The Wide Mouth

My mom and I were always moving. We changed houses and schools practically every two months. I was four years old at the time and didn't understand the reason behind our constant moving.

 I used to approach my mom frequently and ask her the same question,

 "Why did we have to move so much?"

 Every time she used to look at me lovingly and sign with her hands,

 "I've already told you this hon, it's for your own good." 

My mom was mute and I had learnt to comprehend most of her sign language. She had never told me how she had become mute. If it was some sort of genetic birth defect or just a natural thing, I didn't know. We continued moving for four more years. I barely noticed the constant packing and repacking we had to do for each shift. As I grew older though I did begin to suspect something was wrong. I could never quite put my finger on the problem though.

 I tried asking her who she was expecting would show up, but she always shot my questions down. At the end of the month we were ready to move again and this time I was thrilled. My mom had described the place as a massive farm house surrounded by lush green trees. Apparently she had got it at a good rental price too.

 We packed all our belongings, which wasn't a lot and caught the city bus to the outskirts. On the bus ride there my mom looked really happy. I had never seen her so joyful before and my heart warmed to think that she was finally enjoying herself. Then she glanced at me, and for the briefest of seconds her eyes turned blood red. I was horrified and leaned backwards in shock. Then the moment passed and my mother leaned closer to me, a worried expression on her face, and her eyes back to a brilliant shade of blue.

 "You ok honey?" she signed.

 "Yes" I replied hastily.

 She gave me a reassuring pat on the back and continued gazing out the window. I kept thinking about that moment for the whole bus ride, but pushed the thought aside as we neared our destination.

 My mom and I gathered our bags and stepped off the bus. As the bus rumbled away I gazed up at our new home. It was nestled among the trees and looked cozy. It looked like the perfect place for nature photographers and bird watchers.

 "Isn't it lovely dear?" my mom signed sweetly.

 I didn't answer. Maybe I had too many things jostling in my head, or...maybe I was still thinking about that moment on the bus. Never the less my mom didn't seem to care and trudged ahead. This was very unlike her. We always used to walk into a new house together. I was very confused by this behavior, but thought less of it and ran towards the house.

 We settled in and I went upstairs to check out my new room. It was fully furnished and looked alarmingly new.

 'That's odd, I thought had there been no previous rentals here?'

 I gazed out the window that overlooked the opening of the forest and saw something darting among the trees. It looked like a dog to me and I loved dogs so I dashed downstairs without a second thought. I looked around the hall expecting to find my mom there but saw no one. This was really concerning; my mom never left the house without telling me first. I scanned the hall again and noticed a large sticky note on the front door. I picked it up and read,

 Hi honey! Just went to the store to get groceries. Be back soon. Don't wander off anywhere.

 I flung the note on the dining table and sat down on one of the chairs with a big *HUFF*. I really wanted to go out and check if that was a dog, but I also couldn't disobey my mom. I stared dejectedly out of the window when I saw the shape again. It was closer to the house now and I could clearly tell it was a dog. I rushed outside, completely forgetting about my mom's note. I approached the dog and it seemed friendly. I patted its head a few times before it sniffed the air and ran into the forest.

 I went back inside and decided to wait for my mom to come back. I didn't want to be grounded on the first day at our new house. After five or ten minutes I heard a sharp whining coming from the forest. It sounded like a dog and I was afraid it was the same dog I had met. I rushed downstairs and was about to open the front door when I remembered the note. Then I heard the whining again and decided if the dog was in danger, it was my responsibility to do something. 

Darkness was swallowing the sun as I neared the trees. I took a deep breath and plunged into the dark woods. I couldn't see a thing and had to feel my way around with my hands and feet. I tripped over numerous roots and shrubs and fell multiple times. I was just regretting my decision of even coming in here when the trees parted to reveal a clearing that was fairly lit by moonlight. I saw the dog at the middle of the clearing, crying in pain, lying next to what seemed like a boulder. I rushed forward wanting to help the dog when the impossible happened. The boulder that I had seen next to the dog moved. It revealed a horrifying creature which was about four feet tall with a bony frame, grotesque face and skinny limbs. I froze in my tracks, staring at the monster, paralyzed with fear and unable to move my limbs. I wanted to run and scream, but it was physically impossible at the time. I watched in horror as the monster approached the dog. It grabbed its neck, the dog tried thrashing but the monster had a grip like steel. It unhinged its jaw wide enough to swallow a crocodile and ate the dog whole. As I watched, blood started oozing out the corners of its mouth. I gagged and took a step backwards. Unfortunately my foot landed on a twig and I could hear the *SNAP* reverberating through out the forest. The monster slowly turned its head toward the sound, tilting it at an angle with a sickening *CRACK*.

 I wasted no time screaming and getting the hell out of there. My heart was thumping in my chest as I pounded through the woods. It was a miracle I even made it back to the house alive.I burst into the house and slammed the door shut. When I looked up, the last thing I saw was my mom looming over me, her jaw unhinged, wide enough to swallow me whole.