His appearance shouted, "college student" more than "Mass murderer." Yet, Kara was still rubbed in the worst way possible. She decided in the mix of the moment to chuck herself into the wind. Kara sprinted towards her room and hopped out of the window. In the distance, she heard "Oh shit!" in a deep, yet youth tone. Soon after there was clamoring of dishes.
That night changed the way Kara lived.
YOU ARE READING
Siphoner
FantasíaA girl named Kara goes through a tragedy in which her family gets killed during a holiday dinner. However, her killer isn't who she thought. Now he is taken on an adventure to revive her family.
