The Moon Room

Adam's bitch of a girlfriend called me again, asking if I knew where he was. Of course I knew where he was. He was visiting me and staying at my house for the weekend. He just didn't tell her because she'd be jealous. She was always jealous.1

"No," I answered. "I haven't heard from him. Why, is something wrong?"2

"He didn't call me yesterday! He's supposed to call me twice a day! God, he's such a horrible boyfriend!"3

I rolled my eyes but grinned a little. Good. Let her worry. Let her bitch at him later for not telling her his whereabouts every minute. He didn't deserve this shit. "I'm sure he's just busy," I said. "He just got that new job."4

"Fuck the job!" She yelled. "He didn't call!" 5

Adam sat on my couch, clearly aware that Melissa was hunting for him, but he sat calmly reading National Geographic, occasionally glancing up. His shaggy blond hair fell over his face, so I couldn't see his expression. I loved his hair. It was so soft and beautiful.6

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a lighter. I sniffed loudly and said, "I think the chicken is done. I gotta go, before it burns."7

She ignored me. "If you see him, tell Adam to call me. I can't believe he's avoiding me like this."8

I walked over towards the kitchen and stood under the smoke detector. I held the lighter under the smoke detector and coughed as I flicked it. "Don't worry, I said, he'll..." I paused as the smoke detector beeped. Adam looked up and smirked at me. "Shit! Gotta go!" I hung up the phone and put the lighter away. 9

Adam stood up and walked over to me as I fanned the smoke detector with a newspaper. "Thanks," he said. "I don't know how much more of this I can deal with."10

"Remind me again why you're dating her?" I raised an eyebrow.11

"I love her, Becky," he said. "She may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but she's really sweet most of the time. And I think she'd be a great mom. You know how much I want kids."12

If you want kids with serious emotional problems, I thought. But I shrugged. "Suit yourself. But really, you could do so much better."13

"Mmmhmm," he shrugged, walking out of the room. I didn't get it. He put up with all her crap and still loved her. What was so great about Melissa? Why her and not me? Was she cuter than me? Would I be such a terrible mother? Sure, I might go a little crazy during that time of the month, but I would never try to control him or our children the way she did.14

I went online to check my email. An instant message from Melissa popped up. I growled and read her message. "I'm so upset, why is he doing this to me?"15

"The question is, why do you put up with it?" I replied. 16

"I love him," she typed. "We want to get married."17

I scowled as I read her words. "You will NEVER marry him," I growled under my breath.18

Adam walked back into the room. "Call your fucking girlfriend," I murmured. "She won't leave me alone." 19

"That's what you get for pretending to be her friend," he said. I glared at him, and he shrugged and reached for his cell phone.20

"Hey, Melissa," he said into his phone. I could hear her squawking at him from across the room. "Sorry, I had to... work overtime, and I told you about my new boss..." He looked at me and shrugged, looking worn.21

It was getting close to 10 pm. Knowing them, they'd be up on the phone arguing for hours. I'd had it with that bitch. I only got to spend two days a month with Adam, and she just barked and barked at him. She had to go. She had to GO.22

"I need a ride to Walmart!" I could hear her screaming. "I have to buy a shirt for my son!" Why was it crucial to buy a shirt for a 4-year-old at this time of night? I raised an eyebrow, and Adam just shook his head sadly.23

"I'm going to bed," I whispered to him. "I have stuff to do tomorrow before the evening of fun."24

He nodded and waved. "Goodnight," he said, then clapped a hand over his mouth.25

"What?" I heard her shriek. "Who are you talking to? Are you with BECKY?"26

I smirked and scurried off to my room. Let her be jealous. Let her come to me.27

*****28

Adam looked exhausted when he emerged from the guest room the next morning. "I fucked up," he said. "She knows I'm here."29

"You didn't tell her why, did you?" 30

He shook his head. "I told her you needed my help with installing shelves in the basement."31

"Did she believe you?"32

"Not really."33

"I'm telling you, you don't deserve this."34

"I know, Becky... I just..."35

"Yeah," I said, wanting to rip her throat out, "you love her."36

*****37

After dinner, Adam and I walked down to the basement. The key to the moon room hung on a hook by the door. I unlocked the door, then put it back on the hook. I turned to Adam. "Thank you," I said. "I'll see you in the morning." He smiled at me, whispered goodnight, and closed the heavy steel door, locking me in. 38

I sat on the torn mattress in the corner and took off my clothes. I opened the little cupboard door in the wall and put my clothes in but kept my cell phone out. I dialed Adam's number. "Hey, it's me," I said. "I just remembered, I left a shopping list on the counter. My purse is in my room, you can take some money from it. And pick up some beer if you like."39

"Sure thing," he said. 40

"I think the beer store closes in an hour," I said. "I hope you don't mind."41

"Not at all," he said. I waited, listening to his footsteps upstairs. 42

When I heard the front door close, I called Melissa. "Hey," I said. "Look, I'm really sorry, but I have to tell you this." I grinned as I lied to her. "Adam and I... we're having an affair. I'm really sorry, but..." I held the phone away from my ear as she screamed and cursed.43

"I'm coming over!" She hollered. 44

"Wait!" I said. "We're in the basement, and the room down there isn't finished yet! There's... wet paint all over the place!"45

"I don't care!" she cried, and the call disconnected. 46

I snickered to myself, waiting for her to arrive. I set the phone in the cupboard and listened for the door. A little while later, I heard a car screech into my driveway, and the door crashed open.47

"Adam!" She hollered. "Becky!" 48

"Uh... we're busy!" I yelled. Footsteps ran across the room upstairs, then down the basement stairs. 49

"I know you're in there!" Melissa screamed, banging on the moon room door. I glanced up at the tiny barred window. It was almost time.50

I heard the key in the lock, and Melissa stormed in. "You!" She pointed at me. "Where is he? Why are you naked? You were fucking him!" 51

"Close the door and sit down," I said. I reached out and snatched the key from her, slamming the door shut. I crouched and slid the key under the door.52

"What the fuck are you doing?" She screamed. 53

I shivered as a tingly feeling spread across my body. The fur tickled as it grew, and I dropped to all fours, baring my teeth at her.54

"Oh my God! You're..." She yelped, but my vision blurred and I lost consciousness as the wolf took over and I lunged at her.55

*****56

The banging on the door woke me up, and I squinted as the sunlight poked through the window and into my eyes. "Becky!" Adam yelled. "Are you human now? Where's Melissa? Her car is here!"57

I tried to sit up, but my face was stuck to the mattress. I saw a pool of red gluing my face down and slowly pulled away. I was covered in blood and shreds of flesh and cloth, and one of my hands clutched a bone.58

"Holy fuck!" I screamed, pretending to be confused. "Adam!" 59

The key fumbled in the lock, and he threw the door open. His jaw dropped open as he fell to his knees. "Oh, Becky..." he hid his face. 60

I looked around the moon room. Whatever remained of Melissa was splattered on the walls and scattered across the floor. I dropped the bone, probably her leg, and knelt in front of him. 61

"Oh Adam," I said, faking concern. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened, she came in looking for you as I was changing and it was too late to warn her and... I'm so sorry!"62

I held him as he sobbed, managing to force a few tears out myself. But inside, I laughed. Finally he stood, averting his eyes from the mess. I took his hand and led him out of the room, closing the door. 63

"I'll take care of it," I whispered. Her bones would go into the lake, and so would her car. He put an arm around my naked shoulders, ignoring the blood staining his shirt, and we walked upstairs. 64

In the bathroom, I ran the shower and groaned, my stomach churning. Melissa did not go down well.