Whatever You Do… Don’t Feed It

Chapter 1

"But whatever you do, do not feed it." The warning sunk in Charlie's gut and sent a shiver all the way up her spine into her brain stem. It's far too late for that.

"Why?" Her green eyes lifted to meet David's. He was an old man with thinning grey hair and round glasses. He smacked his dry lips with concern before answering her question.

"It will never be satisfied. If you keep it starved, it won't have the strength to grow hungry." The man never referred to the creature as anything other than 'it'.

Charlie swallowed deeply. She was worried that seeking answers about the creature would lead her here. She decided not to reveal that she had been feeding it. Feeding it quite a bit. The poor thing had just looked so hungry when she found it. It looked harmless. That was before it started growing limbs.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it and I'm sorry I doubted you. I didn't mean to..." Charlie apologized profusely for spurning him when he first mentioned the creature. In her defense, how could she believe that there was a ravenous thing dwelling in her basement.

"I wish you all the best." David held her hand in his and blinked slowly at her. His voice was sympathetic but suspicious.

Charlie got up and grabbed her bag off the back of her chair at the diner. She also picked up a box with her leftover chocolate chip pancakes. She had found herself eating more when out and about. It was a natural side effect of ordering large portions so she could intentionally leave leftovers. The creature had grown quickly. It needed to be fed now. There was no choice anymore. She had to think about her safety.

She unlocked the door to her new home. Only a week had passed since she moved in and she absolutely loved the property. The main entrance was wide, bright, and open with a chandelier above and a winding staircase that led up to the second floor. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the door beneath this staircase, the door to the basement. She moved past some of her unpacked boxes with the leftovers in hand and opened the door.

The basement stairs were steep and didn't seem to match the rest of the house. The elegance and brightness of all the other rooms was sucked down into the dreary basement the second she opened the door. Dread filled her from head to toe. She couldn't explain it, it was just a feeling. Although, the explanation was becoming more obvious.

"What did you bring me?" A hollow, raspy voice flowed up the stairs to meet her ears. She couldn't see the creature, but she felt it. It was watching her from down there.

"P-pancakes." Charlie's voice trembled as she set the styrofoam box down on the top step.

"Ooooooh. Yummy!" Its voice seemed almost cheerful. It wasn't what she expected from the stories she heard. It didn't match the feeling she got from the oppressive darkness of the basement. It set her at ease after her bone-shivering conversation with the previous owner of the home.

David had left the basement door locked. He had rarely set foot in it. She didn't listen to the old man's warnings and had gone down to investigate all the rooms of her new home. That was the first time she met the creature. At first it was a tiny blob. A small speck of shadow that crept up to her feet. The only discernible feature were two glowing white eyes that pleaded and begged. It had startled her at first and she ran, but later that night she heard it weeping.

Small sobs from the creature had ventured all the way up to her bedroom on the second floor. It broke her heart really. Not being able to sleep, she had tiptoed down the stairs and peered under the basement door. Two white eyes stared back at her. It had said "food" when she asked what it wanted. So she fed it. Here, now, seeing the creature's size and development, she feared she had made a huge mistake.

The creature crawled up the basement stairs and she could make out the faint shape of its body. It was like a man, but made entirely of shadow. It had claws and a feral way of crawling. Charlie was frozen seeing this thing. It was bigger than her now. It's claws investigated the packaging of her offering, keeping its face and most of its body hidden in the darkness. Its eyes flicked between her and the food like a wild animal, considering whether or not it's safe to eat.

It didn't waste time though. It stuck its claws into the box and pulled out chunks of fluffy bread and syrup. The sticky, chocolatey dough made its way to its face where it stuffed bite after ravenous bite. She tried to see its lips or mouth. She tried to make out features on it.

"...why are you staring?" It remarked, nearly done with the food and now licking off its claws. It lounged on the third step down. She couldn't make out its body. Did she want to?

"I'm just... what are you?" The question took her by surprise. The creature's relaxed demeanor didn't fit David's description. It didn't make sense.

"Hungry." It responded as it pulled the styrofoam box down to its mouth, licking the sides and beginning to chew on the container.

Her body betrayed her now. Yes it's a creature, but it was tapping into one of her well kept secrets. She liked watching men eat. She found an insatiable appetite delightfully attractive. "... would you like more?" She couldn't help herself. She wanted to feed this wild thing. But more than that she wanted to see it grow. The fear could not outweigh the fierce and intense desire pulsing through her body. She felt warm and fuzzy below her waist watching this thing gorge itself.

"Oh yes! I want more!" It begged and she saw its fingers curl around the top step, leaving another row of claw marks.

Charlie got up and went to her pantry, looking through all of the food she had. She didn't get the sense that it was very picky when it came to eating. She brought a box of cookies, a box of crackers, and a box of uncooked pasta. The first thing she offered it was the cookies. But she pulled back when it reached out for them.

"Not so fast... I want you to come closer first." Her confidence had returned. Her lust was outweighing her fear, but she was still curious.

The creature pulled itself up another step, showing off its arms. The arms were thin and spindly. They looked like they could use some more meat on them. She wondered how they compared to the rest of it, but the good thing had obeyed her so she gave it the box of cookies. She couldn't make out much of its mouth but she heard the sounds of crunching and slurping and licking as it devoured the whole box at a surprisingly quick pace.

"More! More!" It begged and began reaching for the crackers which she kept just out of its reach.

"Closer." Her voice was getting breathy. Its appetite was endless. She was filled with both curious fascination and arousal. How much could this thing eat? How big could it get...

It crawled closer, now showing its face to her. Its hands rested on the top step and its arms were bent at the elbow to prop itself up. She was starting to see its head and the top of its back. As a reward the creature was able to acquire the box of crackers. She was now able to watch it rip open the top and dig around inside. It was so swift to consume. The crackers crumbled in its grasp before it could press them into its mouth. She had never seen its mouth before. The shadow pulled open into a wide expanse of darkness, somehow deeper and darker than the rest of its body.

It had a tongue. A long thick inky appendage that slithered out and devoured each bite. It was a messy eater, but it didn't leave any crumbs unconsumed and was barely leaving any trash behind. She felt like she was tossing things into a human-shaped shredder or garbage disposal. For some reason that turned her on. "Mmm... more?" It asked this time, seeming to slow down. She didn't think it was possible.

"Just a little closer." She beckoned and took a step back so it would have to crawl further into the light.

It obliged and crawled up one more step. Now she could see its shoulders and chest and got an idea of what its middle looked like. It was definitely a masculine looking creature with a flat chest and broad shoulders. However below this was the soft middle of a well-fed beast. She could see its labored breathing and feel it struggle to pull itself up into the light. It was getting heavy and full. Her discerning eye could tell it was still thin, but its belly was rounded out now. Its arms were proportional to the rest of its body but since it began feeding its gut must have expanded. It looked pregnant and she found that very cute. Her fear was starting to subside. The more she looked at this thing, desperate to feed and willing to obey any command, the less afraid she felt.

"Good thing." She praised it and handed it the box of uncooked pasta. It crunched on the food and crumbles fell around it and on its middle as it leaned against the door frame, its legs still hidden below itself. The thing slowed down, looking like a human snacking on the couch. It used its fingers to pick up the crumbs that it left and licked them off of its distended belly. She longed to reach out and rub its smooth dark skull, but was still afraid of getting bit. "Are you full now?" She spoke to it softly.

"Mmm... I think I might be." It smiled at her, still chewing and crunching. It rested a hand on its large belly and sighed happily. "You're the first human to willingly feed me. You know that?" It began stroking and rubbing itself, following the curve of its bloated body.

"Really?" Charlie had a bit of disbelief in her voice. "I mean... I understand why some people might be afraid..." She had been just moments ago. This whole week really. Although she suspected it was a harmless thing. I mean... how cute is it sitting there rubbing a full belly? Still snacking because it just wants to eat...

"The things I've had to do just to get a meal usually drives humans away." There was a slice of regret in its tone. She couldn't imagine what it had done out of desperation.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have a name?" Charlie shifted closer to the creature who gave her a sharp side-eye.

"Um, no." It said between crunches. She could feel it withdrawing. She suspected now that it was full, it felt uncomfortable being so close to a human.

"Can I call you something? Would you like a name?" Charlie offered and tilted her head. She began twirling a strand of long dark hair between her fingers. Was she flirting with this thing?

"Um... Lazlo..." It seemed to be keeping a secret from her. The name came out of nowhere, for a creature without a name that was a very quick response. It just seemed nervous to tell her.

"Okay Lazlo, let me know when you're hungry again." She offered a kind smile and began picking up the bits of shredded trash left on the first step. As she reached down towards the creature it flinched back into the darkness, crawling down the steps.

"Thank you." It nodded as it receded into the basement. Charlie couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. She would continue feeding it. No matter the consequences.